Thickness

The thickness of the metal used to make the hinge leaves.

The gauge of a hinge is generally in proportion to the gauge of the door or component part to which the hinge is attached. When the width of the door is more than twice its height or if the door carries added loads, you may want to specify a heavier gauge hinge. For the various S & S Hinge series, the metal gauge dictates the knuckle length as well as the pin diameter.

Open Width

The open width (or hinge width) is the overall dimension of the leaves measured perpendicular to or across the pin.

Consider the mounting surface, the available mounting space, and the required hinge strength when determining the open width. We can also manufacture hinges with leaves of different widths. Unequal leaves should have a total open width equal to a standard width below.

Metal and Finish

Hinge metal and finish are generally the same as the parts to which the hinge is attached.

To resist corrosion, choose stainless steel or aluminum. We manufacture pre-plated brass and nickel for the furniture industry and brite-annealed stainless for marine applications. We can also manufacture hinges with special finishes and with pins and leaves of different metals. A plated steel hinge with a stainless pin may help prevent rust. A stainless pin in a steel or aluminum hinge also provides additional strength.

Hinge Length

The length of the hinge is measured parallel to the pin.

We highly recommend designing your product to use a hinge that is an even multiple of knuckle length. Partial end knuckles are less attractive, can bind, and may not move as freely. We stock our standard hinges in 6' and 8' lengths. You can use a metal-cutting saw or punch press to cut down hinges to their needed lengths. We also manufacture hinges cut to the lengths that you specify.