Hinges & Pintles
Heavy Strap Hinges & Pintles
The heart of every functional shutter installation.
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Brandywine Forge — USA-made exterior shutter hardware, barn and gate hardware
We don’t make shutters —We make shutters work
Blacksmiths since the Bicentennial, we manufacture the finest period exterior shutter hardware for caring homeowners & knowledgeable professionals, including:
- National Trust for Historic Preservation
- National Park Service
- Architects
- State and local governments
- Shutter makers
- Custom mill shops
Grinding hot steel in the Brandywine Forge shop
Stone springhouse in south-east Pennsylvania
Shutter held open with forged hardware
Brick home with functional raised-panel shutters
Pennsylvania stone farmhouse with working shutters
Coastal Florida home with storm shutters
Stucco colonial with green shutters
Forged ring and hardware on early brickwork
Federal-style house with green shutters
Paneled shutter swinging on a heavy pintle
Louvered shutters on a brick facade
Hand-forged shutter dog holding a shutter open
Townhouse entry with black shutters
Porch lined with louvered shutters
Brick house with white paneled shutters
Forged slide bolt on a green shutter
S-shaped shutter dog on red brick
50Years at the anvil
9Heavy pintle styles
15Shutter dog patterns
304Grade domestic stainless
Blacksmiths in historic Chester County
Located in historic south-east Pennsylvania, we’re blacksmiths with decades of experience reproducing period shutter hardware in the manner of the originals. Over the years we’ve learned what style of shutter hardware is appropriate for the different historic periods and regions of the country. Our fabrication capacity and experience let us offer the most extensive line of quality American shutter hardware at a surprisingly affordable price — hardware inspired by the best original examples from period American homes, built to stand the test of time. We’ve seen what works, and we’ve seen what failed.
Our exterior shutter strap hinges and pintles are fitted and sized to your specific installation. Brandywine hardware is correct in appearance and function — designed and configured to install easily. Should you need custom hardware for an historic restoration, a difficult installation, or something visually unique for an up-scale project, we’re able and happy to help with design, selection and fabrication.
Brandywine hardware represents good value. You pay for our craftsmen’s time and materials, not middleman profits. We start with heavy material and finish with the most durable finishes we’ve found: easy installation and minimal maintenance.
We really are blacksmiths, guys with big arms. Our work is hand forged red hot at the anvil as smiths have done for centuries. But this is the 21st century, so we must define our mission:
Our hardware
Six lines, one forge
Choose a line to see patterns, sizes and reference pricing — or add items to your quote list as you browse.
Hinges & Pintles
Mid-Weight Shutter Hinges
Most shutter hardware sold today is imported copies of hardware first made here in the 1880s — and contemporary construction doesn’t match 19th-century materials or dimensions.
From $31 / pair
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Hold-opens
Shutter Dogs & Hold-opens
Hold-opens do just that — they secure shutters in the open position and keep them from banging in the wind.
From $19.50 / pair
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Locks & Bolts
Shutter Locks & Bolts
It’s quite simple … if shutters don’t lock in the closed position, they don’t function.
From $19.50 / set
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Stainless
Stainless Steel Shutter Hardware
Whether you need hurricane hardware for an oceanside property or just want a forever-maintenance-free exterior, stainless steel is the unsurpassed option.
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Barn & Gate
Barn, Gate & Heavy Door Hardware
Barns and outbuildings are working structures, and the doors and hardware are the “workingest” part.
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Hardware that does its job
Functional shutters do three things
Swing — hinges & pintles
Pintles fasten to the structure; hinges fasten to the shutter and swing on the pintle pins. All Brandywine hardware is “lift-off” so shutters come down easily for painting.
Stay open — hold-opens
Shutter dogs, hooks and stays hold the open shutters snug against the house and keep them from banging in the wind.
Lock closed — locks
If the shutters don’t lock, the shutters don’t function. Locks are also the most visible hardware on open shutters.
Imported counterfeits of our hardware sold by some shutter makers never duplicate our quality, finish or functionality.
Ask about origin before you buy.
Buy American — Buy Brandywine 
New offering
Stainless steel hardware for harsh environments
High quality hardware made from domestically produced 304 grade stainless steel. Our standard heavy-duty shutter hardware and more, in top-shelf stainless, provides time-tested protection against ocean storms with a no-maintenance solution for sea-side homes.
Our hardware is of our own design — interpretations of quality early American ironwork, or newly developed patterns designed to install easily and securely on contemporary construction.
Recent awards
On award-winning homes
Brandywine hardware has been used on many award-winning homes and projects. Among the most recent:
2016 Traditional Building “Palladio Award”
Howell House, Panama City, Florida
New residence over 5,000 sq ft on the Gulf coast, fitted with Brandywine stock stainless shutter hardware specified by the architect.
2016 “Carolopolis Award”
36 Coming Street, Charleston, SC
Presented by the Preservation Society of Charleston. We identified the original hardware and re-made the lost strap hinges and shutter dogs.
From the shop
Latest articles
The Four H's of Barn Door Hardware: Hinges, Hasps, Hooks and Handles
Hinges, hasps, hooks and handles: how traditional forged barn door hardware works, how to size it, and how to hang it so it lasts.
Hand Forged, Drop Forged or Cast? A Blacksmith's Guide to Iron and Steel
What "hand forged," "drop forged" and "wrought iron" really mean, why cast iron hardware cracks, and how to tell what you're holding.
Reading the Clues: How to Identify and Restore Historic Shutter Hardware
Old pintles, tie-backs and scratches in the brick tell you what hardware once hung on your house. A blacksmith's guide to reading the clues and restoring it right.
Frequently asked questions
Do you make the hardware yourselves?
Yes. We really are blacksmiths. Everything we sell is made in our own shop in Royersford, Pennsylvania, a few miles up the Schuylkill River from Valley Forge — stock, custom and semi-custom hardware.
What is the difference between functional and decorative shutters?
Functional shutters swing on hinges and pintles, are held open by shutter dogs or hooks, and lock closed for storm protection, privacy and security. Decorative shutters are fixed to the wall and only need visible hardware such as dogs and bolts for appearance.
How do I know which hinges and pintles I need?
It depends on how your windows sit in the wall and what your shutters close against. Start with our installation guide, measure offset, casing and shutter width, then call us — we fit standoff and throw to your installation.
Do you offer hardware for hurricane-prone or oceanfront homes?
Yes. We make the most comprehensive line of domestic 304 grade stainless steel shutter hardware we know of, including a heavy barrel bolt designed not to rattle loose in days-long storms.
Can you match original hardware for a historic restoration?
Yes. We have decades of experience reproducing period hardware. A sample, or a surviving pintle, usually tells us everything we need to make matching hinges, dogs and locks.