Priced by the pair · quoted to size
The heart of every functional shutter installation. Strap hinges have been in continuous use since Roman times because they carry heavy loads well, are simple to install and last just about forever. Ours are forged from 3/16″ thick steel — we have never seen a hinge of that weight fail.
Reference prices from our price sheet; prices change with steel costs, so we confirm current pricing, finish and lead time with you before anything is forged. See ordering information.
Selection of hinge style is just that — picking a hinge shape and size you like that’s appropriate to your house and its period. Any of our heavy strap hinges will easily hang a door or a shutter. Strap hinges are generally sized to span from one half to two thirds of the width of the shutter, and our hinge lengths measure the part that actually sits on the shutter: from the offset bend to the end.
| Item | Pattern | Character | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| 700 | Tapered strap hinge | Tapered profile, no hand finishing | 1870s – today |
| 701 | Forged bevel | Hammered bevel along the strap | Typical of the 1700s |
| 702 | Tapered / beaned | Hand-forged termination on the hinge | 1820s on |
| 705 | Storm strap | Plain, functional, affordable | 1850s on |
| 706 | Beveled storm | Straight hinge with hand bevel | Early approach |
| 708 | Westport | A Brandywine original — definitely not colonial | Contemporary |
The first number gives the profile of the hinge. “N” means narrow (1-½″), “W” means wide (2″); then comes the length, then the standoff. A 705-N-12-1 is a 12″ long storm strap, 1-½″ wide, with a 1″ standoff. All heavy hinges are priced by the pair and include the standoff.
Hinges attach to the shutter; pintles attach to the building and provide the pin on which everything swings. Too often we’ve seen beautiful moldings butchered to accept cheap hardware, or original windows nearly destroyed to remove old pintles. Choosing the pintle that works most easily with your construction is the primary consideration in planning any shutter installation — which is why we developed the largest selection of heavy pintles you’ll find anywhere.
| Item | Pintle | Best used where… |
|---|---|---|
| 300 / 301 | Timber & frame drive | The earliest pintles — driven into timber framing |
| 302 | Plate pintle | A very common early form; four fastener holes on a rectangular plate |
| 303 | Narrow plate | One-inch width fits narrow mounting surfaces |
| 304 | Offset narrow | Brandywine exclusive — moves the pivot point to the side of the pintle |
| 305 | Jamb leaf | Mortises to the window frame and acts like a door hinge |
| 306 | Lag screw pintle | ½″ screw shank; strong, clean, looks like a drive pintle when installed |
| 307 / 309 | Notched female / female TEE | Mate with notched hinges that carry their own pin |
An “N” pintle carries a 1-½″ pin to suit narrow hinges; a “W” pintle has a 2″ pin and a back plate ½″ taller to match wide hinges. It takes two pairs of heavy hinges and pintles to hang a normal pair of shutters on one window.
Many historic shutter hinges (1820–1900) were notched barrels with integral pins, mated to a female pintle screwed into the side of the window frame. When the shutters were last lifted off, the pintles stayed — whole neighborhoods still have them. If yours do, you’re in luck: all you need are notched strap hinges and shutters. Our notched straps have a ½″ pin welded in the barrel, which fits most remaining historic pintles, and the open shutters lie close to the face of the building with the hardware barely visible.
Before you order: please call us early — ideally before you build or buy shutters. A little up-front planning on standoff, throw and pintle choice saves time, money, compromise and aggravation. See our guide to measuring offset, standoff and throw or try the offset calculator.
Strap hinges are generally sized to span from one half to two thirds of the width of the shutter. We measure hinge length from the offset bend to the end — the part that actually sits on the shutter.
No. Heavy hinges and pintles are priced and sold separately, by the pair, so you can choose the pintle that installs most easily on your structure and mate it to the hinge style you like.
Very often. Most surviving 19th-century female pintles take a ½″ pin about 1″ high, which matches our standard notched hinges. Send us a measurement or a sample and we will confirm.
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.
It’s quite simple … if shutters don’t lock in the closed position, they don’t function.
Whether you need hurricane hardware for an oceanside property or just want a forever-maintenance-free exterior, stainless steel is the unsurpassed option.
We’re happy to help you configure a hardware and shutter solution that will install easily, function properly, and can save you time and money.
