Great Period Correct, Repro Box / Chest Handles

[Artificer]

Folks, it's been 9 or more years since I posted a lot of information on this forum about making repro period correct storage boxes, camp boxes and chests. Well, I'm very glad to say I finally have some new info to pass along on this subject and it's on period correct handles that may not be familiar to some of our members. I have to sheepishly admit I did not understand just how great this type of chest handles were/are until much more recently.

Unlike many handles, these were designed so they could only go upwards so far and thus will not pinch or even semi crush your fingers when picking up and or carrying heavier chests. I've even found and will pass along a couple sources for repro hinges that while are a bit more expensive than more common modern hardware store hinges, are much more correct for most of our time periods we recreate.

So let's begin with repro's of one of the earliest types of these hinges. The "bail/s" (period correct name as far as my research says), or what some folks today might call the bow of the handle, are held in place by a type of 1/2 of a Snipe Hinge. Since not a lot of folks may not understand what I mean by that, then please see the link below:

https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/...pine-carryall-boxes.97460/page-2#post-1266949

Starting at :49 on the video, she shows how the "half of a snipe hinge" on each side of the bail, is bent over inside the interior of the box. However, I am fairly certain she missed "clenching" each of the ends of the two tapered side points into the wood for each 1/2 of the snipe hinge piece. Clenching means you bend the very ends of the tapered points around 90 degrees and pound that bent portion into the wood on the inside of the box. This technique was common in the period when clenching nails on hinges, supporting straps, etc. This technique keeps nails from pulling loose and in this case would keep each 1/2 snipe hinge piece from pulling loose.

OK, here's the video on this type:




More coming in follow on posts.

Gus

 

[Artificer]

A slightly different way to make such a handle:




OK, the next two videos show the style with a heart shape back plate for each handle. Now, I don't know for sure, but I strongly suspect the plainer rectangular back plate is older and of course it would be easier to make.





The following video is probably the most overall informative on making such handles.





Still more coming folks.

Gus

 

[Artificer]

OK, now I realize many to most of us don't have access to a forge or even a local blacksmith to make our own hinges. I was able to find two sources of "ready made" hinges of this type.

This first link shows the lesser expensive ones and has the best selection of sizes:

https://www.vandykes.com/traditiona...MI9J6fra3bhgMV3YPLAR11kAfmEAEYASABEgJiBvD_BwE

Next is the higher priced handle:

https://www.kennedyhardware.com/large-black-steel-trunk-handle.html

Still more coming.

Gus

 

[Artificer]

OK, now I'm not trying to tell anyone how they must attach the back plates, but I'm going to make a suggestion to keep them more period correct.

I have not seen a huge number of original handles of the types mentioned above, but the ones I've seen on items I have felt comfortable that were original 18th and early 19th century, were all attached by clenched nails instead of screws. For most of this period, screws were extremely expensive because they had to have the threads cut by hand for each screw.

Further, the heavier the chest or box was and/or the heavier the items that were kept inside, the much more likely they would have used clenched hand forged, square nails. This because it was a lot cheaper and much less likely for clenched nails (rather than hand cut wood screw threads) to loosen or pull out in use.

Now when using period or repro square nails (or even non 18th century "cut" nails like you get from Tremont Nail Company) you MUST drill a slightly undersize hole through the wood for each and every nail so the wood doesn't split. Please don't forget this when using these types of nails.

Since many forum members may not have experience in clenching nails, I've included three videos on how to do it.

This first is with Tremont Cut nail brads, though the technique would be the same for period square nail brads:




This second video is a short, "down and dirty" way of clenching larger square nails:



The third video goes into much more detail when clenching square nails:




I hope forum members will find this thread interesting, informative and useful.

Yr Obt Svt,
Gus