Re: New latches for old kitchen cabinets

I'm looking for a good "latching solution" for some old kitchen

> cabinet doors. My friends have a house built in the 1920s with > old-style built-in kitchen cabinetry. Over the years the latches on the > doors > have either somehow removed themselves and walked away, or simply > fail to keep the doors shut anymore. > > So I'm looking for some good latches. The cabinets have doors set > flush with the face frames, so the latches would either have to > attach to the back of the door and the back of the face frame, or > possibly underneath one of the shelves. > > I know those cheap-ass ones with the metal tongue that goes into a > 2-pronged metal receiver are no good. I want something that will > really hold the doors securely. So far haven't been able to find > anything locally. > Anyone know of some good hardware in this area? Much appreciated.

There used to be some real heap ones, used a screw with a round (but slotted head) on the door and a receptacle similar to the ones you mentioned above. Not elegant but they held very well. Can't say who made them but I'm guessing Stanley as the cabinets I broke up had Stanley pivot hinges...saved those and the catches, use both on my shop cabinets.

Reply to
dadiOH
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On 11/27/2009 11:33 AM dadiOH spake thus:

I think I've seen these; did the receivers have two metal prongs that held the screw between them?

Even so, have no idea where I'd find these.

Reply to
David Nebenzahl

Something like this?

Reply to
Dave Balderstone

Magnets

Reply to
clare

I find that at least the ones made for furniture to be nothing but a PITA. They work for a month, maybe. Magnets don't like shock and that's exactly what they get as a door catch.

Reply to
krw

There are lots of quality magnetic latches and closers that work for decades

How about magnetic fridge gaskets and weatherstipping? They handle the shock of closing just fine. Yes there are some real cheap magnetic closers/latches sold for cabnetry etc that are pretty useless - but if you look and mabee pay a bit more there are some that WILL last.

Reply to
clare

I have never seen one, on any furniture.

Different beast. The magnet isn't a solid object striking another solid object and there is far more surface area.

Again, I've never seen one. ...and I have looked. I'll not buy any furniture that uses the things anymore. There are far better solutions.

Reply to
krw

On 11/27/2009 2:32 PM Dave Balderstone spake thus:

No, but those are interesting. Except that they look a little wimpy. If I could pick some of those up locally I might try them 'cause they're cheap.

Reply to
David Nebenzahl

Where in Canada are you looking?

Reply to
clare

You haven't looked very far. The stanley and Amerock type (Stanley

711030, 711075, 710300 etc ) (and Amerock CM976 series) are decent quality - or at least alweys were, but the EPCO 5XX series is far superior as they do not have the impact problem.

They WORK

Reply to
clare

On 11/28/2009 7:16 AM snipped-for-privacy@snyder.on.ca spake thus:

The Bay province. You know: San Francisco.

Reply to
David Nebenzahl

Yeah. The prongs were maybe 3/8 - 1/2 wide, had plastic tips and were spring loaded in some fashion, took a fair amount of push/pull to open/close the door. ____________

Nor do I. I browsed Stanley, Amerock and WoodWorkers Supply without luck. Best I can say is that they had to have been very low price because the cabinets were cheap, cheap, CHEAP. Did I mention they were cheaply made?

Reply to
dadiOH

The impact problem is a matter of physics. Magnets do not like to be struck. They *will* lose their magnetism.

Reply to
krw

I have cabinets with magnets that have been working just fine for decades. Multiple uses per day, every day. I'll get back to you in another 40 years with an update.

Reply to
Ed Pawlowski

Have you looked at the latch referenced? I just got rid of a stereo cabinet that had one for over 20 years - as good as the day it was made.

Reply to
clare

What should I *look* for?

I just know my experience with them and the material properties of the magnets. I also know that there are better solutions.

Reply to
krw

On Nov 29, 8:26=A0am, krw wrote: [dislike of magnetic latches]

The simple bullet catches, with metal or plastic springs, are wear- prone and have to be well aligned. The magnet catches are better because alignment is 'automatic' as long as the poles don't miss the plate. The magnet sits between two floating pole pieces, it never strikes anything. They last forever.

There are also hook-capture-the-rod catches that always latch in a particular plane but which have less alignment sensitivity than the bullet catches. These are like the latch on your car trunk. They look complex; I probably can't afford those.

Reply to
whit3rd

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