Unsung Hero Gets Story Told

What would society look like without hinges? Only the wealthy or powerful would have security. Women and weak people could not be independent. Modern transportation would not be feasible. The hinge is critical. This importance is implied when you do a Google search on “hinges” and see an article claim that foreign policy hinges on this, or brand loyalty hinges on that. The hinge as an invention, however, is ignored as a topic of interest in the usual information sources. This servant of daily life that empowers people everywhere is overlooked and unrecognized. …until now. HardwareSource.com has published the story of the hinge in a series of inter-related pages accessed through a new “Hinge History” section.

(PRWEB) September 28, 2006 -- Without hinges there would be no doors on cars, trucks, or planes that provide containment during transit then open quickly and easily for loading and unloading. How would you lock up a home without doors on hinges? Anything that provides sufficient protection over a doorway would be very heavy to move. House doors, garage doors, cabinet doors, shutters, and gates with no hinges would require so much more strength to move. The hinge empowers people who are physically weak to be self-reliant. The hinge truly enables society as we know it.

The invention of the wheel gets respect and attention. No one wants to reinvent it. The wheel primarily enables weight-bearing loads to move horizontally, on land; but, hinges provide weight-bearing loads to move in all kinds of directions. If you try to research the hinge, however, you will see how little information is available.

This reliable unsung hero of our daily lives now has its story told at HardwareSource.com. In its passion for hinges, HardwareSource.com has sponsored the research for and publication of pages devoted to the Story of the Hinge. They devoted a whole section to this information accessed through “Hinge History” in the top navigation bar found here: http://www.hardwaresource.com

An expert researcher and reporter, Alix Stuart, is an Active Lightning Specialist who was put on the case of uncovering the Story of the Hinge. She discovered a time in civilization where there were no hinges! Excavation of an ancient settlement in Turkey dating back to 6500 BC shows no hinges and no front doors. People entered and exited their dwellings from a hole in the roof. The first available evidence of hinges is their role in the security of a city, to allow people to open and close a massive gate door that was attached to protective walls. Then there is evidence of the wealthy and powerful using hinges for special buildings in 760 BC. In the settlement of the USA, hinges played a major role in making covered wagons serviceable for on-the-go living. In current times, the hinge provides service throughout a home: doors, cabinets, refrigerator, chests, and garage door. This information is covered in Hinge History – Historical Advances and Development of the Hinge. http://www.hardwaresource.com/hingehistory.asp

A good hinge provides the most strength for the least size and weight. So the Story of the Hinge involves advances in metal. Alix also researched and wrote an article on the History of Metal in Hinges: Bronze, Iron and Steel http://www.hardwaresource.com/about_hinges/metal_in_hinges.html. Bronze came into use around 3000 BC. In the second millennium BC, most likely during the 1400s, the Hittites discover how to make steel. Knowing more about metals helps with selecting the best hinge solution. The Story of the Hinge also involves Hinge Fabrication Methods. Modern technology enables many possibilities for strength and design. Ball bearing hinges, invisible hinges, demountable hinges, continuous hinges, and butterfly hinges are just some of the options made possible by modern hinge fabrication methods. http://www.hardwaresource.com/about_hinges/fabrication_of_hinges.html

The Story of the Hinge also includes several people who contributed significant hinge inventions. Each spawned a company to fabricate their hinge innovations: Stanley, Hager, Amerock, and Blum. The current state of hinge development is shown via the HardwareSource.com Hinge Collection. http://www.hardwaresource.com/about_hinges/hinge_collection.html

We would like people everywhere to appreciate the hinge. It makes an important contribution to security and easy living. It enables our modern lifestyles. Its history provides a unique perspective on understanding human progress.

For additional information about HardwareSource.com visit their site at:

http://www.hardwaresource.com/ContentPage.asp?ContentID=36.

For more information on their information content developer visit:

http://www.activelightning.com.

About HardwareSource.com:

HardwareSource.com is one of the world’s leading online hinge retailers. It is the specialty hinge division of San Diego Hardware which has been supplying hardware and hinges since 1892.

HardwareSource.com is designed to help people find the hinge they need and provide helpful hinge information such as types of cabinet door mounts, how to estimate door weights, a glossary, manufacturer information, and a question/answer section. They boast the widest selection of hinges you'll find anywhere—about 2300 at last count, with more added weekly. (Other stores carry only 100 to 350 types of hinges.) Their online in catalog is overflowing with full-color images, concise descriptions and enough information on installation requirements so that even a hinge-novice can shop with confidence. The staff at HardwareSource is very responsive and helpful to questions from the public. Hardware Source is the leading online resource for hinges.

Contacts:

Rip Fleming

HardwareSource.com

5710 Kearny Villa Rd, Suite A

San Diego, CA 92123

858-576-1892 x101

http://www.hardwaresource.com

Sally Seaver Shabaka

Active Lightning

PO Box 51159

Boston, MA 02205

617-275-4413

http://www.activelightning.com

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