Which metal is right for you?

February 19, 2021

← All Posts

“What happened to the awning you were going to put up?”, asked my neighbor as he got out of his car and leaned over my fence. He was a local hardware retailer and both of us were looking forward to the summer and all the barbecues waiting to happen! “Oh, I have the big stuff, but for the life of me, I can’t figure out the snaps and pulleys I would need”, I said in exasperation. “Not just for this project, but I definitely need help to work on my garden fence and my boat needs some mending too. There are just SO many varieties and all those different metals!”, I said a little defensively.

“You should take a look at the Baron Hardware catalogue”, he said, showing me the link: https://baronhardware.com/products/. They explain their products’ use cases too, and their sales team is very helpful with just the right suggestions. I buy most of my products from them because of their discounted pricing and 24-hour delivery. But let me see if I can explain a bit,” he went on.

“Basically, you can find hooks, snaps, bolts, chains, spring links, turnbuckles, rope clips, pulleys, and even wire ropes and cables in all these different metals and you can find all of them wholesale at Baron Hardware:

• Nickel-plated malleable iron
• Nickel-plated solid brass
• Polished solid bronze
• Plated drop forged alloy steel
• Stainless steel
• Formed stainless steel
• Zinc-plated steel
• Aluminum

You would have to pick the metal depending on where you would be using it. Makes sense?”, he paused while I tried to list the “Things to do before summer” in my head. “For example, stainless steel is the go-to metal for marine hardware. Where resistance to corrosion and low maintenance are priorities, you can’t beat the strength and lustre of stainless steel. The stainless steel Spring Hooks, Snaps, and Quick links you see on the Baron website www.baronhardware.com could just be what you need for your boat, and my own customers vouch for them too!

But if you want good-looking, say for the chain links or hooks for your chandelier, or connecting hardware for your fireplace, or even hooks for your picture frames and fittings, brass or bronze will suit your needs much better. You would have of course seen the brass buckles on the leather satchels and handbags! Most of the leather products manufacturers I trade with buy from Baron too. Since brass looks good while also being highly non-flammable, it would be perfect for use around flammable or ignitable gases.

Solid, polished bronze hooks and snaps are aesthetically pleasing as well as strong enough for specific uses. You can check out the solid bronze bolt snaps, rigid eye-snaps, and rope clamps at Baron, and see if any of your projects can use them!”, he paused.

“What is that lustrous silvery coating then?” I asked, suddenly curious about the shiny hardware in the catalogue. “You mean the nickel-plated Chain Snaps, Square Loop Snaps, Trigger snaps, Swivel eye leash snaps? Nickel plating gives an awesome combination of corrosion and wear & tear resistance, while also adding brightness and lustre. The second best example of strong and handsome, next only to me”, he said, winking at his wife who had just come out.

“You’ll have to tell me more sometime.”, I said recognizing that the conversation was over. Meanwhile, I am going to try and find all of Baron’s retailers near me. If you would like to get in touch with Baron, be sure to call 1-800-368-8585 or write to sales@baronhardware.com for the best deals. America’s leading hardware distributor and supplier is sure to have what you need!