Telephone 01449 723601
email        sales@limelightgb.com

Suffolk Thumb Latches

 Suffolk thumb latch
 HL1 £49.00
OFFER PRICE £32.50
 length 210mm

 Latch locking device
 LD1 £9.00
 (shown in locked position)

Each Suffolk latch set consists   of a handle (left) and a closing mechanism (below). The closing mechanism consists of a bar, bar retainer and a frame keep.

click on an image to enlarge

Heavier Suffolk latches

 Ringlatch
 closing mechanism

 above:
 C17th  ring latch     RL4M £110.30 
with ring both
 sides to operate
 mortice catch.
 Ring dia 100mm

 above & below:
 Church door
 ring latch RL4 £91.40
 Set comprises
 handle (above), dia
 100mm, and   closing mechanism (below)

 (above &  above-right)
 Suffolk Hall
 Latch SL6 £53.10
 Set comprises  handle (above,  length 240mm) and closing mechanism
(above right)

Closing mechanism

Nb
Our ironwork is coated with a protected bees wax finish. If exposed to the elements a paint finish may be required. Please enquire.

Cabinet latches

 Cabinet latch
 HC3 £19.60
 110mm long

 Cupboard latch
 HC1 £21.90
 190mm long

 Turnbuckle
 HC4 £5.80
 60mm long

A brief history of Suffolk latches
Early door furniture was hand-forged by the local blacksmith and fixed using hand made nails. The blacksmith often added his own artistic embellishments such as the saltire cross or a spear end but generally latch designs were of two types: the drop handle type(such as our ring latch) and the vertical pull handle (such as our Suffolk latch) .
The drop handle type tends to be an earlier design, wooden latches predating these and whose use is literally timeless. The Suffolk latch type has been in popular use since at least the C16th and enjoyed a revival during the Arts and Crafts movement.
And Suffolk latches are still being fitted today!

How to fit a Suffolk Latch
nb read whole instructions before proceeding!
Fix (temporarily) the bar to the opening side of the door so that it protrudes by 20mm. Fix the frame keep to the door frame so that the bar sits horizontally when the door is closed. Fix the bar retainer so that it supports the bar at such a height that when the door is closed the bar rides up the slope of the frame keep. (You may need to remove the bar for the next step) Drill a hole 6mmdia immediately underneath the bar and a further 6mm hole 10mm centre to centre below this.Join up the holes to create a single elongated hole. This hole is for the lifter. Insert the lifter from the opposite side of the door and secure the handle.