Care guide and installation

How to care for your hardware

Brass and copper

When left untreated, brass will start to turn a rich golden colour within hours of the manufacturing process finishing (while copper will develop a rich bronze colour). This patination will develop over time, reflecting how you touch and use the handle. It can be restored to a bright finish again with many standard brass cleaners (Brasso, for example). If you would prefer your handles to remain bright, we offer an invisible clear-coated option.

For general cleaning it is best to avoid using strong or undiluted cleaners. If you are using a metal polish, ensure all residue is removed with warm soapy water. 

We can also offer a refinishing and repair service to make your handles look as good as new again. Refinishing starts from £1 per piece for our knobs to £2.50 for larger handles, plus postage costs. Please contact us for more information. 

Powder coated

A powder-coated finish is very durable, but not indestructible. It will last many years provided it doesn't become chipped from accidental damage. It is best to avoid strong undiluted cleaners and simply use warm soapy water, as you would for the rest of your kitchen cupboards. 

Installation guide

Our hardware is supplied with fixings to allow you to use it as either handles or hooks. When bought from the Conran shop, Hobsons and Meteors will come with two different sets of fixings that allow your hardware to be used as either:

- Screws and allen key for mounting to a cupboard for use as a handle

- Wood-to-metal screws to allow the hardware to be fixed onto a wall or door for use as a hook

Handles and knobs

Knobs and handles are mounted with a 5mm screw, so will require a 5mm hole drilled through the cupboard door. Measure twice and double check you're happy with the position, marking with a pencil and using a centre punch to mark the hole before drilling. It also helps to hold a piece of scrap wood on the back of the door as you drill through from the front. This prevents the drill bit breaking away large chips at the back of the door as it comes through – careful to keep your fingers out of the way for obvious reasons!   

Use the allen key provided to tighten up the screw from the inside of the cupboard door.

Hooks

Our hooks come with a wood-to-metal screw dowel. Simply wind the metal end into the back of the hook as far as it will go, leaving the wood screw end protruding ready to screw into the wall or door. We advise customers to use the appropriate raw plug for their mounting surface to ensure the hook remains fixed securely. Do not exceed 2kg of load.