Maybe you live in a rickety old house like I do and you have old cabinets that are still sound but with old worn out hinges and you want to replace the hinges only.  Our house has 3/8” inset hinges that are self-closing and free-swinging.  We have half inch overlay hinges that are single demountable and double demountable. We have a lot of old stuff.  It could be that you want to restore the cabinets that are in your house.  You do not want to replace them.  Well then Woodworker's Hardware has the hinges for you. Woodworkers has it all.   Let’s start with “variable overlay” hinges.  Variable overlay hinges are only available in self closing.  They are called decorative because the cabinet wing (the part of the hinge that is attached to the face frame) is exposed. It is true the screws are exposed also but 50 years ago we called that decorative.  The door wing is attached to the back of the door and you can attach the door to the face frame with any overlay you want. That is why we call it variable overlay.  There is also a 30-degree reverse bevel hinge which is also a decorative hinge and variable overlay.  These hinges are called reverse bevel because the back side of the door has a reverse bevel.  Sometime these hinges were preferred because it was not necessary to use decorative knobs or pulls.  It provided a “clean, sanitary look” as they said.   What are half wrap hinges?  Half wrap hinges are still referred to as decorative because the barrel of the hinge is exposed.  The hinge is called half wrap because the cabinet wing, the part that mounts to the face frame wraps part way around the face frame.  This was an extremely popular hinge.  Cabinet builders loved them.  They were very easy to install.  Half wrap hinges are available in 3/8” inset, ¼” overlay and ½” overlay.  The overlay was fixed and cabinet builders didn’t have to worry about overlay.   What is a 3/8” inset hinge?  Back sides of doors were rabbited with a 3/8 x 3/8” lip.  The lip fit inside the face frame and therefore it was called a 3/8” inset.  These hinges were popular because they were always in perfect alignment with the face frame.  3/8” inset hinges are available in half-wrap and decorative styles.   They are also available in self-closing and free-swinging types.   Demountable hinges.  Demountable hinges are still popular today except that they are rarely used in new cabinet construction.  Their popularity was a result of the ease of adjustment provided by the mounting lugs. Cabinet shops loved them because a machine was available to automatically route the doors and face frames for the lugs. Fast efficient cabinet building. Today demountable hinges are in the replacement market only.  Single demountable hinges have a mounting lug on the face frame wing only.  Double demountable hinges have mounting lugs on the face frame and door wings.  They are available in ½” and ¼” overlay.  Double demountable hinges are also available in 3/8” inset.   Finally, “full inset hinges”.  Full inset hinges are normally used in high end applications where precision cabinet building skills were required.  Only the barrel of the hinge would show and the doors were completely inset, flush with the outside of the face frame.  Full inset hinges have barrels with ball tips, minaret tips and flat tips.   Look around your old house and see what you have.  You might find it fulfilling to replace in order to restore and old set of cabinets.  Give Woodworkers Hardware a call.