The Journey of Brass - From Raw Material to a Croft Original
30th September 2026
At Croft, every piece of hardware has a story long before it reaches a door, cabinet or piece of furniture. Born from an idea conceived by our in-house design team, the journey begins as brass makes its way through our own factory in the heart of England.
It is a process shaped by five generations of British manufacturing knowledge.
Since 1868, making has been at the heart of Croft. Today, traditional skills sit alongside modern manufacturing methods, allowing us to create architectural hardware that feels considered in every detail.
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It starts with form
Before there is a handle, knob or piece of hardware, there is simply material waiting to be shaped.
There are a multitude of techniques used to shape products. Across the Croft factory, we use specialist methods including lost wax casting, stampings and precision machining, choosing the process best suited to bringing each design to life.
This is where the character of the finished piece first begins to emerge. Dimensions are established and the shape becomes recognisable.
Crafted by hand
As the piece moves through the factory, it passes through the hands of Croft’s skilled craftspeople who work on it individually rather than as part of a mass-production process. From drilling and grinding to benchwork and assembly, each product receives the utmost care and attention from artisans who have perfected their craft.
For us, British-made is not simply about where a product happens to come from. It is about retaining the skills, knowledge and processes involved in bringing a piece to life.
Refining the detail
Polishing is one of the most transformative stages of all.
At the heart of our factory, experienced polishers work across every curve, edge and surface. Their role is not simply to make the brass shine. It is to refine the piece, gradually removing imperfections and revealing the form beneath. It is work that relies as much on experience as it does technique.
These are details that can be difficult to see in isolation, but together they determine how a finished piece looks in the light, how it feels and, ultimately, whether it meets the standards expected of Croft.
Character through the art of finishing
Once the form has been perfected, another transformation begins. Croft's luxury finishes have been developed in-house, with many still applied by hand. Colour, tone and texture are gradually built layer by layer until the desired character is achieved.
It is here that brass takes on an entirely different personality. A finish can bring warmth and depth, create a clean and contemporary feel, or, in the case of a living finish, develop a beautifully aged character that evolves over time.
Hand-finishing is a craft rather than an automated process, there can be subtle individuality from one piece to another, and we believe those nuances should be celebrated.
One final inspection
Before leaving our factory, the product receives its final protective coating of lacquer or natural wax. Then every piece is individually inspected to ensure that it meets our standards before it is prepared to make its way to its new home.
This is the real journey of brass at Croft.
From raw material to finished architectural hardware, it is a process that takes place within our own factory in the heart of England. Combining craft with precision, heritage with contemporary design, and generations of knowledge with products that are designed to stand the test of time.