The Weight of Hardware: You Know When You Hold It

A close-up comparison of a set of door handles and hardware. On the left is solid brass: the cross-section shows a complete solid metal, with noticeable weight, a smooth and substantial damping feel when turned, and hidden fixing screws. The surface is not coated with a protective lacquer, so it oxidizes and polishes with use, resulting in varying shades of color. On the right is a plated hollow piece: the interior is hollow zinc alloy or plastic, with a thin layer of gold plating on the surface; it is light in weight, with a slight looseness when turned; the plating at the edges is worn, revealing the darker base material underneath. The external appearance and color of both are almost identical from a distance. The image presents the cross-sections of both in a cutaway view. Avoid: only showing the exterior without presenting the cross-section, making the surface conditions of both identical, using different shapes, depicting the differences as color variations.

Translated from Chinese by AI.

一組門把與五金的特寫對照。左側是實心黃銅的:斷面是完整的實體金屬,重量明顯,轉動時的阻尼感平順而有分量,固定的螺絲是隱藏的;表面沒有上保護漆,因此隨使用而氧化與磨亮,顏色深淺不一。右側是鍍層的空心件:內部是中空的鋅合金或塑膠,表面鍍了一層薄薄的金色;重量輕、轉動時有輕微的鬆動感;鍍層在邊角處已經磨損露出底下的深色基材。兩者的外形與顏色在遠處看幾乎相同。畫面以剖切的方式呈現兩者的斷面。避免:只看外觀不呈現斷面、讓兩者的表面狀態相同、使用不同的造型、把差異畫成顏色的不同。