Tower Bolts, Aldrops and Handles: A Buying Guide for S.S. Ironmongery

The Sleek Tower Bolt and the Hex Tower Bolt both come in 10mm and 12mm sizes, and both run from 100mm up to 450mm. The Hex has a hexagonal barrel, so it grips well and looks neat on a visible door. The Sleek has a smoother, rounder barrel for a plainer look.

The Concealed Tower Bolt is different. It sits inside the door frame, so you do not see it from outside. It comes in 10mm, and in 100mm, 150mm, and 200mm sizes. Use it where you want a clean look with no bolt on show, like a double door where one leaf stays fixed.

For a tall door or a heavy gate, pick the longer size, 300mm or 450mm. For a cupboard or a small window, the 100mm or 150mm size is enough.

Aldrops for gates and outer doors

An aldrop is the bigger, stronger bolt used on gates and main doors, often locked with a padlock. YEN makes two, the Rose Aldrop and the Pearl Aldrop.

The Rose Aldrop is 16mm thick and comes in a dual tone finish. The Pearl Aldrop is 14mm thick with a matt finish. Both come in 200mm, 250mm, 300mm, and 350mm sizes. Go with the longer size for a wide gate or a double door, so the bolt has enough throw to hold both sides shut.

Gate hooks, for a simpler kind of lock

The Square Gate Hook is a basic hook and eye fitting, in 63mm, 125mm, and 150mm sizes. It suits a garden gate, a store room door, or anywhere you need a quick latch rather than a full lock.

Handles and door stoppers finish the job

YEN's handles come in a dual tone finish, in 125mm, 150mm, and 200mm sizes. Match the handle size to the door width, a wider door usually carries a longer handle better.

The door stopper is a small part with a big job. It is oval in shape, in a standard size, and it stops the door handle or door edge from hitting the wall. Every door that opens against a wall needs one, whether it is a bedroom door or a shop entrance.

Putting it together

A finished door in Delhi or anywhere else in India usually needs more than one of these fittings. A tower bolt or aldrop to lock it, a handle to open it, and a stopper to protect the wall behind it. Pick the tower bolt type based on how visible you want the bolt to be, pick the aldrop size based on the width of the gate or door, and match finishes across handles and bolts so the hardware looks like one set. Get these small choices right, and the door works properly for years, not just on the day it is fitted.