Hinges and Hardware 101 - Staked Pins

The pin of the hinge is normally run loose enough for the hinge to turn, but tight enough so that it doesn't just fall out either. In some applications, the pin can start to work itself out over time and start to stick out the end of the hinge. So what can you do about it? There are several ways to prevent it and one of the easiest and quickest ways to retain the pin is to have it staked. Staking is the process of indenting the hinge knuckle so it presses against the pin as you can see in this picture. This process does prevent the pin from moving, but you can still drive the pin out with a bit of effort just in case you need to take the door off. You can have one stake or more depending on how difficult you'd like it to be to drive the pin out. Check out more information on staking and other pin retentions here.