Retro Renovation

Remodel & decorate in Mid Century Style

Home / Kitchen / Knobs and Pulls for Cabinets

Where to find vintage kitchen cabinet pulls – from Youngstown, Geneva and other makers?

pam kueber - Updated: February 5, 2019

Retro Renovation stopped publishing in 2021; these stories remain for historical information, as potential continued resources, and for archival purposes.

youngstown-cabinet-handles

Readers are constantly sending emails asking where to find cabinet pulls for vintage kitchen cabinets made by Youngstown, Geneva, and other makers. The answer: Not an easy one, I am afraid.

For example, the chevrons aka boomerangs above, on 2-3/4″ centers, are classic early Youngstowns. The Geneva’s that are most problematic are the kind with the recessed, plastic backplate.

The vintage Youngstowns CAN be found – but you are going to have to hunt and peck and search and wait.

  • Watch ebay like a hawk – they DO come up
  • Try sites like historichouseparts.com (I helped a reader find some there just last year – they are still shown under “Jamestown” cabinets – a seller of Youngstowns, I believe)
  • Liz’s Antique Hardware
  • Rejuvenation for new reproductions
  • Crown City Hardware for new reproductions

geneva-kitchen-cabinets-blossom-pink

The Geneva backplate issue has been a difficult one for years, again as far as I know. I started hunting for my steel cabinets about 7 years ago. I constantly saw this question asked on forums. I know of no source for them.

Meanwhile: Be sure to see my Category called “Cabinet Hardware” for replacement choices.

Reader Interactions

Comments are closed. 

64 comments

Comments

  1. Rusti says

    Well, I had my metal cabinets spray painted, and am now searching for perfect pulls for them 2.75″ is what I need.

    I am a woman on a mission. If I find them, I will share what I found!

  2. Rusti says

    Hi Pam,

    I have a 1949 home. On the cusp between the 40’s and 50’s. We’ve lived her for 16 years, and the original white metal kitchen and cool white and burgundy backsplash were still intact. Someone installed a burgundy countertop and stainless sink along the way. It is a good size kitchen and I never had the $$ or the urge to update it. Now, I have $$, but still love my old kitchen. We have decided to just keep what we have, paint the cabinets and go retro with a new sink and countertops.

    I have a 50’s table and chairs, and want to have the cabinets painted.

    What do you suggest as a good place to start investigating to get them repainted?

    I LOVE your site!

    • pam kueber says

      Hi Rusti, we have a whole category stories about vintage steel kitchen cabinets, including some where folks share their experiences getting them repainted. Go to the navigation bar – Browse by Category / by Room / Kitchen / Steel Kitchen Cabinets. I think that most folks have had luck with auto body paint shops that have the patience to deal with you and your cabinets, which are not an “everyday” thing that they see. I think there are other kinds of professional paint shops that can handle it, as well. It can be an ordeal to find the right vendor to work with you, but it’s crucial. Good luck.

  3. Bryan says

    If your interested in geneva kitchen cabinets come to fresh meadows apartments in queens new york. almost all the kitchens in the thousands of apartments have geneva kitchens that fresh meadows gets rid of after they re-do an apartment which they’ve recently begun doing.

  4. amber says

    hello every one! i have youngstown kitchen cabinets and i was wondering how to restore them.

  6. sablemable says

    I’m going with new kitchen and bath knobs from Atlas Homewares.
    They’re called Dap Round (small or large) and come in different finishes. I ordered the small (2″) in satin brass. They resemble the ones from Satellite, the concave style. I bought them from http://www.knobsandhardware.com for 7 bucks each.

    • Pam Kueber says

      Sablemable, that atlas website is extremely frustrating and Search does not work. Can you provide the direct link to the knobs that you purchased? Many thanks, Pam

  7. Missouri Michael says

    I picked up a large set (44 or 45) of the rounded boomerang pulls identical to the ones in the first picture on ebay last fall. I was trying to decide if I wanted to change out the original black and brass pulls in my kitchen. I don’t think I’m going to so now they are sitting with my growing collection, waiting for me to have some inspiration as to what to do with them. Glad to know that they were most likely on a set of Youngstown cabinets.

    • Pam Kueber says

      Yes – Satellite has a new line. Readers, you can see ALL cabinet pull recommendations by looking at “Categories” in the right-hand sidebar and clicking “Cabinet Hardware”.

  9. Beth says

    Hi Pam,
    I have just found your site and have been pouring over it for days! I am in the process of searching for my first home purchase and have always had a hankering for my grandmother’s metal cabinets that I remember from my youth – alas, they tore that house down when I was still too young to say, “Save those cabinets for me!” Imagine my delight when I found your website! Thank you for giving the past the respect it deserves. So many people automatically think old=bad and new=good. Sometimes yes, but more often the older products were right on target in form and function. Anyway, back on subject… These Chevron or Boomerang handles were a signature of Youngstown (or Jamestown) cabinets? If so, I now know what cabinets my grandmother had! I have been trying to figure it out and wondered where to find those exact handles! Do you have any idea of what year the Boomerangs were introduced? Thank you Pam, you are my new kitchen guru! By the way, I see you are in Kentucky this week. I live just outside Lexington and was delighted to find a full set of metal cabinets (with the double drainboard sink) at the Lexington Habitat for Humanity ReStore. They are sold (for $978) but are still there awaiting pickup. In need of TLC, but still amazingly gorgeous! I also found 4 pink bathroom sinks there! I hope you enjoy your time in the Bluegrass state and our crazy weather – 60 degrees one day and snow the next!

  10. Kory Carroll says

    Believe it or not, I found 2 sets of Pulls on Ebay for Sale, and You might want to keep Your Eye on Your Neighbor’s Trash at the Curb… You never know. See I found out that when Homeowners took the Metal Cabinets out of their Kitchens, and installed those Ugly Wood ones, the Metal ones would be put up in a Garage or down in the Basement for Tools or whatnot. The Woman in Philadelphia I bought My Metal Kitchen Cabinets from, had them just on top of each other in the back of Her House, because She re-did Her Kitchen. But trust Me… they are around both just the Pulls & the Complete Cabinets. P.S Craigslist is always a Great Tool to find them.