Why all caps in your title?

And Baldwin is one of the most expensive companies.

Baldwin is one of the most expensive companies.

Hardly.

The hinges have different finishes. There's nothing more expensive about radius hinges or they wouldn't be the standard on the cheapest pre-hung doors--which, incidentally, I have sometimes seen on multi-million dollars builds. Makes me want to tear out what hair I have left!

Well, the corner is not the only difference. One is polished nickel and the more expensive one is solid brass. The processes for making them and the different metals certainly change the cost of manufacture. You didn't post the item # of the second one, so it's impossible to tell if there are other differences.

Radius hinges are for cheaper installations so the radius hinge is probably a lower grade overall

Typing in caps was inadvertent. The model numbers are as follows:

Both products are made of solid brass and covered in polished nickel.

Model 1140: https://www.baldwinhardware.com/products/details/accessories/door-hinges/five-eight-inch-radius-corner-hinge-1140-140

Model 1040:

1https://www.baldwinhardware.com/products/details/accessories/door-hinges/square-corner-hinge-1040-140

You're prob asking the wrong people. Can you contact the company and ask them? It might have something to do w/the tool and die process

@Beth - excellent point. I will contact Baldwin tomorrow. When I ask online sales people, they can't answer the question. Hopefully, Baldwin won't punt the question by saying pricing is ultimately up to the retailer.

In your first post you mention a square corner bearing hinge. In that case it would be the 1041 hinge. In that case the ball bearings would account for the added cost. Ball bearing hinges are designed for very heavy doors and very smooth operation.

ETA: you may want to look at Emtek for hinges. I found them to be significantly less money and very good quality with a nice range of finishes.

lllhhi - wow. big price difference with emetek hinges. Funny, I didn't really look at that option given that my door handle choice is emetek modern. Thanks for the reminder

I just loved working with Emtek. They are continually expanding their modern line. A little know fact- any door knob rosette can be made into a doorbell button. I purchased all of mine through Home Stead Hardware- by far the best pricing.

One thing to remember- square corner hinges can slow down the finish carpenter as he has to square the corners of the door jamb and on the doors for the hinges. Time is money. I ordered the Emtek square barrel hinges with square corners. The hinge was thicker than a standard hinge, and much more complicated to install.

Homestead is an excellent source for Emtek. They are great to work with.

You are correct in that squared hinges require I bit of handwork, thus are more expensive, whether on site or prehung at the factory. Radiused corners can be machine routed and immediately receive the hinge.

Emtek doesn't have interior mortise lock sets and the technical assistance is entry level compared to Baldwin's, but Emtek hardware is a close second. You wouldn't believe what is still left to be desired in the best hardware. Keep your jewler's files and a tin of grease close by

When choosing hinges, be sure to get true loose pin hinges only. On a new build in particular, settling--or even moving in furniture/appliances--may require re-trimming a door or simply removing it for furniture/appliance access.

No fun at all with 8 foot three-hinge solid core doors!

Hager Hinge also makes excellent hinges. They are a family owned company in St Louis.

Buy the best hinges you can possibly afford. If possible, buy solid brass ones. The plated ones will lose their finish over time; a solid brass hinge is forever - it can always be taken off and re-polished and lacquered.

Hardware can make a difference in how a house looks. If it's cheap, it's like putting on cheap jewelry with a nice dress - makes it all look cheap. Quality knob, knockers and hinges will stand the test of time and always look good.

Thanks to all of you for your comments. I contacted Baldwin and was told that there was no quality difference between model 1140 and model 1040 other than the shape of the corners. Customer service said that they sell more of the rounded corner hinges and that the increased volume would results in lower pricing.