It looks like the previous paint job is not holding up very well. Do you have any idea when that was done or how it was done? I ask because I am doing a mental calculus on the expense involved in redoing them vs the time they'll look good, and worry that the cost of professionally painting those cabinets, including lots of sanding, will be most of the way toward replacing them. If your cabinet boxes are in excellent shape, you may want to investigate replacing the doors.

Those look like 3/8 inset which is not common anymore. Salice makes a hidden hinge which is expensive https://www.rockler.com/salice-soft-close-110-3-8-rabbeted-door-hinges-face-frame, you can also look for partial inset/ or 3/8 inset exposed hinges, which are traditional in appearance

Paint job is very old, we are not looking to replace the fronts.

The hinges will be costly. id leave the hinges / in reality they are part of the old character of the door . pick a pretty color for the door and leave well enuf alone. The brown is not a good look . i would even just work w deglosser and good priming and paint and do it myself carefully and you do not need perfection w those doors/ the look can be changed but hinges are fine.

I agree with keeping the hinges as they look more period appropriate. I just bought a 1978 house with period hinges . The cabinets are well made and in great shape- I’m not replacing hinges.

They do make them but they are Huge, expensive, and take up a lot of space. And they feel kind of "vaque". I used exposed hinges on the other cabinets.

You can get plainer exposed 3/8" overlay hinges, and they are not that expensive. These are what I used in chrome or brushed chrome.

and they come in multiple finishes.

I would keep the existing hinges. If you want a different color, clean them well, and spray prime them, with a metal primer, and use metallic spray paint. It comes in many types of metallic. Spend your money on a good small sander, because, the paint job is really bad on those cabinets. Clean well, sand really well, wipe all dust off. Use a small white foam cabinet roller and a good quality paint brush, and put on a good coat of sealing bonding primer. Once it has dried nicely, then you can put on the first coat of cabinet type paint (not regular wall or house paint). Wait the required amount of time, on the cabinet paint can, for recoating. It can take up to 3 coats of paint, depending upon what color you are wanting to paint them.

When was the existing finish applied…i doubt its the original….how many layers of what produccts exist? ….who did it and in what manner? as much as you can know the better. i assumed you know what you are getting into. if i was clueless id have a refinisher work on the back of a couple for discovery purposes….pay for that. i would want to do the painting myself as folks are correct the value is not great but anything but the brown will be better. no one knows what you can or cannot afford.

We are not replacing the cabinets. We’ll try the Rockler hinges, thanks!!

For the Rockler hinge (or any hidden hinge that I know of) the door is routed out for the hinge to connect (circular shape with the sides flattened). Even if you do have the equipment to do this, I'm not sure your stiles are wide enough.

The hinges that you want are $48. You can buy new full overlay doors for that. https://www.rockler.com/salice-soft-close-110-3-8-rabbeted-door-hinges-face-frame

The Rockler hinges for $4.99 a pair that I am referring to are the Exposed hinges for 3/8" partial overlay in the 2nd and 3rd pictures I posted.

I am not referring to the gigantic and expensive hinges in the picture I posted first and also identified as gigantic and expensive.

Look at Barker Doors where you can buy inexpensive primed shaker door ready to paint to match the paint colour you plan to paint your kitchen cabinets. They would have hidden hinges which can be bought cheaply on Amazon. https://www.barkerdoor.com

You might also find inexpensive cabinet doors in builder supply outlets.

Wet strip the boxes, so the lead paint is disposed of properly. Then buy new doors and hinges. New doors are very cheap. https://www.nieucabinetdoors.com/

https://www.cabinetdoormart.com/cabinet-doors

https://www.fastcabinetdoors.com/cabinet-doors.html

https://cabinetdoorsnmore.com/

The doors are the most expensive part though. You might as well buy new boxes while you are at it, and address the issues in 70 year old cabinets. Like the lack of drawers, adjustable shelves, poor drawer hardware for the ones you do have, and the visible hinges.

Yes really, you could buy a box of 50 pairs of new exposed hinges for $250, and properly prime and paint those cabinets yourself, and while it would not be a perfect finish you could spend maybe a couple thousand total.

But really in the Kitchen Forum the math works out that there is no appreciable difference between $250 or $2000 and $25,000 or $50,000. And you could probably do all the labor and pull the permits for gutting a kitchen as easily as you could plug in a drill and drill some new holes for the screws, and use a screw driver. It's really the same amount of money and an identical amount of labor and skill required.

The thing to keep in mind is that the former doors are made from wood of 50 to 70 year old trees and that wood does not bow, bend or wear put through years of painting. The newer stuff is from 20 year old trees or pressed wood and it will not last. Keep the doors and find lovely hinges to compliment the wonderful wood doors. I love the older style because it has personality and class...not to mention longevity and nostalgia. We are filling dumps with amazing wood...repurpose it.