Linkasink: Copper

THE COPPER SINK STORY

The first product offered by Linkasink was a copper sink. Kirk Guthrie, owner and chief designer at Linkasink, was working as a interior designer at that time and a client asked him to design a copper sink for a design showroom. After searching out sources, he found artisans who could hand-hammer a copper sink to his liking. Based on the popularity of that sink, Kirk was able to establish “Linkasink” as a growing manufacturer of artisan copper sinks.

All of the copper sinks from Linkasink are first formed from 12 gauge copper which is thick and durable and resistant to dents. A group of copper artisans hand-hammer each sink into a specified shape. The level of precision is remarkable considering that these products are hand crafted. The hammered copper provides a distinctive surface appearance for all of Linkasink’s copper sinks. Linkasink uses a heat set patina process as opposed to a chemical process. This provides a more uniform, longer-lasting finish. Naturally, the patina will change and beautify over time because it is a living finish (as opposed to a finish achieved chemically and then permanently sealed). When the hammered sinks arrive from Mexico they are scrubbed to expose the raw copper. The patina process takes place at Linkasink’s headquarters in Phoenix, Arizona. The raw copper sinks are then placed in ovens to create the desired patina color. The patina process continues with an application of wax on the hot copper.

It is imperative that owners of these copper sinks use care in cleaning and maintaining their sinks. Gentle soap and water will maintain the finish, but abrasives or harsh chemicals will dramatically effect the patina and will often strip the sink back to the raw copper state. The nature of copper allows the sink to scratch and change color over time, and the use of paste wax will help protect the finish as it matures. Copper is popular for use in decorative and architectural products because of the wide range of colors and shades that can be achieved during the finishing process. The greatest impact comes from the type of finishing product and baking process that is used on the copper.