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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.
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.
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 finished
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, AZ. 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.
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