Is a Stainless Sink Strainer truely Stainless or Stainless Coated

Chefwong · May 15, 2012

Kohler Duostrainer.
Finish was stainless. I'm not sure if it's stainless or their vibrant stainless.

Is the unit stainless coated brass or 100% stainless.
Just eyeballing things on my 6 year old stainer.
Methiks its stainless coated over brass Edges are showing wear-brass...

Just also ordering another one as well for a new faucet install....

Tom Sawyer · May 15, 2012

I don't think stainless can be used in a plating process.

Sponsor · 2022-01-29T12:20:58-0800

Chefwong · May 15, 2012

I'm doing more googling right now....
Not sure if the Vibrant Stainless was out when I installed it.

On their current crop, only Vibrant SS is offered. Not their regular.
Going to read up to see what the difference is.

hj · May 16, 2012

As Benny Hill would say, "Vibrant stainless may NOT be what it is, but rather what the CALL it".

Ballvalve · May 16, 2012

chrome would go over brass. A very good combo.

The "stainless" in cheap asian strainers and grills can be so low grade that it will rust.

Chefwong · May 16, 2012

A call to the mothership advised it's a PVD finish.

Just as I suspected.
At least it's made in the USA. Or so the stampings say...

Unlike my recent stash of Ridgid tools. When did they decide to go offshore.
I might as well buy Brasscraft or whatever they sell at the Orange and Blue Boxes

DonL · May 16, 2012

Stainless and Stainless Steel is two different things.

There are many grades of Stainless Steel.

Many plastics are Stainless.

Many Stainless Steel grades will stain.

The old magnet trick don't tell much with the new Junk.

But time will tell...

Jadnashua · May 16, 2012

There are numerous alloys that are called stainless steel. Some are magnetic, some are stronger than others, some are springier, some bend easier, some are more or less resistant to various chemicals. As a class, they are less likely to corrode than steel, but depending on what and the percentages of elements the iron is alloyed with, the properties vary considerably. As noted, some SS alloys contain so little steel (iron) or nickel that a magnet won't stick (at least a normal magnet).

So, without knowing the actual alloy of the SS object, it's hard to characterize it's ultimate performace.

Ballvalve · May 17, 2012

What is PVD?

Jadnashua · May 17, 2012

ballvalve said:
What is PVD?

It's a coating, in a vacuum, they create a vapor of metalic compounds and it deposits on the desired surface. Choose the right combination of materials, and it can emulate almost any solid metal. It is often very durable. If done right, it is more even and you can get more variations than a typical wet plating process - often in one step rather than many without the caustic chemicals to deal with. the equipment can get expensive, though.

Chefwong · May 17, 2012

I guess they don't stand behind their PVD finish in some respect.
PVD lifetime on faucets
1 year on strainers.

hj · May 18, 2012

That is because the strainer is getting pans dropped and slid on it, and you may be using scratcher pads and scouring powders in the sink, none of which happen to a faucet.

BobL43 · May 18, 2012

hj said:
That is because the strainer is getting pans dropped and slid on it, and you may be using scratcher pads and scouring powders in the sink, none of which happen to a faucet.

Exactly. I had a polished brass (PVD) faucet in my bathroom, and a pop-up drain which was also the same finish. I have to say that the PVD finish, even on the drain, which did get cleaned with Softscrub GelÂ® and a little scrubbie because of mineral deposits, held up remarkably well; really, really well. Not a kitchen sink stainer, which does take more abuse, but we ran it through the wringer keeping it looking nice. We had it for 6 years before we replaced it because my wife wanted everything changed from polished brass finish to brushed nickel.

I've installed several kitchen sink stainless baskets in the past, and never had one that I was concerned about the finish going bad. Only problems I did have with some of them was the el cheapos had poor "threading" and or bad lock nuts that popped when trying to tighten them

Jadnashua · May 18, 2012

Some of the strainers in SS are really SS. If they start to look funky, they can be buffed back to their original look - it is not a plating, it is solid. If it is a faux finish, buffing might remove the thin coating, but real SS isn't something you plate onto another metal.

BobL43 · May 18, 2012

jadnashua said:
Some of the strainers in SS are really SS. If they start to look funky, they can be buffed back to their original look - it is not a plating, it is solid. If it is a faux finish, buffing might remove the thin coating, but real SS isn't something you plate onto another metal.

I did not mean to imply that it was. All the kitchen. The kitchen ones I installed that I mentioned above were all stainless steel. I have no idea what grade they were though, and there are quite a few.

Is a Stainless Sink Strainer truely Stainless or Stainless Coated

Chefwong

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