Stainless vs Chrome

[Jim Hipp]

I have some bottle stoppers I bought several years ago and have never used. A friend wants to buy them but doesn't want to if they are chrome as chrome have been reported to tarnish over time with certain wines.

How can I determine which they are?

Thanks.

[roger wiegand]

A magnet might help, chrome plated steel will be highly magnetic, high grade stainless isn't. Lower grade stainless is magnetic, so that's not proof. I'm not sure bottle stoppers are made of anything else, so if he doesn't want either way it may not matter. I suppose nickel plating could be nice, but I don't remember ever seeing it as an option. You could turn a brass one on a wood lathe with woodturning tools if you wanted to.

There are color differences, but they can be subtle, depending on the alloys and how the material has been finished or polished. If you scratch or drill into one you should be able to see whether or not it's been plated-- chrome will be plating, not solid.

[Bryan Lisowski]

I would assume most are stainless based solely on the use. I believe if chrome is exposed to red wine it will stain or worse eat the plating.

[Jim Hipp]

That is why he wants to make sure they are SS

[Kyle Iwamoto]

That is why he wants to make sure they are SS

You may want to re-read your initial post and edit it. I am/was confused. Almost all stoppers are chrome or stainless, unless they are cork.

[Lawrence Duckworth]

Think of chrome as a laminate... use a torch and see if'n it blisters or peels...if it doesn't it's SS :D



480058...welded copper jacket with a nickel electro plate finish ....and with an intentional torching:D

[Jim Hipp]

Clarification done.

[Jason Edwards]

I have some bottle stoppers I bought several years ago and have never used. A friend wants to buy them but doesn't want to if they are chrome as chrome have been reported to tarnish over time with certain wines.

How can I determine which they are?

Thanks.

Maybe just ask the manufacturer ??

[Jim Hipp]

Maybe just ask the manufacturer ??

Too many years have passed for me to remember

[mike calabrese]

If there is an area on the stopper that would be covered up by the handle etc take a small file, (the finest cut you have, and hit it a couple of times to go deeper than a few thousands that would be the plating thickness. If plated you should be able to see a variation in the plating vs the base metal.
mike calabrese

[Dick Mahany]

Here's a reason to avoid chrome. Approx 2 yrs old, stoppers were on red wine.

480215

[Jim Hipp]

Here's a reason to avoid chrome. Approx 2 yrs old, stoppers were on red wine.

480215

Thanks for this image. Do you remember where your purchased them?

[Dick Mahany]

Thanks for this image. Do you remember where your purchased them?

I don't recall where these came from. I have switched to SS, but have yet to use them.

[mike calabrese]

here is a source for bottle stoppers , i have not reviewed the details but the info should be there. there are some chrome and some in SS.
mike calabrese
https://www.pennstateind.com/store/bottle-stopper-kits.html
https://www.woodcraft.com/blog_entries/turned-bottle-stoppers
https://www.google.com/search?client=opera&q=wine+bottle+stoppers+for+crafts&sourceid=opera&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

[Robert Hayward]

One of, if not, the best stopper suppliers. https://nilesbottlestoppers.com/