Yes, the 36" has the Shaws mark on the side, near the drain.

Ivette

I have several of those marks on my wonky 3018. Funny--I didn't actually pay any attention to them b/c I figured they were metal marks that would come off with a Magic Eraser (or similar). But I haven't tried yet.

Oh lordy--there are a bunch of them. Now I'm nervous. I had finally reconciled myself to one side being 1/4" lower than the other. Then there is that sharp pimple on the lip. I also have a dent on one side (a long arch--am trying to view it as a smiling mouth).

I think it is best not to look at these Shaw's sinks too closely!! I think the Shaw's--like me--look best by candlelight!!!

Time to scrub at the marks...

:-(

Francy

Francy - please let me know if yours come off. I've never used a Magic Eraser, but if it works I would run out and get one immediately! Now you've got me hoping... In any event, I DID have blue marks on mine that wiped right off with no effort (seemed to be ink from packing materials or something). Are your marks like that, or more like the metal markings I have?

I haven't measured mine yet to know if it's wonky, but will let you know. Our house is almost 60 years old, so little imperfections don't bother me - actually add character. I'm just not sure which of these "character builders" is the one I want to live with for the next 20 years! Metal mark or dent...??? Will your dent show? :)

Shoot! Well, before you make any decisions, I would try using some Bar Keepers Friend on the mark (if you haven't already). The magic eraser is a great thing to try, too. Definitely worth having those around the house. I use them a lot.

Sometimes, in my sink, metal pots will leave a silver like mark that doesn't just wipe up, but comes off very easily with Bar Keepers Friend. I was really worried the first time it happened.

If that doesn't work, maybe you can prop up the sink at counter level--one day with the mark showing, and one day with the dent. See which bothers you the most through the day.

Sharon - you must have read my GC's mind! He offered to do the same thing. Do it both ways and see which is less offensive. Hopefully he realizes he can't retrofit the sink base until we decide which way is facing out...

Now I need to get some Bar Keepers Friend and Magic Eraser...

Francy - how did you fare trying to get your marks out? I'm waiting with bated breath!!!!

Socal, just for giggles (since you seem to have this issue well in hand), I thought I'd share my dimple experience. I have a shaw's fireclay corner sink 15" square, so two sides are exposed. There was a long vertical dimple, very noticable on one side. I carefully positioned the sink for everyone who came through, so the measurements would be right, so that everyone knew about the dimple, so that there would be no question about which way it went (wrote on the inside of the cab, even).

So the day the granite arrives for the island, it is snowing. My driveway is steep and has three switch backs. I have two flights of stairs that the island needs to go up and then there is a tight corner at the top before it goes into the kitchen. It took three granite guys and three football player teenagers to get it in the house. It was a bit of an ordeal. A few days later the plumber comes while I'm at work, and says to my husband, "Uh oh, She is not going to be happy...", and pointed out that the giant dimple runs down the most obvious, best lit side!

Mostly it's forgotten, but when I think of it, it just makes me smile.

I love that story! And actually, that's kind of how I feel and why I'm not sending it back. There's a big part of me that thinks the little dent is more interesting than a weird grey scratch-like mark - the only negative being the drain would be better for me if the dent is concealed.

It turns out I had some Bar Keepers Friend and I tried it - and lo and behold the grey mark is now VERY hard to see. I couldn't get it completely gone, but then I was working in the garage on an upside down sink still partially in its box. If I had more room I think I could really put some elbow grease into it and who knows? Maybe it would go away??? Now I'm just going to wait a few days and go look at it again...I want to make sure it's not like a carpet stain...goes away for a few days and then pops back up to mock you! :)

My marks are also those silvery, metal looking marks. But I haven't been able to scrub them b/c they are all on the lip, and the sink is currently upside down. I'm not strong enough to flip it.

I think I would prefer a dent showing rather than a mark, b/c a dent says "handmade."

That said, mine has ANOTHER problem. A black dot. On the front. That won't come out with Barkeeper's friend. I can feel it to. A teeny black pin sized dot.

Dang it, dang it. My husband says to just stop looking at the sink! Especially since the 3018 is backordered. But part of me feels like the company just should be held accountable. For 800 bucks, I'll take some wonkiness. But pimples and a blackhead? Good lord: my sink sounds like a teenager's face!!!!

If I could just get this sink out of my living room, and into my kitchen, maybe I could quit worrying about it.

Francy

Oh Francy! I am so sorry! I agree that at some point just getting it IN and using it will divert your attention from these issues. It's a bummer though - I agree. The "crack" in my 3018 was small, but right on an edge and you could feel it with your fingernail. I was worried it could get worse with time. The two issues I have now will not affect the usefulness of the sink, and probably noone else would notice. The pimple would bug me I think (I tried to look at the picture you posted on the other thread but for some reason couldn't) - how big is the black mark? Are they on the same side? What about the dent? Are they all on the same side or different sides? Could you go for the bigger sink, or is it too late now? I got mine in 2 weeks; much better than the 3 months for the 3018...

Socal, just in case you decide you can't live with the mark or dimple, you might want to check out Standards of Excellence. I called the one in Huntington Beach, they had them in stock, I bought mine over the phone and my son picked it up on his lunch break (he was working in H.B. at the time). I had it that evening. It was packed like it was something from Tiffany's. lol! No marks or large dimples. I think they all have some tiny ones due to the old molds that are used to produce them.

Just another option if you need one. : )

Here is a link that might be useful: Standards of Excellence

Socal,

I like the way your contractor thinks! ;-) Yay! I'm glad the barkeepers friend helped some. Honestly, I would go with the drain placement that works for you and call it a day. The mark doesn't sound glaring and this is one of those things that is VERY easy to overthink. Remember, the sink is not going to be at eye level.

When I would get myself worked up over things like this (or the should something be here or a 1/4 inch higher) my contractor would tell me to stop thinking so hard. In two weeks, I'll never notice it, and you know, he was right!

I have an old house, too. I find it funny that I don't give a second thought to scratches in my 100-year-old floor, but I "suck wind" when I find a scratch in my new kitchen floor! ;-)

Oh my goodness, my house is by NO MEANS perfect. Nothing about it is perfect. So it is funny to think I'm caring so much about a tiny silver mark and a dent (that adds character!). :) I've got three kids that are 7, 5 and 3 - so things that start out perfect don't stay that way long anyway. After having scrubbed with the Bar Keeper's Friend, I think I'm okay having that side show (so that I can have the drain on the preferred side). It really is very light and fairly low on the sink edge, and noone else will ever notice. Who knows, maybe when I can get more elbow grease into it you won't even see it!

Angelcub - thanks for the advice about Stds of Excellence. We have one nearby (though I went to Ferguson instead) and if necessary I probably would have called them. At this point, though, I really don't mind living with what I've got...I was just trying to get everyone's expert opinion on which would be more bothersome - the indentation or the silver mark. I think no matter what they are going to have little quirks since they are handmade...the nature of (and beauty of) the beast. :)

Here are photos of my "Shaw's that looks like a teenager's face." It has a pimple, and a blackhead!

The Pimple:

The Blackhead:

I'm trying to keep a sense of humor about this. Husband tells me not to pick at them, b/c picking always makes it worse. That, and to try clearasil.

*sigh*

I'll have to take an inventory this weekend to see which sides have which defects.

Francy