A drain closure device for a vessel such as a bathtub or sink is provided. The drain closure device comprises a stopper fitted with a sealing gasket and threaded onto a stem slidably mounted in a guide member which is in turn threaded into a strainer mounted in a hole in the bottom of the vessel. The device is concentrically disposed within the strainer. Twirling of the stopper causes the stem to rise and fall against an undulating cam surface of the guide. Resistance to closure is provided by rest stops for projections on the upper part of the stem. No spring, pins, or resistance seals are used. Once in place, the drain closure nests in the strainer.