STAINLESS STEEL MYTHS

[hangnoose]

It has magical properties that require no cleaning, oil, or any care whatsoever. You can use it in a salty/humid environment & have NO WORRIES. WRONG! It can & will rust/pit just like any other steel, perhaps a bit slower.

 

[Waywatcher]

Well, yeah. It's stain-less, not rust proof.

I've seen victims of the myth; rusted stainless guns and parts, sad really.

 

[Old TexMex]

So many different types, too. I've actually seen some that, once electropolished, sat untouched for years on a boat exposed to salt air and it never even lost the perfect mirror finish.
That isn't the norm, unfortunately.

 

[loknload]

All depends on the grade and quality of the stainless....

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

Having lived along the coast I can tell you that the salt air/water will rust plastic.

 

[Old TexMex]

Years ago the U.T. Marine Science Lab in Port Aransas did a study on protective paints. Port A was determined to be the most destructive atmosphere (for steel) next to some place in the Persian Gulf. The south east breeze, salt air with fine sand suspended in it is like sandblasting mixed with acid wash.
The Wild Horse desert, land of sand and rust.

 

[rwsmith]

I ate up.....

I ate up quite a bit of stainless in the chemical research lab, sometimes under not so tough conditions, depending on the type and the environment.

Anybody remember Cor-Ten structural steel that didn't need paint because it made a 'protective layer' of it's own? Well, the 'protective layer' looked just like rust. A memo went out not to use the stuff any more because it ended up looking worse than the structure it replaced. Maybe it wasn't made for a paper mill environment, but still......

One quality of stainless steel is that, being non-magnetic it shoots straighter because steel guns always try to point north.

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

One quality of stainless steel is that, being non-magnetic it shoots straighter because steel guns always try to point north.

You can bet your backside I'm gonna use that one

 

[chief38]

I purchased a brand new M60 in the 70's (from a gun store) and when I removed the grips later that evening there was surface rust on the metal. Yes..... it's Stain - LESS not Stain - Proof

 

[Rule3]

All depends on the grade and quality of the stainless....

Absolutely! I have stainless fittings on the boat that have never been effected by salt and others that corrode in days

Stainless Steel Information Knowledge | 18-8 | 304 | 316

 

[1morethan8]

I believe many guns are made from an alloy with carbon(400 grade), and this is why you'll get the problem. Your 300 grades don't have it and are non-magnetic.

Gold would be the perfect metal if it was hard.. titanium is next in line for being corrosion resistant.

 

[MOONDAWG]

Having lived along the coast I can tell you that the salt air/water will rust plastic.

Ain't it da trooth!

 

[Alpo]

One quality of stainless steel is that, being non-magnetic it shoots straighter because steel guns always try to point north.

That only works if your gun is 300-series. 400-series stainless is quite magnetic.

Don't believe. Take a knife with a "440C Surgical Stainless Steel Blade" and touch it to a magnet.

 

[rwsmith]

All Stainless Steel has some iron....

That only works if your gun is 300-series. 400-series stainless is quite magnetic.

Don't believe. Take a knife with a "440C Surgical Stainless Steel Blade" and touch it to a magnet.

All stainless steels have SOME iron and carbon in them. If they don't, then they aren't steel anymore.

 

[mike from st pete]

Proper Treatment

How To Passivate Stainless Steel Parts : Modern Machine Shop

Passivation is an essential step to keep your steel stain free.

How to Brew - By John Palmer - Passivating Stainless Steel

Home brew for keeping your steel stain free.

 

[zzzippper]

Passivation was the word I've been trying to remember. More than 20 years ago I learned about this in my Surface Treatment of Metals class. If the surface of SS is damaged, usually a scratch, it can rust. Depending on the environment it is more likely to rust.

How To Passivate Stainless Steel Parts : Modern Machine Shop

Passivation is an essential step to keep your steel stain free.

How to Brew - By John Palmer - Passivating Stainless Steel

Home brew for keeping your steel stain free.

 

[cass]

My stainless Ruger Blackhawk fell off my tailgate while I was out checking hog traps. Later that afternoon I realized that it was missing, and retraced my route, with no results. Two years later, I found it partially buried beside a cattle trail. Obviously, it was muddy, but there was not a trace of rust. Even the Hunter holster came through pretty well, even though something had been chewing on it. I think that since I keep my guns, and holsters (overly) oiled, I was very lucky. OTOH, I have stainless knives that will rust in a heartbeat.

 

[Jeff423]

Water containing chlorides is a real problem for SS alloys. If the water is too aggressive for 304 we go to 316. If it's too aggressive for 316 we use AL6XN.

Useful tool: Crevice Corrosion Engineering Guide

Jeff

 

[Waywatcher]

All stainless steels have SOME iron and carbon in them. If they don't, then they aren't steel anymore.

Saying stainless steel has "some" iron in it is like saying bread has "some" flour in it--it's the main ingredient and comprises way more than all the rest of the ingredients combined.

Some stainless steels are magnetic and some are not, and it's not because of the iron content.

 

[Alpo]

Saying stainless steel has "some" iron in it is like saying bread has "some" flour in it--it's the main ingredient and comprises way more than all the rest of the ingredients combined.

Some stainless steels are magnetic and some are not, and it's not because of the iron content.

Very well put.