Growing up amid a family of sailors, I have always been aware of the benefits of marine-grade stainless steel - a higher quality alloy that is much more resistant to the pitting corrosion of salt water than household stainless steels and aluminum. As a result, I chose to design and make Tidal Pulls using marine-grade stainless. During my research for Tidal Pulls, I have learned more about many other metals in our environment, both those occurring as basic elements (e.g. nickel) and those that are combined together (alloys) to form other commonly known metals, and I wanted to share that information with my customers.
Stainless steel differs from carbon steel by the amount of chromium present. Carbon steel rusts when exposed to air and moisture. This iron oxide film (the rust) is active and accelerates corrosion by forming more iron oxide. Stainless steels have at least 11 percent of chromium present so that a passive film of chromium oxide forms to prevent further surface corrosion and block corrosion from spreading into the metal's internal structure.
Stainless steel differs from carbon steel by the amount of chromium present. Carbon steel rusts when exposed to air and moisture. This iron oxide film (the rust) is active and accelerates corrosion by forming more iron oxide. Stainless steels have at least 11 percent of chromium present so that a passive film of chromium oxide forms to prevent further surface corrosion and block corrosion from spreading into the metal's internal structure.
Stainless steel’s resistance to corrosion and staining, low maintenance, relatively low cost and familiar luster make it an ideal base material for many applications. The alloy is formed into coils, sheets, plates, bars, wire and tubing to be used in such things as cookware, cutlery, hardware, jewelry, watches, surgical instruments, appliances, industrial equipment and construction material in large buildings, such as the Chrysler building shown here.
Storage tanks and tankers used to transport orange juice and other food are often made of stainless steel, due to its corrosion resistance and antibacterial properties. This also influences its use in commercial kitchens, food processing plants, and hospitals as it can be steam cleaned, sterilized and does not need painting or application of other surface finishes.
Commonly, there are different grades and surface finishes of stainless steel to suit the environment to which the material will be subjected. Grade 304 is the most versatile and commonly used stainless steel. It offers good corrosion resistance while still maintaining its form. Typical applications include tanks and containers for a large variety of liquids and solids in the food and brewing industries. It is also used for sinks, coffee urns, stoves, refrigerators and milk and cream dispensers.
Grade 316 is the second most common grade. It is also known as marine-grade stainless steel due to its increased resistance to harsh environments. It is commonly used for marine applications, pumps, valves and chemical equipment. Tidal Pulls uses grade 316 in the manufacture of its pulls.
Grade 410 is more wear resistant than the 304 and 316 but does not offer as good corrosion resistance. It is commonly used in cutlery.
For a more detailed description of the different metal grades, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SAE_steel_grades
Another quality of stainless steel is its thickness or gauge. The gauge of sheet metal ranges from 30 to about 8 gauge. The higher the gauge, the thinner the metal. Tidal Pulls uses 16 gauge metal for its pulls, which translates into a thickness of .0625 inches. The pulls can be made with a different gauge upon request.
As consumption in developing countries increases, supplies of most metals are becoming scarcer and prices continue to climb. Stainless steel is 100 percent recyclable, and we at Tidal Pulls encourage the use of stainless, not only to help you make a positive economic choice, but also to help reduce the impact on our environment.
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