The origin of stainless steel lies in a fortuitous accident. It was in Sheffield, Yorkshire, during 1913 that Harry Brearley, an English metallurgist, was investigating the development of new steel alloys for use in gun barrels. Brearley noticed that some of his samples didn’t rust and were difficult to etch. These new steel alloys contained around 13% chromium.
Knives and Forks
The first application for these newly developed stainless steels was in cutlery, which resulted in Sheffield gaining world-wide fame and fortune for its cutlery manufacturing. The name stainless steel is not for a single material but the family name for a group of corrosion resistant steels.
What properties of stainless steel make it useful?
Stainless steel has a broad range of beneficial properties when compared to standard carbon mild steel including:
- higher corrosion resistance
- higher strength and hardness
- a more attractive appearance
- lower maintenance
Why use stainless steel?
Stainless steel is more expensive than standard grades of steel but it has greater resistance to corrosion, needs minimal maintenance and has no need for painting or other protective coatings. These factors mean stainless steel can be more economically viable once service life and life-cycle costs are considered.
Inform products and stainless steel
Stainless steel nameplates can be used severe, extreme environments, and are an alternative to the more traditional brass nameplates and signs. Inform Products design and manufacture high quality stainless steel nameplates for a wide range of applications, from simple tags through to large, one-off signs.
For more information on stainless steel visit the British Stainless Steel Association
For advice or to find out more about our stainless steel nameplates, call us on 01473 820060 or email sales@Informproducts.co.uk
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