Most people believe that with stainless steel, rust is nothing to worry about. Yet stainless steel can very well rust. We want to clear things up, because you can influence whether and how strongly a stainless steel object begins to rust.
As experts in stainless steel, we know which alloys are truly rustproof. There are, after all, around 1,200 types of stainless steel, and only about a fifth of them are rustproof. The right choice of stainless steel is influenced, for example, by the environment in which it is to be used: salt water places a different strain on the material than the occasional bit of rainwater. To make sure you make the right choice, we advise you without obligation and free of charge.
What makes stainless steel rust?
First, let us explain why stainless steel rusts less than ordinary steel - after all, it too consists predominantly of steel. However, it is surrounded by a protective layer, also called the passive layer, consisting essentially of chromium and other noble metals. Moisture, the main cause of corrosion, cannot penetrate this layer and thus does not reach the iron-containing core of the stainless steel.
That also makes clear what must happen for rustproof stainless steel to rust: the passive layer must be destroyed. That happens, for example, when sawing or drilling stainless steel objects. Unfortunately, rust frequently forms on and in drill holes. Using a drill bit that has been used exclusively for stainless steel reduces this risk.
Beware of contact with base steels
The main cause of rust on stainless steel is contact with rust that forms on non-refined steel. It can be enough to use a screwdriver on a stainless steel screw that was previously used on ordinary steel screws: microscopic deposits of iron oxide cling to it, which cannot be prevented. Through contact with the stainless steel screw, fine iron particles are pressed into the screw and it begins to rust.
There does not even have to be direct contact. So-called film rust is transmitted through the air: anyone living directly beside a railway line can have problems with rusting stainless steel in the garden - proximity to the heavily rusting railway tracks is enough.
Steel and stainless steel tools stored together in a shed or cellar will probably both rust too. To prevent this, iron tools and stainless steel tools should be stored separately. Ideally, you keep dedicated tools for contact with stainless steel - especially important for drill bits, which must never have been used on ordinary steel before.
Even with stainless steel jewellery, you must be careful where and how you store it - particularly because it is difficult to remove rust from parts as small as a pendant or earrings.
Which stainless steel does not rust?
Unfortunately, we cannot recommend the one steel here that is guaranteed never to rust. The stainless steels in our range are made for different environments. Nevertheless, there are of course products, such as V2A stainless steel, that are very popular. We can assure you that we stock the right stainless steel for various fields of use. These include, among others:
Heat-resistant stainless steels
If you want to use stainless steel where above-average temperatures prevail, we can recommend stainless steel 1.4828 and stainless steel sheet 1.4841. They are used, for example, in building furnace systems and also for exhaust systems. Even at permanently high ambient temperatures, these stainless steels are corrosion-resistant. Stainless steel 1.4571 is also very usable at temperatures up to 400° Celsius.
Stainless steel for pool environments
If you want to use something made of stainless steel around a swimming pool, stainless steel 1.4404 is a good choice. It is corrosion-resistant even in an environment with a moderate content of chlorine and salt. Its properties are not sufficient for seawater, but for a pool with slightly chlorinated water this metal is ideal.
The classic: stainless steel 1.4301
Stainless steel 1.4301 is very popular on account of its price - it is somewhat cheaper than other alloys. As long as it has a chromium content of at least 13%, it is rustproof.
Care: how to remove rust from stainless steel
Since it unfortunately cannot be entirely prevented that stainless steel may rust, a further important question arises: how can rust be removed from stainless steel again?
Fortunately, that is not very difficult and requires no heavy equipment - though this applies only to superficial corrosion. As soon as a stainless steel workpiece has deep-seated rust, it should be replaced.
If there is only light rust formation, it can be removed with a soft cotton cloth and a small aid: either lukewarm water with a little washing-up liquid, or ordinary glass cleaner. Both are household remedies you probably have anyway. An expensive stainless steel rust remover, as offered in DIY stores, is not needed - saving you a lot of money and time.
We are happy to advise you
Since we are fully dedicated to stainless steel, we can help you select the right stainless steel alloy. In any case, we only accept customer orders by telephone: experience has simply shown that it is such a special product that we do not want to sell it without advice. That is also because we offer made-to-measure sheets. Each of our products is manufactured to customer order, and we are set up to take the dimensions and the sheets used into account individually.
For you, that has two decisive advantages. Firstly, we can quote the price during our phone call, calculated from just a few details. And secondly, we are very fast: we produce every sheet within 48 hours of receipt of order.
Secure shipping to you then takes only a few additional days. The advice is always free and non-binding for you. Benefit from our experience: we can tell you exactly which alloy is best suited to your purpose. Should you need further metalworking services in addition to cutting, we are there for you here too. Just get in touch.
+49 3921 72-0