How do I tell stainless steel from silver steel ?

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How do I tell stainless steel from silver steel ?

This topic has 15 replies, 11 voices, and was last updated 30 August 2014 at 14:18 by JasonB.

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29 August 2014 at 10:52 #3222
Brian John
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@brianjohn93961
It all looks the same !
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29 August 2014 at 10:52 #162097
Brian John
Participant
@brianjohn93961
I ordered a number of pieces of 6.35 mm round bar stock in both stainless steel and silver steel which arrived today. Nothing is labelled so how do I tell the difference between the two materials ? I cannot discern any visible difference between them ; it all looks the same to me.
29 August 2014 at 10:55 #162098
David Colwill
Participant
@davidcolwill19261
A magnet is the obvious first thing but not all stainless is non magnetic.

Regards.

David
29 August 2014 at 10:57 #162099
JasonB
Moderator
@jasonb
Silver steel is magnetic and the majority of stainless is not.

The silver steel is also likely to be 13" long and the stainless 300mm/12"

Silver steel will go rusty if you leave it out in the rain but thats not teh best way to find out whats what

Edited By JasonB on 29/08/2014 10:59:02
29 August 2014 at 11:00 #162100
David Colwill
Participant
@davidcolwill19261
Spark testing may help.

**LINK**

Regards.

David
29 August 2014 at 11:53 #162102
john kennedy 1
Participant
@johnkennedy1
If you can spare a bit, heat an end of one piece to cherry red and dunk it in cold water. If its too hard to file,its silver steel.If you can,its stainless. I think Jason's suggestion of length would be the best non destructive way of telling.
29 August 2014 at 12:06 #162103
Johnboy25
Participant
@johnboy25
Brian. Somewhere in the grey matter I think I can remember the same question being asked too many years ago to remember and I was told that stainless steel can be tested with copper sulphate solution. Stainless doesn't take on a copper deposit. Not sure if this applies to the magnetic grades of stainless steel. Perhaps someone can advise on this as I'm not a metallurgist. Something to experiment when I can get some copper sulphate crystals!

Reminds me of those days when I had a Lotts chemistry set!

John
29 August 2014 at 12:48 #162105
Vic
Participant
@vic
I use Gun Blue for some things so a quick wipe on them would tell them apart. I'm told you can blue stainless steel but the stuff I got from the shop won't touch it!
29 August 2014 at 12:58 #162107
Clive Foster
Participant
@clivefoster55965
From a previous thread started by Wolfie on 14/10/2011 "Silver or Stainless" :-

http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/identification-stainless-steel-d_383.html

has data on identifying different types of stainless. Presumably you know what type of stainless you ordered so the table should tell you if its magnetic and what sort of sparks to expect.

Clive
29 August 2014 at 13:04 #162108
JasonB
Moderator
@jasonb
Just one thing to remember when grinding other metals is don't get the sparks anywhere near the stainless as when they hit it they will weld themselves to the stainless steel and you will then wonder why it is rusting.

Ideally also use a different grinding wheel/cutting disc for stainless as any deposits of ferrous metal embedded in the abrasive can again transfer to the stainless

J
29 August 2014 at 13:06 #162109
Phil P
Participant
@philp
You might also find that your 1/4" stainless is a few tenths of a thou smaller in diameter than the silver steel, that is unless you have bought ground stainless.

Phil
29 August 2014 at 13:11 #162110
Brian John
Participant
@brianjohn93961
Thank you, the silver steel is magnetic. The stainless is not. They are all slightly different lengths so nothing to go on there.
29 August 2014 at 23:21 #162153
thomas oliver 2
Participant
@thomasoliver2
It is my experience that silver steel apart from being sold in 13in. lengths is always no more than 0.001 ins below size, and mild steel and stainless will normally be 0.002 to 0.003 in smaller at least. Ground stock will usually be spot on for size.
29 August 2014 at 23:34 #162155
Roderick Jenkins
Participant
@roderickjenkins93242
I think the days of Stubs silver steel in 13" lengths are largely gone . The silver steel I've bought of late has been cut off from longer bar.

Cheers,

Rod
30 August 2014 at 13:38 #162203
Ian S C
Participant
@iansc
Rod, did your silver steel look a bit blue at the end where it was cut, I think it some times gets cut off with an abrasive cutting wheel, then cooled rapidly, leaving a bit at the end dead hard.

Ian S C
30 August 2014 at 14:18 #162204
JasonB
Moderator
@jasonb
I know at least a coupe of suppliers who do imperial in 13" or 39" lengths and metric in 333mm or 1m so its still about. (Make that 3 if you count the classifieds here)

Maybe they are just cutting the longer 39"/1000mm bars down manually to approx 1/3rd

Edited By JasonB on 30/08/2014 14:19:23
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