It’s Stainless – Not Stain Free: How to Care for Brushed Stainless Steel

Nothing beats a factory-fresh 304 brushed stainless steel finish. Wouldn’t it be great to keep those surfaces gleaming forever? It’s a tough task. Fingerprints can leave lasting impressions. Water spots can quickly emerge. And mysterious streaks can magically appear overnight. It’s a tough lesson to learn: stainless steel isn’t stain free. In reality, it’s stain resistant. The good news? With proper care, the gleam of stainless steel can be preserved.

What’s In a Name?

Before we get into maintenance advice, let’s look closer at the true promise of stainless steel. “Stainless steel” does not represent a bait and switch! It actually refers to the material’s ability to resist rust and corrosion, rather than fingerprints and such. The resistance is a result of stainless steel’s chromium content. This makes it a reliable material that handles everyday wear well, particularly in wet environments. But it doesn’t make it immune to skin oils, watermarks, or discoloration.

How to Keep Your Stainless Steel Looking Its Best

Even though it’s inherently corrosion resistant, 304 brushed stainless steel requires specific care to prevent staining and pitting. Here are the key factors:

Daily Care and Cleaning:

Don’t Go Against the Grain! We’re starting with the most important point. Did you ever notice that some marks or fingerprints are far more visible that others? That’s due to the material’s grain. Those that go against it are far more visible, while ones that follow the directional path blends in. This is principle is important when it comes to maintenance. If you scrub across the grain, you can permanently scratch the finish or trap diret in the grooves. So always make sure you wipe, scrub and polish in the direction of the visible grain.

Mild Detergent – no need to get carried away with fancy cleaners here. For routine cleaning, a simple mixture of warm water and a few drops of mild dish soap will get it done.

Mircorfiber Cloths – ideally, you should use soft microfiber cloths to prevent micro-scratching on the surface.

Rinse and Dry – be sure to rinse the surface with clean water then buff it dry with a fresh cloth. If you leave water on it to air-dry, this can cause water spots or mineral deposits.

Handling Tougher Stains:

Fingerprints – keep in mind that these are produced by the oils that are left on the surface. To remove fingerprints, use a dedicated stainless steel cleaner or a small amount of glass cleaner to cut through and remove the oils.

Grease and Grime – for these more stubborn situations, use a paste made of baking soda  and water. Simply apply the paste and let it sit for a few minutes. Then wipe away, and remember to follow the grain and not wipe against it.

Tea Staining/Rust Spots – if you see brown spots on your stainless, you can use a rejuvenator or mild abrasive cleaner like Bar Keepers Friend. Be sure to use a product that is safe for stainless, and rinse off completely after use.

What Not To Do

There are a few other precautions (besides that whole “go with the grain” thing) that we need to mention. You probably know most of this by now, but just in case:

AVOID:

Household Chemicals  – these can permanently damage stainless steel especially those containing chlorine or bleach. These chemicals tend to break down the protective chromium oxide layer, which leads to rapid rusting.

Steel Wool/Carbon Steel Brushes – these can leave behind tiny iron particles that will rust and contaminate the surface.

Scouring Pads – you’ll also want to void those green or brown scouring pads. While they can be great on certain surfaces, they are very abrasive and will leave visible swirl marks or perform other damage.

Long Term Stainless Steel Protection

In addition to daily and routine maintenance, you can also protect stainless steel with a few readily available products. Ideally, you’ll want a silicone or oil-based stainless steel polish. These create a thin protective layer that helps repel both fingerprints and water.

Conclusion

Stainless steel provides an attractive, corrosion resistant finish. But it takes care and attention to maintain it. By following the steps we’ve shared with you today, you can enjoy the benefits and maintain a finish as close to stainless as you can get – as long as you don’t go against the grain!

Laser Cutting: Pros and Cons

Efficiency Meets Precision

One of the most important developments in recent history for the metal fabrication and manufacturing industry has definitely been the introduction of laser cutting. The combination of automated computer-controlled precision with accurate cutting ability has been crucial in furthering todays fabrication industry. Not only has it expanded cutting capabilities, but also created new efficiencies. But what are the pros and cons of this particular process, and how can they help you produce a quality product efficiently and with precision? First off we will look at the pros, starting with:

Efficiency and Material Savings

Due to the application of lasers, the entire manufacturing process has become more cost effective and environmentally friendly. Introduction of CAD drawings to program today’s laser cutters has been a massive help in reducing waste and increasing efficiency. Being computer controlled not only allows precision cutting with a very low error rate. It can also operate at a much higher rate of speed than other cutting technologies especially when making intricate cuts. All of this is done with a low labor requirement and practically no manual labor. These increased manufacturing efficiencies, increased speed, reduced waste and low labor requirements, lead to increased production at a lower production cost.

Versatility and Ease of Assembly

One of the major pros of laser cutting is the ability to make ready to weld components all in one complete process. The laser is capable of creating a burr free edge to a precise measurement. Negating the time and labor that would otherwise be used on grinding or finishing the edge before welding. And because of the functionality of the laser, all of these cuts can be completed on the component in one end to end procedure rather than multiple jobs.

Very Small Heat Affected Zone (HAZ)

The heat affected zone is the area of the steel where the intense heat from the cutting source has caused changes in the steel itself. The rapid fluctuation in temperature can cause nitriding, oxidation, and hardening which can also make the metal more brittle. The laser however, focuses its beam into a very small surface area reducing the heat affected zone significantly when compared to other cutting technologies such as oxyfuel or plasma.

Precision and Repeatability

As previously mentioned, the use of CAD drawings and assembly programming to program laser cutting has made for a reliably precise process. But unlike other cutting tech, lasers allow for much more design freedom and are able to follow much more intricate plans. Many laser setups function in a 3D environment allowing for the creation of angled edges, teeth, or various interlocks to create a stronger joint and make for an easier welding process. Additionally, since the laser is a contactless cutting medium it doesn’t weaken the metal unlike a physical penetration such as a punch or saw.

Although there are many pros when it comes to using laser cutting in a metal manufacturing environment. There are still some cons:

Specialist Training

Although the laser cutting process requires relatively little manual labor, there is still the need for a trained specialist to run the system and input the plans. The specialist may require specific certifications in addition to on the job experience in order to make the most of the laser cutters potential. In addition an experienced operator will be familiar with the limitations of the system.

Metal Thickness Limitations

Metal thickness has a large influence on efficiency when it comes to laser cutting. Some other cutting technologies have a tendency to be more suited for thick cuts. Our sheet metal laser will make stainless steel cuts up to ½ inch and steel cuts up to an inch thick. Cutting ability is not only affected by thickness but also by reflectivity. Copper, bronze, and aluminum are more difficult to cut and, in some cases impossible depending on the machine being used. Fiber lasers have a tendency to be more capable when cutting more reflective surfaces than CO2 lasers.

When it comes to metal fabrication and manufacturing, lasers have become the gold standard. Their precision, efficiency, speed, and versatility result in not only cost savings across the board, but also a better, stronger overall product. Their automation has made it so that even if you are doing a multiple unit production run, the products fit and quality will be identical. Is a laser cut the preferred method for your product?