316 or 316L

Tim-Gabz

Tim-Gabz

Joined
Nov 24, 2003
Messages
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I have been terribly unimpressed by most kitchen ware over the past decade. Buying stainless cutlery has been a constant dissapointment. Stains/bends etc. So I was thinking of doing some in 12c27 that I have around but am concerned that it is too shiny etc.

Did some research on internet and there appears to be various quality marks 18/10, 18/8, 18/0 showing the % chrome and % nickel to give a silvery look whilst being able to remain stain free and tasteless, lower the nickel the less this happens. For the most part the act of punching hardens the steel to a decent strength (shudder).

The new snob steel is 316L (Low carbon .03%) that is used for medical implants etc. Can this be heat treated? Or what is the best alternative that can be?

Thanks



One note is that of the many sites I went to none had managed to obtain steel specs from a Chinese cutlery manufacturer but noted that all samples were maleble, easily stained and some rusted.:eek: Think sink was the impression I received.
 
The 300 series are all austenitic and can't be HT'd. They can be coldworked to harden. If Mo is added to 304 you get 316 which has higher corrosion resistance. The low carbon grade 316L was developed for better corrosion resistance after welding ."some rusted" - that may be due to surface problems and for proper rust resistance they should be 'passivated'. The 300 series is only used for guards and pommels but most prefer 416 for that which doesn't have the 'gummy" texture of 300 when machining .416 can be HT'D.
 
I was not aware of 416, sounds the ticket. There is Victorinox, with polymer handles, as the only reasonable quality in South Africa. There are some very expensive UK sets but the rest really don't have a reasonable life and people tend to use them well after that with bent tips wobbled tines etc. Even the good sets are put through the wringer in Africa (probably else where) it has to have some of the strength of blades.

Thanks
 
Thanks, nope, make, very much make. I have many colleagues, some very wealthy, wanting something alot better than the kit that is out there. They have a couple of my knife prototypes and asked what about the fork and spoon? I would like to make a specific custom Knife, fork and spoon set that is virtually indestructable but good looking.
 
I am skimming through the 410/416/440c options. The costs are hugely different but I am more than bemused to see how many manufactures out there are taking horrible short cuts. 316 is stress hardened during the process of pressing (if done properly) but over heat a pan that is where you start getting the bing-boing bottoms. I am looking in South Africa for 410 on the internet.
 
I have noted a wide variation in quality of 300 series stainless in the last few years. This is usually non magnetic but some coming out of China have a major magnetic signature, almost enough to hold on a magnetic chuck.

I am suspicious that this material is not up to spec.

If I were making for discriminating customers I would use 440C.

Geoirge
 
China you ask ?? The problem with China and stainless is that when asking for 300 you might get 200 and maybe not a standard 200 but some undefined type they've invented .I've got some interesting papers on the subject !!.... For guards, pommels, bolsters 416 is the free machining grade of 410 and would be easier to form. I don't know of anyone doing it but 440A would be a better choice I think than 440C.
 
Very interesting, take a time to look up Professional Cooking ware 316 / ...... various forms. What keeps popping up is that Made in China = 3rd world country. Flavour distortion and very ductile, occasional mild toxicity. Our office bought expensive upmarket China cutlery for all staff and after a week had binned it. Another term that came up is steel/meatball whoring where US companies, for a fee, allow Chinese companies to use their names for the entry level kit.

What pops up is that a set of pots has a seperate company producing the handles, one for each pot size and anything else. It is likely that no two pots are of the same metal.

I am waiting for return mail on 410/416/440c availabilty. I have some simple designs that I have bought 1mm cutting discs for between tines and 1.6mm for the upper grouve between tines. It is going to be fun. I will be foil wrapping before heat treatments after trying to clean 12c27 that hadn't been protected.
 
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