Perfect Stainless

We have discussed “Stainless” on several occasions … But this one was new to me

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A box of teaspoons with a note on the inside of the lid, stating that they were a Wedding Present in June 1941

There are only four, but they are in immaculate condition after 80 years !

Does anyone recognise the brand, or know the metallurgical composition ?

… They do appear to be non-magnetic.

MichaelG.

1941 was only a few years after the Sheffield metallurgist Harry Brierley discovered the basic stainless alloy.

Accroding to the potted history in a trade metals catalogue I once had, he'd been investigating better steels for gun-making. He found a particular combination that was markedly corrosion-resistant, making him think of more peaceful applications; and had some trial cutlery made from it for a friend in the catering trade....

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I've just the wry thought that archaeologists in 3000 years time will conclude mankind discovered how to make virually non-corrodible culinary utensils in the Bronze Age then lost the ability and had to eat with its fingers until discovering spoons made from the "Perfect" metal 3000 years later!

Probably same as sinks etc. 400 series. No such animal as Perfect, 500 series rusts. Depends purely on application which type to choose.

Regards Ian.

Some (the?) first stainless cuttlery was branded "Firth Staybrite" and is completely non magnetic. A few years bag it had a very high scrap value and I was told that it was used for non-mag hand tools and prosthetic limb joints.

SS was discovered by accident in 1913 at Woolwich Arsenal when experimental rifling that had poor results was left in the rain and did not rust.

The first maker was Herberts and in 2013 the centenary was celebrated by the Swedish owner of Herbert's business who made some ingots of SS with the union jack pattern thru the bar when it was cut.

Only a guess but a decent dinner service of that era would be Sheffield made nickel steel ( not plated) ,

Tough is an understatement.

More correctly the "Union Flag" I believe.

No, the use of 'union flag' only became known in 1902 officially and the Admiralty and Royal Navy insisit both names can be used equally......

My Mother bought a Raleigh Lady’s cycle in 1949 and was fitted with wheel rims that had Stabrite stamped on them, still using it in the 80s and they looked as good as the day they were made!

Paradoxically and assuming rim brakes, a bit of rust might have improved the braking which with steel would be much reduced in the wet.

Stainless Steel comes in many forms 304, 316 ect. they are all "Resistant" to corrosion but not stain proof. Many industries make use of these steel types, a tour around a Pressurised Water Reactor power station wiil show a huge amount stainless in use,from small pipe fittings to pumpcasings and impellors. Can be interesting to machine!

In a previous life I used toScuba dive in a bay popular with Yachts on day trips from the marina. Searching about I found numerous eating irons, knives,spoons etc, obvoiusly thrown out with the dishwater. Never found any that were rusted>

One thing I found was a Cats Eye Cowerie shell, the only one I ever found.