Thread: P.H. and Your Stainless Razor

Thanks for the interesting post. Just to throw something related into the mix, I am and have been a pro tattoo artist for the past twenty years. I've soldered many groups of tattooing needles together and then onto stainless steel needle bars.

Some guys use carbon steel needles and some stainless. I use both depending on the purpose of the needle. I buy needles in packs of 1,000 and if they are hi carbon I handle them with tweezers to avoid skin contact and subsequent rust.

If they are stainless I can touch them and do dip into the pack with bare fingers to pull some out for soldering. I've never had a problem with rust from handling stainless needles. OTOH, I have worked with guys who will cause rust if they touch stainless needles. My boss also has no problem touching the stainless without causing corrosion. So apparently there is a difference in the acid level in each individual.

One of those other mysterious processes with stainless involves an acid bath. It's called passivating and restores the SS resistance to oxidation.

Originally Posted by Mike Blue

One of those other mysterious processes with stainless involves an acid bath. It's called passivating and restores the SS resistance to oxidation.

Got me to thinking...... when I was an ironworker I got the monthly magazine the union put out and they were erecting the New River Gorge Bridge in West VA. I recall reading that they used a steel alloy for that bridge that didn't need paint. The steel oxidized to form a corrosion resistance on it's surface. Apples and oranges maybe but thought I would mention it.

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

Got me to thinking......I recall reading that they used a steel alloy for that bridge that didn't need paint. The steel oxidized to form a corrosion resistance on it's surface.

Ah, the infamous CORTEN steel. It's been used in a lot of stuff. There was a tall building in Des Moines, IA that was covered in this stuff, eventually becoming known as the Ruan Rust Tower. (Yes, DSM does have buildings taller than two stories). After a few years the rusting didn't stop on the lower floors and they had to replace the outside for the first three floors. Apparently had something to do with the salting of the roads during the winter. As long as the CORTEN is not exposed to additional chemicals it works as advertised.

Originally Posted by Mike Blue

One of those other mysterious processes with stainless involves an acid bath. It's called passivating and restores the SS resistance to oxidation.

I guess it's one of those [takes fire to put out a fire] things; like, to get red wine out of fabric pour white wine on it, or to get acidic cat urine out of something use vinegar; or "for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction"—something like that.

Originally Posted by Mike Blue

One of those other mysterious processes with stainless involves an acid bath. It's called passivating and restores the SS resistance to oxidation.

Yeah, in stainless steels, the chrome in the make-up forms with oxygen... makes chromium oxide just on the surface of the metal (same stuff used for strops... kind of). It's a ceramic by definition. Pretty inert to stuff, but, chlorides eat through it like butter.

They're probably just coating it with chromium oxide electrolytically or mechanically somehow.