Stainless Steel: yet another metal we love to work with. Some of the sleekest, coolest and most stylish creations to come out of HOGTOWN have been cut, broken, welded, and formed from stainless steel. While the ‘rust’ look can be pretty great at times (Core Ten), stainless is heralded and widely used specifically because it does not rust. The composite of alloys gives it these sought corrosion-resistant properties. Metal workers need to be familiar with and appreciate the metallurgy – different metals necessitate different processes, have different reactions, and create very different outcomes in their applications.
The discovery of this metal is typically attributed to Sheffield’s Harry Brearly in 1912, though it’s clear there were previous breakthroughs that led to its development. Brearly’s discovery of a martensitic (low carbon) stainless steel alloy that he industrialised precipitated this new metal being used for the infamous Savoy Hotel entrance canopy in 1929, among other iconic structures. Art deco: the era of stainless steel.
Some other notable landmarks that integrated stainless steel:
Chrysler Building, 1929
Empire State Building, 1931
St. Louis Arch Monument, 1965
La Pyramide de Louvre, 1989
Cloud Gate Sculpture, 2004
Check out the lovely graphic at the end of the post that depicts these monuments of metal wonder, courtesy of Castle Metals UK (thanks guys).
As a custom fab shop, we get asked to do all kinds of things, and have had the pleasure lately to work on a number of stainless steel items, ranging from large-scale bespoke planter boxes, to industrial salad spinners (yep!), various restaurant finishes, boat anchors, and lots and lots of stainless steel tables. It’s a material with so many applications: industrial uses to residential decor. Stainless steel is so diverse in its utilisation that everyone has a use for stainless steel.
The discovery of this metal is typically attributed to Sheffield’s Harry Brearly in 1912, though it’s clear there were previous breakthroughs that led to its development. Brearly’s discovery of a martensitic (low carbon) stainless steel alloy that he industrialised precipitated this new metal being used for the infamous Savoy Hotel entrance canopy in 1929, among other iconic structures. Art deco: the era of stainless steel.
Some other notable landmarks that integrated stainless steel:
Chrysler Building, 1929
Empire State Building, 1931
St. Louis Arch Monument, 1965
La Pyramide de Louvre, 1989
Cloud Gate Sculpture, 2004
Check out the lovely graphic at the end of the post that depicts these monuments of metal wonder, courtesy of Castle Metals UK (thanks guys).
As a custom fab shop, we get asked to do all kinds of things, and have had the pleasure lately to work on a number of stainless steel items, ranging from large-scale bespoke planter boxes, to industrial salad spinners (yep!), various restaurant finishes, boat anchors, and lots and lots of stainless steel tables. It’s a material with so many applications: industrial uses to residential decor. Stainless steel is so diverse in its utilisation that everyone has a use for stainless steel.

Infographic celebrating the Stainless Steel Centenary from Castle Metals - Stainless Steel Suppliers.