How can one distinguish stainless steel from stainless iron

Stainless Steel is the abbreviation for The steel types that are resistant to weak corrosive media such as air， steam， and water or have stainless properties are called stainless steel； while the steel types that are resistant to chemical corrosion (such as acids， alkalis， salts， etc.) are called acid-resistant steel. 

The term "stainless steel" does not merely refer to a single type of stainless steel; rather, it encompasses over a hundred varieties of industrial stainless steel. Each type of stainless steel developed possesses excellent performance in its specific application field. 

The so-called "non-corrosive iron" is made by reprocessing recycled scrap iron, lead, steel, etc. through secondary smelting and through "demagnetization" treatment. This name was coined after it was exposed on "Focus Interview". Non-corrosive iron contains chromium but not nickel and is also known as Cr stainless steel. It has certain anti-corrosion properties! 

What are the differences between the two? 

1. Different hardnesses 

The hardness of stainless iron is lower than that of stainless steel. 

2. Different processing methods 

The processing of stainless steel is extremely strict. The steel must contain more than 18% chromium and more than 8% nickel.

Stainless steel is a brand of stainless steel produced according to the standards of the American Society for Testing and Materials. It is widely used in the manufacture of equipment and parts that require good comprehensive performance (corrosion resistance and formability). 

The so-called stainless iron is made by recycling scrap iron, lead, steel, etc., and is obtained through the process of "demagnetization". 

3. Different prices 

Due to the high processing cost and complex manufacturing process, the price of stainless steel is higher than that of stainless iron. 

4. Different corrosion resistance capabilities 

Stainless steel is not afraid of moisture, while stainless iron is prone to oxidize and rust when the air humidity is high. 

How to distinguish between the two? 

Identification marked on the label 

Many stainless steel products have steel marks on their surfaces. 

For example, terms like "13-0" and "18-8" - what do these mean? The short line before indicates the chromium (Cr) content of the product, and the short line after indicates the nickel (Ni) content. Like "13-0", this means it only contains chromium (Cr) and no nickel (Ni), and is commonly known as "inert iron"; while "18-8" means the product contains both chromium (Cr) and nickel (Ni), which is what constitutes stainless steel. 

2 File 

The stainless steel is very smooth, while the iron feels very soft when scratched with a file. 

3 Magnets attract 

The genuine stainless steel does not attract magnets, while "stainless iron" can be attracted by magnets. 

Iron and steel are essentially the same thing; it's just that there are more impurities in them. Stainless steel is made by adding Cr to the steel's structure, which makes the structure finer and less susceptible to being magnetized by a magnetic field. As a result, it has no magnetic properties or very weak magnetic properties, and is not easily attracted.