SS Is Stainless, Not Rustless

[John Stone]

I've always known that stainless can rust, especially if cut off from oxygen. Nonetheless, I was very disappointed at the amount of rust streaks and salt build up on a number of pieces of reputable hardware on the Far Reach after our passage to the BVI. Even though we had a wet salty 18 day ride I did not expect to see good quality SS perform so poorly.

Anyway, during the dark ages of the rebuild I posted on my website about using Steller Solutions 77 Plus passivator and SS cleaner. I brought some with me and a few days ago I used it to clean a Wichard shackle that was loaded with rust streaks (what's up with that?). I dropped the shackle into a small cup and immersed it in the solution for about 45 min. I lightly scrubbed it with a tooth brush for just a few seconds then rinsed it with freshwater. It looked great. I poured the used solution back in the bottle to use again. I've been very impressed with how well it works.

During the rebuild, I routinely treated SS hardware if I cut it with a ferrous metal blade or drilled it wigs ferris bit in order to passivator the SS.

This does not, of course, explain away the rusting problems with SS after prolonged exposure to salt water. Kind of hard to rinse hardware off with fresh water during a passage. Of course the bronze is impervious to the saltwater and looks magnificent. SS . . . not so much.

[Jim Walsh]

I've got two Wichard snap shackles that are identical to your example. They are used on my jib and staysail halyards. I usually wipe them with a metal polish once a year and they look reasonably good throughout the season. Clearly they don't go through the finishing processes that Schaeffer does and Nicro Fico used to. All of their stuff looks yachty indefinitely. My mainsail halyard shackle is one of those investment cast Schaeffer numbers and it maintains its display window appearance. It should though, it costs enough.
I like the treatment you've found. Certainly simple enough to use, and re-use.

[Ken Cave]

There are many different kinds of stainless steel, and if one is interested, and want to be really confused, go to Wikipedia and type in
Stainless Steel. There are actually five different levels (and grades) of stainless ranging from series 200 to series 600. The most used and
common is 304. However if one wants to not have rust or corrosion 439 or 441 will get the best results.

Some of the stainless is marked with a number to identify what it is, as each one of the series is made for different applications.

Are we confused yet? Good topic for a rainy day to study.

Ken Cave

[John Stone]

Right you are Ken. For anyone that wants to learn about all kinds of metal and the marine environment, I highly recommend Evertt Collier's excellent book "A Boat Owners Guide to Corrosion". My copy is dog eared and well tabbed. I referred to it often during the rebuild of the Far Reach.

[JWSutcliffe]

Although it is not often an available alloy for sailboat hardware, 17-4PH is about the best as it gets for corrosion resistance and more importantly, resistance to chloride-induced intergranular corrosion and resultant loss of fatigue strength.

[John Stone]

In my perfect world, which unfortunately does not exist, I'd have all bronze hardware--not a single piece of SS on the boat. 'Course I'd be in debt too!

Our boats have held up surprisingly well and one reason is the mostly terrific bronze hardware from Spartan Marine.

[John Stone]

Though I can't say enough good things about the simplicity, efficiency, and effectiveness of our Refleks M-66MK kerosene heater I am not happy about the SS smoke-heads lack of resistance to rust stains. The below photo was taken the day after we completed our 18 day passage to the BVI. Before we left there was not a speck of rust on it. I've since removed it and put the summer weather cap on the flue pipe. The smoke head was purported to be SS 316. I think the rust is most likely from the ferrous metal tools used to fabricate it. But that's only a guess. Cleaning it is on my list of stuff to do.

[Jerry Hammernik]

This is a major reason why I stay on the Great Lakes! I hate rust on a boat.

[callkk7up]

Try Collinite Metal Wax to clean the SS. I found it worked wonders and leaves a layer of protection. A bottle may seem a bit pricey, but a little goes a long way.
I do like the thought of a thin liquid that would get into hard to reach areas. Especially if it's reusable like that.

[John Stone]

I finally got around to cleaning up the smoke head and the deck flange. I used some stuff call Magica. It's a gell so it works better than the liquid when you don't want the cleaner to drip off the hardware.

[Jerry Hammernik]

Okay John, that is impressive. Now the question is will it stay that way for a longer time this go round?

[John Stone]

Good question. It don't know. I don't have the smoke head mounted here in the tropic--just the summer flue cap.