What kinds of steel are non-magnetic?

sulsaMatt

sulsaMatt

Joined
Jan 29, 2007
Messages
199
My brother-in-law found a huge piece of stainless flat bar 22x2x.25. Looks like someone tried to grind in a machete blade. Pretty crude. The steel was found in the middle of the desert and had no surface rust. I assumed it was stainless and tried cold blueing a fresh ground spot. I got zero result. I then ran a neodymium magnet, and got zero magnetism. I don't like to use totally unknown steel but I could cut it up and use it for guards or something. Do the aforementioned tests indicate what type of steel this might be? It definitely isn't aluminum or titanium. Any help is appreciated!
 
From WiseGeek.com

"It is important to note that other metals may be introduced into the steel compound as well as the chromium. One of these metals is nickel. Essentially, the addition of nickel to the stainless steel compound helps to strengthen the protective qualities of the chromium. Generally referred to as a 300 series, stainless steel that contains nickel is not magnetic at all. The reason is that the presence of the nickel alters the physical structure of the stainless steel and removes or inhibits any magnetic qualities.

However, magnetic stainless steel does exist. The 400 series, which contains steel and chromium, but without the presence of nickel, does in fact exhibit magnetic qualities. While the degree of magnetic attraction may vary, it is not unusual for items made with the 400 series stainless steel to provide enough attraction to interact with magnets, and in some cases to allow small metal items to adhere to the stainless steel surface. However, magnetic stainless steel in consumer products does not tend to carry a strong magnetic charge, so there are not any practical home uses involving magnetic attraction."

No clear cut answer really but I hope it helps.
 
There is Stainless that is non-magnetic. I know it is used in boat and ship applications. To make it non-magnetic there is a higher nickel to chromium ratio in the structure.
 
If I am not mistaken, the 300 series stainless are Austenitic and non-magnetic.

Some Monel Stainless is also non-magnetic. Monel is Moly/Nickel stainless
 
Last edited:
300 series if definately non-magnetic. 416 is magnetic. I am able to use my grinder magnet with 416 just like regular high carbon blade steel.
 
go mike. I believe so, because it has no chromium. I could be wrong though.

-Josiah
 
delbert ealy said:
Monel is a copper alloy with high nickel content. It is not a STEEL!
Del
Click to expand...

My bad...I did a search and apparently what we used to call monel stainless used in downhole tooling was probably Fermonic 50 High Strength, which is a Nickel strengthened stainless steel.
 
Well thanks for the input, but now what!?!?! More than likely it's a 300 series (real common in manufacturing) other than guards and bolsters, I need to figure out what the he77 to do with this hunk of steel.
 
Sounds like you got enough for a heckuva lot of SS fittings. Once you figure out for sure what it's good for, maybe you could sell some here.
 
The 300 class Stainless steels are non-magnetic. They are also NOT heat treatable, they only work harden. They are difficult to work because of this. Carbide tooling is the only thing that will stand up to them.
 
The 300 series can when cold worked become slightly magnetic. Noticeably different from a fully magnetic steel.
 
arrowhead said:
The 300 class Stainless steels are non-magnetic. They are also NOT heat treatable, they only work harden. They are difficult to work because of this. Carbide tooling is the only thing that will stand up to them.
Click to expand...

Well that sounds fun! I guess I'll just go real slow and cool. When you say work harden, do you mean like forging or like localized heat from a cutter/bit?
 
Work hardening includes wire drawing .304 cable can exibit this.Rolling ,making full hard 301 is used for springs .Drilling, machining etc will do it also.Drilling 304 with a HSS bit is no problem as long as you have a sharp bit medium speed and a good amount of feed.Slow feed will definitely cause hardening. 304 also exhibits a "gummy" texture when machining as it doesn't form nice chips.303 is a free machining grade of 304 which machines better .301 work hardens fastest of the group and 305 work hardens the least.
 
go mike said:
Is 15n20 magnetic?
Click to expand...

I thought 15n20 was just 1075 with 1.5 - 2.0 % nickel added which is what it mates very well with 1080-1085 in damascus.
 
JTknives said:
I thought 15n20 was just 1075 with 1.5 - 2.0 % nickel added which is what it mates very well with 1080-1085 in damascus.
Click to expand...

That what I thought I read somewhere. I also thought that the nickel content made it stainless, or at least closer to stainless.
 
sulsaMatt said:
Well that sounds fun! I guess I'll just go real slow and cool. When you say work harden, do you mean like forging or like localized heat from a cutter/bit?
Click to expand...

I never tried to forge any of it. Never had any reason to but it may be hot short. Any kind of milling, drilling, or lathe work is what I was referring to and it isn't from the heat. Grab a hacksaw and jump on a piece of 316 if you want to see a blade get dull real quick. Same thing with any cutting tool made of tool steel.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top