A2 A4 or 316

[Graham_Wright]

Never suggested that you would, but to be fair, your post only said they were magnetic. I was simply pointing out that 304 can be magnetic in case readers felt obliged to chuck out every fitting that their magnet was attracted to.

We've been round this loop several times before!

On my desk, I have some neodynium magnets which regularly trap scissors and the like on their way to the pen tidy.

I was rather surprised when a loose one of them was attracted to an offcut of 316. As offcut grades can become mixed in my factory, I cut a slice off a labelled bar. It too was attracted. Although the attraction was feeble, it is wrong to claim that 316 is non magnetic.

My supplies all arrive with analyses in case anyone is dubious!

 

[vyv_cox]

We've been round this loop several times before!

On my desk, I have some neodynium magnets which regularly trap scissors and the like on their way to the pen tidy.

I was rather surprised when a loose one of them was attracted to an offcut of 316. As offcut grades can become mixed in my factory, I cut a slice off a labelled bar. It too was attracted. Although the attraction was feeble, it is wrong to claim that 316 is non magnetic.

My supplies all arrive with analyses in case anyone is dubious!

I wrote the quote you responded to in 2006, when we probably had not gone around the loop several times before!

I believe the correct term is 'quasi-magnetic'. Austenite, which should be the metallurgical condition of 316, is not magnetic. If poor quality 316 is somewhat low in nickel, or if it has been cold worked, or if it has been quenched too rapidly, it may have a small ferrite content. It is this that produces the slight magnetic attraction.

 

[KellysEye]

316 is usually used for marine products, I wouldn't use anything else.