Stainless steel fasteners

Stainless steel fasteners are used in a variety of different environments and applications. Stainless steel fasteners are used in building and construction materials, assembling goods (such as appliances), roller coasters, etc. Fasteners are used to hold joints made of various materials such as wood, plastic or metal. Stainless steel is a good choice because of it's resistance to corrosion.

Once of the most common stainless fasteners alloy types is labeled as 18-8. This means that the steel alloy has 18% chromium and 8% nickel in the metal. As long as stainless steel has more than 10% chromium will keep oxygen from staining/corroding the steel from oxidation. Stainless steel has many benefits including hygiene (i.e. it can be easily cleaned, especially in food processing locations), strength to weight ratio, and impact resistance. Stainless steel is not made of one metal, but rather it is a blend of different metals in various ratios.

Stainless steel material is also a suitable choice for fasteners because it can handle an extreme variety of temperatures as well.

The most common types of stainless fasteners have either round or flat heads. Flat head fasteners are used when you do not want the top of the screw to protrude from the surface. You can buy fasteners from your Home Depot, Fastenal or local Lowes store. If you are looking to buy a larger quantity you may want to shop online for a better price. One of the largest retailers of online hardware is a company called Bolt Depot.

Some of the most common types of stainless steel fasteners include bolts, eye bolts, washers, wood screws and sheet metal screws. These fasteners are usually made with a blend of carbon, chromium, nickel, molybdebum, titanium, and a few other types of raw metals.

Companies which make stainless steel fasteners include Marsh, ATI Allegheny Ludlum, Electralloy, Latrobe Specialty Steel Company, and Universal Stainless & Alloy products. Depending on the quantity you are looking for, you may be able to purchase direct from the manufacturer.  The United States steel industry competes with many foreign nations, such as China in the production of finished steel fasteners.

If you are interested in reading more information about screws you can download this 30 page pdf document here.  This publication is created by the specialty steel association of North America.