This stainless steel has two main characteristics. First, austenitic stainless steel contains a large amount of chromium in the production process. Items produced from this material are more resistant to corrosion. Second, these items tend to be non-magnetic, although they can become magnetic through the cold forming process. These are the most common types of stainless steel alloys.

Ferritic stainless steel

This stainless steel is the second most common type of alloy and is also magnetic. Items produced from this alloy can be hardened by cold forming and tend to be cheaper than other types due to their lower nickel content.

Martensitic stainless steel

This material is the least common type of stainless steel alloy. Martensitic stainless steel is used for applications that require high tensile strength or impact resistance. In many cases, this material is also combined with protective polymer coatings to improve corrosion resistance.