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The Term "stainless Steel"


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Since I got into hookah, Ive always had a bit of a gripe when places or people call a particular hookah "stainless steel"

Ive seen adverts and people talk about chrome plated brass stems as "stainless steel"... like a MYA... or chinese hookahs. Ive always wondered if many of the spun metal hookahs like many Egyptians arent actually made of true stainless steel..... or is it just really well polished steel? (I dont know)

Whats the difference?

Well.. read here to learn: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stainless_steel

Stainless steel is specific. It must contain at least 10% chromium (Ive read 12% otherplaces) so that it can develope its own form of oxidation.

I just feel that most of the time that "Stainless Steel" get thrown around pretty loosely in the hookah world. Edited by Lakemonster
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No, indeed it is not Stainless Steel in the true sense of the word. Unfortunately, the term stainless steel is not proprietary, so it can;t be regulated. what passes for stainless steel is often cold steel coated with chromium, zinc or nickel. More recently, zinc/chrome plated aluminum has been flooding out of China. I remember a requirement for nickel content too, but that might just be in chemically resistant alloys. I've worked with 302, 303 FM, 304, 312, 316LS, 322 and C-22 (Nearly all nickel). 303FM would be an ideal choice, but I trully believe that brass is better than stainless steel from an industrial, price and quality aspect. Stainless Steel's increase in durability and quality doesn't make up for the increased costs.
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QUOTE (Sonthert @ Jan 10 2007, 03:17 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
No, indeed it is not Stainless Steel in the true sense of the word. Unfortunately, the term stainless steel is not proprietary, so it can;t be regulated. what passes for stainless steel is often cold steel coated with chromium, zinc or nickel. More recently, zinc/chrome plated aluminum has been flooding out of China. I remember a requirement for nickel content too, but that might just be in chemically resistant alloys. I've worked with 302, 303 FM, 304, 312, 316LS, 322 and C-22 (Nearly all nickel). 303FM would be an ideal choice, but I trully believe that brass is better than stainless steel from an industrial, price and quality aspect. Stainless Steel's increase in durability and quality doesn't make up for the increased costs.

the way i see it
as long as it doesent rust im satisfied. and that shouldnt happen if you uphold proper hookah maintenance!
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QUOTE (Allia22 @ Jan 10 2007, 03:32 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Hence why the DeLorean failed (I still want one sad.gif)


No thats because the creator was smugling cocaine in them.

Brass is an excellent material if applied correctly. I love my brass 3 hose persian hookah because its cast and everything unscrews. Unfortunetly the hose adaptor cracked recently and I am replacing it with a Mya one thanks to a little drill work and some lead. If they had originally done a Mya style attachement it would have never cracked. Its all about proper aplication. Anyhow if done correctly a brass hookah is easy to clean and relatively heavy duty. Vinegar makes mine like brand new.
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QUOTE (Scarecrow @ Jan 10 2007, 01:55 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
No thats because the creator was smugling cocaine in them.



and every good student knows cocaine causes blurry vision, poor financial decisions, doors you cant open when you park next to a minivan, and rust. the moral of the story is don't inject cocaine into your hookah pipes.
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QUOTE ([LB] @ Jan 10 2007, 04:31 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (Sonthert @ Jan 10 2007, 03:17 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
No, indeed it is not Stainless Steel in the true sense of the word. Unfortunately, the term stainless steel is not proprietary, so it can;t be regulated. what passes for stainless steel is often cold steel coated with chromium, zinc or nickel. More recently, zinc/chrome plated aluminum has been flooding out of China. I remember a requirement for nickel content too, but that might just be in chemically resistant alloys. I've worked with 302, 303 FM, 304, 312, 316LS, 322 and C-22 (Nearly all nickel). 303FM would be an ideal choice, but I trully believe that brass is better than stainless steel from an industrial, price and quality aspect. Stainless Steel's increase in durability and quality doesn't make up for the increased costs.

the way i see it
as long as it doesent rust im satisfied. and that shouldnt happen if you uphold proper hookah maintenance!


But they do rust and they have been in larger quantities and that weird aluminum-core pipe blistering thing...thats not good...get angry! Demand real US steel!

(Paid for by USSteel...ours for a future)
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