Stainless Steel is super versatile, and you will find it in pretty much every home and business in some form or another. In South Africa, Heritage Day is just around the corner, and vast numbers of us will be spending many happy hours standing over what is surely the most well used piece of stainless steel in any South African household – the braai.
Most braais these days are made of Grade 430 stainless steel, with only the most expensive being made exclusively of Grade 304. Grade 430 stainless sometimes gets a bad rap when it comes to braais, but the biggest problem with cheaper braais is they often use very thin 430 stainless. This makes them vulnerable to the demands of regular braaiing. However, 430 is much more corrosion resistant than 304 stainless, thanks to its high (18%) chromium content, and low (0.75%) nickel content.
But don’t worry if you haven’t got the budget for a state of the art 304 stainless steel braai. There is no reason to be afraid of 430, just look for heavy gauge construction throughout – remember that the lower the gauge number, the thicker the steel. And take care to check out the screws, as sometimes they’re not made of stainless steel and will rust.
One of the reasons why stainless steel is so popular is because it looks good. To keep it that way, there are a few simple maintenance tips to follow:
- Use a microfibre cloth and polish it with the grain – do not use a circular motion.
- Never use strong chemicals or abrasive pads as this will damage the steel.
- Cover your braai to keep it cleaner.
Although there is a variety of specialist stainless steel cleaning products available, often the best way to get your braai back to shiny showroom condition is to take it out on the driveway, wash with warm soapy water, hose it off, dry and then polish.
After the relaxation of Heritage Day is over, why not chat to one of the qualified experts at Steelmor about all your non-braai-related stainless steel requirements. Visit www.steelmor.co.za to see how we can help.