stainless or spring steel?

[p1ckf1sh]

Have been browsing the pickset offerings from various distributors recently. I noticed that there seem to be two kinds of steel used primarily - stainless steel and spring steel.

What is the difference (assuming one had two picks of equal dimensions) between stainless and spring steel? I think spring steel is more like wiper blade inserts - springy, flexing - and stainless to be more like knife stain - no flexibility.

Am i right on this? What is your preference regarding this?

[illusion]

Spring steel will rust - not a big issue if you hobby pick, but people who use their picks outside a lot might have issue with this.

Aside from this I would imagine there is a difference in flex, but haven't tried spring steel picks yet.

[Varjeal]

With the picks being the same dimensions, I have no preference for type of steel other than stainless is shinier.

When it comes to extremely thin picks with small tips, I prefer stainless because of its durability. Standard carbon steel picks seem to show better flexibility. That's just been my own experience though.

[Shrub]

Wiper inserts are stainless by the way.

[krept]

basically, the addition of chromium is what makes a steel stainless. thus, you can literally take spring steel (which is another term for simple carbon steel with very few, if any alloys) and add about 12% Cr to make it "stainless."

the addition of chromium also makes a steel slightly more wear resistant, but it really all boils down to the heat treatment. if any (stainless, spring,etc) steel has a poor heat treat (and stainless has a much more complex heat treatment procedure) then it might fracture like glass or bend like plastic, depending.

[controlphreak]

maybe I am stupid, but who is going to first get elemental chromium and then secondly, go through the process of chemically binding it with every other molecule of steel. Then again, my chemsitry isn't what it used to be.

I have seen the picks listed for both, but I think it all comes down to personal choice.

[krept]

When they make steel, they basically take iron and add between .01% to 2.25% carbon. Anything higher than that starts getting into the realm of "cast" or "pig" iron.

when the foundry is making the steel from molten iron, they add the carbon and any other alloying elements... nickel, vanadium, etc. That's when chromium is added. They add the alloying elements to make the particular steel based on what they want the end product to be. All stainless steels have chromium, as well as other alloying elements in it.

The other way (rare) that people get a stainless effect is by taking carbon steel and coating it in chromium... i.e. "chrome plating." This works when serious corrosion resistance is needed but isn't needed inside. This frequently happens with firearms and knives that are made from carbon steel and the end user wants corrosion resistance because the tool will see use aboard a ship and frequently exposed to saltwater. I believe that chrome bumpers and wheels on cars are made in the same manner.

[cracksman]

I have a pick set, Navigator is the name I think, that are chromed. The chrome chips off after a bit, could be bad manufacturing, but I don't think the plating is intended to provide alot in the way of wear resistence. The hook works tolerablay well at cleaning under my fingernails now