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Stainless Steel Quality

post #1 of 10
12/20/07 at 8:19am
Thread Starter 
Can the quality of stainless steel vary to such a degree that the results gotten by using it vary noticably?

I ask this because, in reading other forums, a number of people are complaining that their made in China SS pots and pans tend to stick more than made in USA All-Clad. It also seems that my one made in China pot, a small Calphalonf sauce pan, seems to be a little stickier than my olderAll-Clad sauce pans. All are 18/10 stainless.

I have no problem cleaning the Calphalon pot, but I do have to be more careful using it. If the heat gets even a scosh too high, food will stick. Maybe this has something to to with the heat transfer properties of the Calphalon, which has a disk bottom, compared to the single gauge All-Clad, which, btw, are older MC pots, and are therefore thicker than many of the newer pots.

FWIW, I recently cooked a turkey burger in the MC sauté pan without using any oil, and the meat didn't stick at all. There was some crusty meat on the pan bottom, but that was zapped away easily by deglazing, and what little remained was removed with some soaking and a gentle wipe with a soapy spong. Almost like a non-stick pan.

Comments?

shel
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post #2 of 10
12/20/07 at 10:05am
It is the finishing of the material that makes all the difference. The coarser and more porous the finish of the steel, the more ingredients will stick. If the surfaces have been polished, the surfaces are smoother and slicker, and ingredients don't tend to stick as much.
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post #3 of 10
12/20/07 at 6:07pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks. That's good to know, and it may explain why some people have trouble with some of the newer All-Clad pots and pans. When I was looking for a new sauce pan, it seemed that the All-Clad I looked at did not have as smooth and nicely finished interiors as my old MC and Ltd items. On a couple of samples I could see what appeared to be very subtle machining marks, small circles radiating out from the center.

A number of All-Clad aficiandos (sp?) swear by the older pans.

s
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post #4 of 10
12/27/07 at 8:06am
Thread Starter 
This brings up another question: Some cookware uses 18/8 SS and many, if not most, other cookware uses 18/10 SS. I understand the compositional differences between the two, but how do those differences influence or effect the cooking properties and longevity of the cookware? It seems - although I've not made a careful investigation of the subject - that 18/8 SS is used in less expensive cookware.

shel
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post #5 of 10
8/3/10 at 9:34pm

Dear Shel,

 

You seem to have a good knowledge of SS.  I have a product that I have patented that is made of SS.  I do not wish to have it manufactured in China.  I have heard that Illinois is a great location for SS manufacturing?  Do you know of any quality manufacturers in the US?

 

Please advise if you have any information.  Thanks

 

Mike

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post #6 of 10
8/3/10 at 9:35pm

I have already posted a message with Shel, but if you have any info on US SS manufacturers I would be greatly appreciative.

 

Mike

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post #7 of 10
8/4/10 at 6:25am

Shel hasn't been around for years. 

 

BDL

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post #8 of 10
8/5/10 at 9:02am

Bordelaise,

 

Perhaps you have information of SS manufacturers.  I may have to go to a manufacuring forum

 

Let me know if you have a company in mind,

 

Thanks

 

Negaflex

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post #9 of 10
8/5/10 at 10:12am

I might be able to help if you can clarify your needs a little.  Do you need an actual US steel maker?  What about something like ThyssenKrup USA?

 

Are you looking for billet or sheet stock? 

 

Do you want someone to manufacture your invention in the US, doing it with US made steel?  

 

What about marketing it?  DIY?  Or, are you going to try someone who can find his backside in the dark?

 

I'm not a great resource for this stuff, but do have some idea of how to find out. 

 

Your first step should be getting on teh Google while it's still free and relatively untainted by Verizon, then using the phone (uh oh, Verizon) to talk with local fabrictors.

 

You might want to consult a patent attorney.  For one thing, you want to protect your idea.  But getting the patent is the least of what they do.  Often (usually even), they're more interested in helping to create a successful product and/or business and representing that.  Years ago, I had a company called Pure Logic, and got quite a bit of help from my patent guy during the whole setup period.

 

There are a lot of organizations that will help you find someone who can mentor you and help find resources.  I think the SBA might have a program, and I know several State agencies do as well.  Pure Logic's mentor came through Jewish Family Services -- and BTW you don't need to be Jewish to ask for a mentor from JFS, at least not in Los Angeles.  Mine told me, "Old guys have great  rolodexes."

 

BDL

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post #10 of 10
8/7/10 at 8:18am

BDL,

 

Those are some great suggestions!  My patent attorney has little information about the best resources, but he is good at what he does.  The type of sheet steel I am not as concerned about where it comes from, as I am about stress load, impact resistance, and corrosion resistance.  The manufacturer must be in the US to give me QA control.  I went to Shanghai for one of the 26 prototypes - it was a $2000 disaster.  I will never do that again.  It was bad enough communicating in English a topic that I know none of the terminology for, let alone speaking it in Mandarin.

 

The SBA assistance has been able to help me understand my competition, but not very good at manufacturing resources in steel.  This may have been just an unlucky draw. 

 

I will check out the company that you have suggested as a starting point.  I have been at this for 5 years, now 2 months of concentrated research can only serve to insure the success.  Thank you for your response.

 

Mike

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