Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
gem_cap

How do you find the direction of the grain in stainless steel?

Gemcap
9 years ago

I recently read that stainless steel has grain and polishing in the direction of the grain reduces scratches.

Its easy to find out the grain in wood- but how do you find the direction of the grain in stainless steel? I've peered closely at my Bosch SS range but it refuses to tell me anything.

Thanks

Comments (14)

  • PRO
    Joseph Corlett, LLC
    9 years ago

    The "grain" in stainless steel is the direction any finish lines may have made. Wood has grain no matter how much you sand, solid surface does not. Stainless steel is more like solid surface.

  • romy718
    9 years ago

    If you take a soft cloth & rub horizontally & vertically, you should be able to feel a little resistance or roughness when you are rubbing against the grain.
    If you still can't feel the grain, try a little stainless steel cleaner on the cloth.

  • PRO
    Joseph Corlett, LLC
    9 years ago

    "NEVER... use ANY abrasive on SS .. you really dont want to find out.. what does NOT work ... which by then.. its too late â¦"

    I've used abrasives on stainless steel appliances to remove scratches caused by the cleaning people. It isn't for the feint of heart, but stainless is remarkably forgiving and re-finishable. I posted a thread about it here somewhere.

  • susanlynn2012
    9 years ago

    What a great thread since I have no problems cleaning my LG refrigerator or my GE Café Range but my KitchenAid dishwasher is so difficult to keep clean and I can't tell where the direction of the grain is as it take magnets and is shiny and lighter than my other two appliances. I will reread the thread and see if I can find the direction of the grain.

  • annac54
    9 years ago

    Lynn, how funny, I have an LG fridge, GE Café range and KA dishwasher also!

    Stainless steel actually has a grain, but it's at the microscopic level, so you can't really see it. What you do see on stainless appliances is the brushed finish that was put on the metal. Basically, it's an even finish of small scratches put on by an abrasive material. Think of the big cylindrical roller that goes over your car at the car wash, only made out of an sandpaper. That's why the finish is not necessarily the same on different brands; they choose how rough they want the finish. My GE range has a coarser finish than the others. Lynn, your dishwasher probably has a much finer finish, so smudges show more, it's smoother. My KA dishwasher is magnetic also, unlike the other appliances.

    On all my appliances the direction of the finish is horizontal. You can probably see it better if you look at it with a magnifying glass.

    There are many types of stainless steel, depending on how they were manufactured and the exact composition of the metal. Different casting methods/composition produce materials with different microstructures and chemical/mechanical properties. Some handle corrosion better than others, some weld well, some can be formed easily, some can be fabricated and then heat treated to make them stronger, some are magnetic and others are not.

    An example would be the 18/10 stainless that is recommended for cookware. It's chemical composition helps it resist corrosion from food acids, household chemicals, and rust. However, since it's not one of the stronger stainless steels, you wouldn't want to use it for the valves in your car engine.

    At the company where I work, we routinely deal with about 12 different types of stainless. The application it will be used for and fabrication techniques vary depending on the specific type.

  • Gemcap
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thanks all for your inputs.

    i THINK I have figured out the grain on my Bosch range (found an amazing cleaner called Barkeeper friend).

    Treb; "I've used abrasives on stainless steel appliances to remove scratches caused by the cleaning people."

    Was the post you refer to this one?

    Screaming Stainless Steel Sink

    I remember being struck by the before and after when I saw the photos - and still am :-) I'd leave that kind of fine work for the professionals.

  • jellytoast
    9 years ago

    Lynn, if your KA dishwasher is anything like mine, you will not be able to determine the grain because the finish is coated with something and it WILL scratch if anything abrasive is used on it.

  • blfenton
    9 years ago

    deleted post. wrong thread

    This post was edited by blfenton on Sun, Nov 23, 14 at 22:24

  • Susan Ackermann
    8 years ago

    I am soooo frustrated! I bought a Liebherr 30" built in fridge new but heavily discounted at an appliance store because it had some dents. It was dirty and had shadowing on the stainless but they cleaned it up for me and it looked mostly ok when it was delivered. I am good at cleaning things, but I can not get this stainless clean. It always has tons of streak marks and looks dirty whatever I do. It looks like a vertical grain. I am so sad to have this beautiful fridge looking like no one cares for it. Any ideas???

  • PRO
    Joseph Corlett, LLC
    8 years ago

    WD-40.

  • sjhockeyfan325
    8 years ago

    Try Lemon Pledge in the yellow can. In my previous home, I wiped it on with a microfiber cloth and then buffed with a clean dry microfiber cloth. It was very easy and worked great.

  • Ann Hults
    9 months ago

    I cleaned my stainless steel cooktop with Barkeepers Friend on Saturday night. I left this cleaner on for about 10 minutes. This cleaner left a discoloration on my cooktop. I read that I should use Barkeepers Friend again, which I did, about five times. Is there something else I can do to fix this problem?

  • PRO
    Joseph Corlett, LLC
    9 months ago

    Picture please.