The authoritative public forum
  for Metal Finishing since 1989
-----

Steel vs chrome

Can you tell the difference between stainless steel and chrome.

Gibson Ayoyi
Crbard - GA
2002

SS is a ferrous alloy having variable contents of chrome and sometimes also nickel, the rest normally iron and variable amounts of carbon (not always purposedly). Chrome is a chemical element most often plated (not common to see it cast, rolled or forged in pure form) that can be aplied directly in layers above 0.02mm (0.001") and then it-s called hard chrome. Decorative chrome is 10-20 times thinner and is aplied over a thicker layer of bright nickel which is the responsible for the shiny look. Cientists have determined that when plated, chrome also has traces of other elements but they are so minimum that its OK to think of it as a pure metal, not alloy.

Guillermo Marrufo
Monterrey, NL, Mexico
2002