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Stainless heat forging degrading

I DO IRON WORK AND RECENTLY DISCOVERED THE BEAUTY AND DIFFICULTY OF WORKING WITH STAINLESS STEEL. AFTER HEAT FORGING A PIECE OF STAINLESS SHEET (DON'T KNOW THE GRADE) AND GIVING IT SOME POLISHING, IT LOOKED NICE BUT 3 WEEKS LATER SHOWED SIGNS OF RUST.

WOULD 316L AND 317L WITHSTAND HIGH HEAT FORGING AS NOT TO LOOSE THE STAINLESS CONDITION DUE TO CARBIDE DEPOSITING? IF THE BIG FORGED STAINLESS SHEET SCULPTURE HAD TO BE PICKLED, OR HEAT TREATED AFTERWARDS TO WITHSTAND A SALINE ENVIRONMENT AND KEEP RUST-FREE, WOULD I THEN PROBABLY HAVE TO CONSIDER OTHER SCULPTURE TECHNIQUE ?

NELSON LASAOSA
BLACKSMITH - GUAYANA, BOLIVAR,VENEZUELA
2007

adv.
Hi Nelson,
We currently have customers in both Florida and the Cayman Islands that use our product to prevent rust on S/S railing systems, sculpture's, etc. The product is Sharkhide Metal Protectant. Usually, you'll get several years of protection per application.
Hope this info will help you.
Best of luck.

Clint Bland
O'Fallon, Illinois
January 11, 2008

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Treating as suggested by the previous respondent will take care of this. But just for your information (FYI), most likely the signs of rust that you see come from debris left by the hammer, not the SS base metal.
G. Marrufo-Mexico

Guillermo Marrufo
Monterrey, NL, Mexico
January 18, 2008