stainless

[richard bies]

The magnetic properties of stainless depends in part on the heat history
of the piece -- the alloying metals move the eutectoid point, and whether
or not magnetic domains solidify can deoend upon how the cooling is
effected.  In the stainless tableware we use everyday, the knife blades
and handles (formed differently and later joined, as with silver) exhibit
contrary properties.  This discovery at the dinner table (my kids were
still in school) let me to inquire while I worked for USSteel -- and I got
a pretty comprehensive answer from my friend in Research.  I imagine it's
covered in "The Making, Shaping and Treating of Steel".

r.m.bies