Stainless Steel Material Atlas | TRB

MATERIAL GUIDE

Stainless SteelFINISH, FEEL & GRADES

Stainless steel is a family of steels used in EDC sliders, plates and other parts. The grade, finish and part you're looking at all matter.

A slider can have a worn, stonewashed look outside and bright, polished surfaces inside. To understand a steel edition, start with where the steel is used and how each surface is finished.

IN HANDCP2s / Stainless steel
Shown in hand for a sense of size and shape. A specific steel grade is not documented for this edition.

01 / IN THE HAND

The finish is part of the feel

Your fingers touch the outer plates; the inner surfaces meet as you slide them. On the stainless CP2s, the maker stonewashed the outside for its look and feel, then polished the inner layers to improve sliding contact.

OUTER PLATESCP2s / Stonewashed outer plates
Engraved outer plates with a worn, stonewashed finish. The finish describes the surface; the material is stainless steel.

INNER LAYERSCP2s / Polished inner layers
The inner layers use a different finish. Lighting affects how bright they look, so the photo can't identify the grade.

Stainless steel names the material family. Polished and stonewashed describe the surface. Keep both in mind when you compare editions.

KAIS RUYI S

Hairline marks, sweaty hands and the next finish

KAIS described feedback about hairline marks and scratches on polished Ruyi S pieces when they weren't carefully maintained. Players with sweaty hands also found the smooth surface slippery. The maker then introduced a stainless Pearl Stonewash version, with sandblasting followed by stonewashing.

That gives you something specific to compare: the surface you prefer and the parts it covers. Choosing a steel edition is only the start.

These handling observations come from KAIS. We haven't tested the two finishes side by side, and the feedback about this model doesn't establish how every polished or stonewashed EDC will feel.

02 / GRADE & EDITION

Read the grade with the edition

304, 316 and M390 all sit within the stainless steel family, but they aren't interchangeable descriptions of a piece. When you're collecting or buying pre-owned, a grade tied to the right edition tells you more than the word steel alone.

MINI-SP304 → 316V1 to the 2021 Pro update

A new version, a different grade

The 2021 MINI-SP update identifies V1 as 304 stainless and the new Pro as 316. It also describes changes to the buttons, slots and magnets.

The stainless Pro is listed at 80 g.

Those changes belong to that Pro release. You can't credit the reported difference in feel to the grade change alone, or use this edition's weight as a guide to every steel slider.

GOLD SODAM3902022 gold-plated edition

Gold on the outside, stainless underneath

Clown Orange's 2022 GOLD SODA announcement identifies a gold-plated M390 edition, using the nickname Shen Gang for the steel. M390 is the grade; gold plating is the surface treatment.

Bohler describes M390 as a corrosion-resistant chromium steel made through powder metallurgy. That explains the grade. The finished piece's heat treatment, machining and feel still need product-specific evidence.

Shen Gang refers to M390 in this product announcement. Check the context before treating the same nickname as M390 on another piece.

A little background on stainless steel

Stainless steels are iron-based alloys containing chromium, with corrosion resistance linked to a protective surface layer. Grade, surface condition and environment all affect how they perform. Stainless doesn't mean rust-proof, and the name alone won't tell you a finished piece's hardness, feel or durability.

03 / PARTS & CARE

Start with the part that's steel

PARTMoyeworks BK1 / 304 stainless plate
This accessory batch fits BK1, BK1A and BK1B. The plate's material doesn't identify the material of the complete piece.

MOYEWORKS / BK1 SERIES

A 304 plate doesn't make the whole piece steel

Moyeworks' BK1 accessory update lists 304 stainless plates with a stonewashed, sandblasted finish. This batch fits BK1, BK1A and BK1B.

Keep the word plate attached to that description. The body, plates, buttons and internal parts can use different materials, so one accessory can't tell you what the whole piece is made from.

Care for the finish and the parts underneath

The maker specifically warned that these 304 plates could rust and called for careful maintenance. Even with stainless steel, the care instructions for the finished part matter.

After a session: Wipe away surface moisture with a soft, dry cloth before putting the piece away. Don't leave damp dirt sitting on it.
When it needs cleaning: Follow the product's instructions first. Mild cleaning, rinsing off residue and drying are general steps for exposed stainless steel. They aren't permission to soak an assembled slider.
Coatings and special finishes: Don't reach straight for metal polish or a rust remover. Ask the maker how to treat rust spots, and take account of any adhesive, magnets or bearings inside.

General cleaning guidance follows BSSA. The maker's instructions and the piece's construction determine where it applies.

04 / LOOK CLOSER

Look closer at the parts

INSIDECP2s / Inside the slider
Zoom in on the contact surfaces and internal layout. Don't assume the inserts use the same material as the body.

A photo shows the finish, not the grade

Zoom in on the engraving, reflections, contact surfaces and the way the parts fit together. Seeing the outside and inside of the CP2s side by side makes the role of each finish easier to follow.

A bright silver surface won't identify a steel grade. Small inserts may use a different material from the body, too. Each caption applies to the piece and part shown, rather than every edition in its family.

Common listing shorthand: SS, short for stainless steel.