Surface chemistry of cooking
Stainless steel is considered stainless because it has at least 11% chromium by mass. Chromium is a relatively inert metal and does not rust or react as easily as plain carbon steel. This is what makes it an exceptional material for cooking. It is also fairly inexpensive, but does not have a very high thermal conductivity. From a surface standpoint, this is because of the thin layer of chromium oxide that is formed on the surface. This thin layer protects the metal from rusting or corroding. While it is protective, the oxide layer is not very conductive, which makes cooking food less efficient than it could be. For most cooking applications, high thermal conductivity is desirable to create an evenly heated surface on which to cook. In this way, stainless steel is usually not considered high-grade cookware.
Garter spring
Carbon steel wire is typically used for garter springs due to its affordable price and usability, in comparison to stainless steel. Carbon steel springs tend to have very high yield strengths, and are able to return to their original shape when temporarily deformed. The carbon content in carbon steel wires range from 0.50 to 0.95 percent. This relatively small amount of carbon is enough to improve the toughness of the spring. The close proximity to oil and high-pressure engines mean heat treated garter springs are essential for enduring temperatures over 100 °C (212 °F). However, carbon steel is not suitable for highly corrosive environments; stainless steel would be a more viable option. Stainless steel differs from carbon steel in the amount of chromium present; stainless steel has between 10.5% to 11% chromium by mass, while carbon steel has about 1%.