About
Built by machinists, for machinists.
Cut316.com exists because 316 stainless steel rewards experience and punishes guesswork. Every article we publish is reviewed by working fabricators with hands-on hours behind bandsaws, lasers, mills, and waterjets.
Why 316?
316's molybdenum content gives it exceptional resistance to chlorides — saltwater, chlorinated process streams, body fluids, harsh cleaners. That's why it shows up in:
- · Marine hardware & shipbuilding
- · Medical implants & surgical instruments
- · Food & beverage processing
- · Pharmaceutical & chemical plants
- · Pulp & paper equipment
- · Architectural facades in coastal climates
Quick glossary
- SFM
- Surface feet per minute — the cutting speed at the tool edge.
- Work hardening
- Local hardness increase from plastic deformation. 316 hardens fast when a dull tool rubs.
- Austenitic
- FCC crystal structure (300-series stainless) — non-magnetic, ductile, weldable.
- Kerf
- The width of material removed by a cutting process.
Our editorial standards
We cite manufacturer data, cross-check feeds and speeds across multiple sources, and flag anything we haven't personally verified. Affiliate links never affect our picks — we only recommend tools we'd buy ourselves.