Where do I buy Quality SS Screws

[robert sailor]

I have a British built boat and I'm making some additions. Every damn screw I add rusts while all the original screws are rust free. Who makes good screws these days I can buy rather than this cheap Chinese crap sold everywhere?

[raybobsky]

funny to think of it but make sure you take a good strong magnet with you when you buy screws, just like everything else you have to play the percentage game.

it may be allowed to be marked stainless by law but...... take one of those little devils and your magnet and you will be surprised how many have just a little bit of magnetism in them, the slightest movement and reject them.

I found "fastenall" usually has a good product.

best of luck
ray


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[a64pilot]

I've had good luck with ones bought from Lowes, believe it or not.

[Hud3]

I've had good results with Jamestown.

[capt-couillon]

Quick SS lesson...

No matter where you buy 'em, SS fasteners are usually made from 18-8 (18% chromium and 8% nickel) stainless. This includes the entire family of 300 series stainless.

304 stainless (18% chromium and 8% nickel less than .08% carbon) is the most common steel used in "stainless" fastners due to it's price, strength and wear resistance.

316 stainless (18% chromium 10% nickel 2-3% molybdenum, less than .08% carbon) is slightly lower "strength" than 304 and more expensive. However, the additional nickel content, and the addition of up to 3% molybdenum, dramatically increases its corrosion resistance. 316 is particularly effective in resisting pitting and corrosion caused by chlorides (As in Sodium Chloride or as it's commonly known .... Salt)

What is probably happening (Regardless of country of origin) is you are ending up with fastners made of 304 stainless, while what you need is a 316 alloy fastener.

As to sources, there are a million of em, (Google is your friend) but as a personal choice, I use Jamestown Distributors.
They carry both 316 and 304 so make sure you chose correctly...

[Ziggy]

Check out The Bolt Depot (https://www.boltdepot.com/). They have good quality 18-8 stainless fasteners.

You can get 316 stainless (more corrosion resistant than 304 or 18-8) from McMaster-Carr.

[Strait Shooter]

Another vote for Fastenal.

+1

[steamgoat]

Mc Master Carr is also good for quality stainless hose clamps.

[Leo Ticheli]

Another vote for McMaster Carr; high quality and speedy delivery.

[svtrio]

+1 McMaster Carr (for MANY other products too!) reasonable pricing, fast delivery, excellent customer service if products must be returned.

<http://www.fascofastener.com> offers a range of stainless screws, bolts, nuts, etc. in addition to silicon bronze and brass. West Marine's nuts and bolts are from Fasco, and WM can order Fasco products not in the WM catalog/store.

I have too much first-hand experience with all of the above vendors.

Roger

[model 10]

If they are not magnetic, you can passivate them yourself. Most of the rust you see is contanination on the surface.

[Bluemansailor]

Another vote for Boltdepot - have almost every size, US and metric and any quantity from 1 to 100.

Mcmaster Carr also

[Terra Nova]

West Marine.

[AfterHoursNLCT]

I have stainless screws from Lowes on the exterior of my boat and they still look like new...LL

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by AfterHoursNLCT

I have stainless screws from Lowes on the exterior of my boat and they still look like new...LL

I was hoping I wasn't the only one as I haven't tried with a magnet to tell if they were austenitic or not.