Stainless Forgotten History: A Revolution in Steel

The discovery of stainless steel is usually attributed to English metallurgist Harry Brearly in 1913. But the history of the alloy that transformed industries goes back at least a century before. The History Guy remembers the forgotten history of stainless steel.
This is original content based on research by The History Guy. Images in the Public Domain are carefully selected and provide illustration. As images of actual events are sometimes not available, images of similar objects and events are used for illustration.
All events are portrayed in historical context and for educational purposes. No images or content are primarily intended to shock and disgust. Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Non censuram.
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The History Guy: History Deserves to Be Remembered is the place to find short snippets of forgotten history from five to fifteen minutes long. If you like history too, this is the channel for you.
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Script by THG
#history #thehistoryguy #steel

[@billk8780]

As a retired metallurgical engineer, I say, "Well done my good man!"

[@jdo2574]

"History that deserves to be remembered" IS a classic line that really does exemplify what this channel is all about. Thank you for reminding us to remember the past.

[@halonothing1]

I always wonder if "History which deserves to be remembered" would be more grammatically correct.

[@guyneault5054]

@Dave Goldspink Yes indeed, I think these snapshots into the past should be incorporated Into our woefully inadequate education system. But no, that makes too much sence and would be construed as some threat to these activist social warriors who parade around as "normal" teachers.

[@petermsiegel573]

@ArmchairWarrior Plural is a formal property of nouns. In this case, "history" is by definition singular in English. Since it is an abstract noun, you can imagine many referents, but that has no bearing on its grammatical properties.

[@petermsiegel573]

@@halonothing1 Formally, "history, [comma] which deserves to be remembered" could make sense, but in the case at hand I think the goal is to assert a specific KIND of history, which calls for a restrictive clause, which uses the form THAT, rather than WHICH. Having said that, the rule on when to use WHICH vs THAT is inconsistently followed even by the most recognized classical or modern writers.

[@Tmanaz480]

It's right up there with "and now you know--the rest of the story"

[@vegascad]

My Grandfather worked for the company in Sheffield that Brearly worked for that went on to become Firth Vickers. My Father worked there for a short time before the outbreak of WWII but left England shortly after the war. I still have my Grandfathers watch that was given to him for 50 years loyal service at Firth Vickers. I work in the metal fabrication industry and use stainless in many applications. Thanks for your info on this as it is part of my families history as well.

[@MrRecrute]

Love this man’s enthusiasm for his topic, as well as his comprehensive use of the English language in describing the topic.

[@rorymichaels8892]

8 iui hbcu thg Buy r

[@edwardg9695]

Anyone who can make stainless steel engaging deserves a subscription

[@phdtobe]

Edward G And he explained how the added chromium prevents the iron in the steel from rusting.

[@KamiRecca]

agreed

[@ttystikkrocks1042]

Then by all means go look up Connections with James Burke! You'll love it, I promise!

[@barahng]

I find industrial history generally very interesting. I often imagine what living in that time would have been like, with a new world changing invention coming out just about annually. Maybe this is why I'm so fond of Puck cartoons.

[@kyledavidson8712]

Better scope AvE

[@verdatum]

I _seriously_ geek out on the history of metallurgy. You can talk about metal all the live long day and I'll watch all of it. Great episode.

[@paulredinger420]

verdatum there's an old book about metallurgy that's really great. It's was done by a very smart man that used to be my landlord many moons ago. I can't remember the books name but the author is Marion Szczepanski. Very very smart man.

[@sagesheahan6732]

I dub thee, Magneto Maximus.

[@davidh6300]

The world needs people like you. Our world could not function without the myriad metal composites we have.

[@rv6amark]

verdatum, as a mechanical engineer for 43 years, metallurgy was the most interesting part of the job for me. I am still fascinated with it. My metallurgy professor in college was responsible for that fascination. Thank you, Keneth Stanger!

[@knightranger1783]

I work forever Evraz Steel Mills in Pueblo Colorado, started out as a laborer worked myself all the way up to metallography, everybody falsified information, chemistry's, tensile test, Rockwell's, ect all b*******,, after 20 years of busting my ass, breathing in 120 different kind of chemicals, I quit, did not want to have blood on my hands, Canadian national, Burlington Northern Santa Fe and all the North American oil companies , I have so much information, on all the lies evraz told their customers, I wonder why everybody lies.

[@jalapenochomper]

An interesting trait I notice about those that respect history is a corresponding reverence and optimism about the future. So needed today.

[@jacky13736]

This is a really underrated comment.

[@marksmadhousemetaphysicalm2938]

Very true...and insightful...

[@nickpaine]

Dust in the wind. Chaos rules the universe

[@gwsmith76]

That's because those that respect history are deep, not shallow pop-culture fans. Those that choose to and can think deeper than the garbage that constantly thrust in front of you know that the word can be so much better than it is. They know humans can be better than they are, because if they knew that this is the best it gets then all hope would be lost Optimism would turn into a deep pessimism and learning from history would become irrelevant and we would all be doomed.

[@internetwonderbuilder4741]

Knowledge of history can go the other way too, depending on the time, as it can cause dread and pessimism as one watches the same mistakes of times past being repeated. As with anything powerful, knowledge of history is a two edged sword, capable of help or harm to the psyche depending on the situation of the day.

[@MrLoftyDreams]

I cannot believe you created an entire episode on stainless steel. I looooove stainless steel, it is one of the most fascinating family of alloys out there. Thank you so much for making this available.

[@nicklewis7291]

As someone who has spent about 20 years in the welding profession, I can really appreciate the metallurgical information you put in this episode.

[@khaccanhle1930]

But I really hated trying to weld it with a torch.

[@Marc83Aus]

@@khaccanhle1930 Don't breathe it in :s

[@justinbelt8032]

I've been involved in metal fab for about 30 yrs. This episode is woefully lacking in technicals...which is to be expected from a non-technical channel. "Stainless", regardless of the series, is a beast to manipulate (compared to mild steel). I'm pretty sure the St Louis arch is 304 (decent corrosion resistance, but not as strong (tensile) as 400 series). What this video fails to mention is that "stains" on "stainless" steel are actually carbon contaminants deposited upon the surface of the metal. This "staining" is generally not a concern from a structural perspective. It is only asthmatically displeasing. On a geekier note, "stainless" steel (let's stick with 300 series), is most easily welded via tig process. Migging "stainless" is a ropy nightmare.

[@davidelliott5843]

Stainless welders need special air extraction or breathing equipment as the chrome vapour is harmful to lungs. TIG is less of a problem as the weld is protected with inert gas but the issues still apply if you are doing it all day.

[@RICHARDWWERT]

As a wheelchair user with Cerebral Palsy who has had 2 stainless steel rods attached to my spine, I know its benefits well.

[@letoubib21]

@Thomas Headley *_"Steel."_* Yeah, I'm wondering about that, too. 'Cause I would have rather used titanium rods instead...

[@letoubib21]

@Thomas Headley Being an orthopedic surgeon, I personally prefer materials made of polylactic acid (aka PLA), unfortunately those can't be used for spine surgery. But stainless steel has two main probs: Normally it should be removed not later than 12 months after the Sx, and it does dispense nickel...

[@mwhitelaw8569]

Had a good friend with CP And he always told me " Oh you can stand upright so easily " Made me think how lucky I am on a daily basis. Good days or bad days are days nonetheless God bless

[@TheOtherBill]

My new knee is stainless and I've had stainless screws holding my ankle together for 12 years, Don't know what alloy though.

[@jeffryblackmon4846]

I'm carrying titanium rods along my spine and in both knees. It's fun getting "wanded" at the court house.

[@marktwain368]

I tell my college students that this is the highest expression of metallurgy in the last 10,000 years. You tell its history so thoroughly and passionately, History Guy! Well done!

[@walterkersting9922]

Not aluminum?

[@kirkaplin234]

Elwood Haynes really deserves one of these episodes all to himself… he was a truly amazing man.

[@ryanrusch3976]

The History guy is truly one of the greatest, taking any and every form of history and bringing it to people directly!

[@KristopherBel]

At The history guy channel they are heroes. Thank you so much.

[@bardmadsen6956]

Yes, that was really great. One of my early memories was driving by the arch at about 93% complete and do not recall knowing it was stainless steel till now. It is really expensive now, probably all the inert gasses used. It can be a challenge to machine with your own tools, comes off like blue hot rubber steel and best non stop. Great stuff and show.

[@centsible12]

Never in my life did I think stainless steel was fascinating - until now!

[@KamiRecca]

Agreed

[@unexpectedcaveman6573]

And of course the SpaceX Starship's skin is completely stainless steel.

[@dreed7312]

My dad was an ironworker and one of his very first jobs was building the St Louis Arch.

[@garymckee8857]

He had more guts than I ever would.

[@bentnickel7487]

Not all the jobs involved working 600 feet in the air. Most of the hundreds of workers were on the ground building that fabulous foundation. I watched closely, the last two years of construction and have enjoyed many trips to the Arch.

[@dreed7312]

After you've flown missions over Europe at 18yo maybe tall buildings aren't as scary anymore. :)

[@sunnyjim1355]

Press F for your dad.

[@benn454]

He probably worked with my grandfather.

[@RBHoge1]

I heard that the folks in the City of East Saint Louis have plans to build a giant croquet ball on their side of the Mississippi river.

[@sharksport01]

they may want to build a city first

[@niftynic115]

The money would be better spent on cleaning up ESTL.

[@erichuffman8928]

LMFAO

[@drsch]

I don't think East St. Louis is building anything but a bad reputation.

[@trentbrisket1159]

You, sir, are a genius.

[@googers100]

The Gateway Arch in St. Louis was built starting on February 12, 1963 and was completed on October 28, 1965. I still enjoy all the presentations previously viewed

[@harrisonhine243]

For 37 years from 1947 - 1984 (until we sold it) our company used Stainless in the manufacture of Fishing Rod Hardware and Marine Hardware for Sailboats. The Stainless Steel Alloy 18-8, 18% chromium and 8% nickle was perfect for the saltwater environment of our products. We also used a process called Electro Polishing which was the reverse of plating and actually etched the surface of the Stainless Steel components to remove the iron from the surface making the parts even more resistant to corrosion.

[@anonlastbend7439]

Very interesting. I know they use a lot of alloys with nickle chromium content in heavy industrial use like power plants.

[@gordbaker896]

Also known as 316 SS?

[@mathewkelly9968]

Harrison Hine hhhhhmmmm I work on trawlers and argue stainless Steel is useless imho , won't keep an edge , snaps etc etc

[@captmack007]

@@gordbaker896 316 , 310, 305 , aquamet 23 so many types of "stainless steel"

[@captmack007]

@Harrison Hine , what company was it? I work in the marine industry. I cannot think who made fish reels and sailboat hardware!

[@freddyrosenberg9288]

It shows how messed up things are when a channel like this has 1/2M subs and crap channels have millions. Thank you for making these awesome vids.

[@wbasurto5934]

So true... I stress the point...

[@PH_INFO_101]

I agree but he only started this channel 4 years ago and it has been growing pretty fast from what I can tell. That said, this is a great channel with tons of info and history.

[@powerwagon3731]

We are nerds [proud of it] but most people are not!

[@LightTapStomp]

I think because the youth are probably the largest amount of KZbin videos and few kids wanna watch something like this after being forced to learn in school all day

[@21stcenturyfossil7]

Things can't be too bad if I can binge watch this stuff for hours. This, and a few other youtube channels are so much better than such beloved TV classics as the talking horse show or the subsequent talking car show.

[@richardbaker5183]

This man is my favorite teacher. To learn without boredom....yeah!

[@stickoutofthemud]

The History Guy's idea for, initial use of, and present tradition of using his trademark phrase, "... is history that deserves to be remembered" in every video . . . deserves to be remembered.

[@deadfreightwest5956]

I'm watching this at work while my CNC milling machine is cutting 15-5PH stainless steel.

[@tommypetraglia4688]

So you're stealing your boss's dime when you should be doing your job... lol

[@paulwoodman5131]

Milling some myself, into turbine wheels.

[@Yusa9204]

As I remember that grade was very difficult to machine. What tools and what speed and feeds are you using?

[@RichieRichOverdrive]

Stainless sucks to machine, it work hardens fairly easy. Goes from relatively soft to diamond hard. I've found that as long as you keep your tools sharp and the material cool it's manageable though.

[@Yusa9204]

@@RichieRichOverdrive Negative or positive rake tools? I hand problems with long stringy chips!

[@grayhatjen5924]

Thank you for this. My grandpa was the foreman at the Warren, Pennsylvania Pitt-Des Moines (PDM) plant which fabricated 80% of the Arch. (The Pittsburgh PDM plant fabricated the rest.) My cousins and I always thought of it as Grandpa's Arch because he was so proud to have worked on it. We only learned several years ago that he was the foreman. His men mentioned that he would be missed when they visited the Arch as a group in Nov of 2012. Kenneth Wright said this around the time of their trip. To me, there's something so striking about these words. “At the time, it seemed like just another job. We never dreamed it would be this magnificent and this great of a thing.”

[@richardcranium5839]

my uncle worked there cutting most of the sheet panels. i love that the visitor center now has a mini arch

[@mjbari3]

My dad worked for PDM as well, but he was an office manager.

[@louf7178]

I never thought it was that big of a thing as a child; I said to myself "I can just walk around it". Now, I appreciate much more of it.

[@janehall3083]

My father was born in Warren PA in 1929. He later became a welder. He always said how crazy hard it was to make a good weld on SS.

[@northernbohemianrealist1412]

The more History Guy videos I see, the angrier I get at my high school and university history teachers, who simply expected us to memorize politician's names, dates of battles, casualty numbers, and lines on maps.

[@johnfun3394]

When you see how well the arch is welded together you see pure genius at work. I can make a weld that holds but that is art work. Thanks, amazing.

[@crusinscamp]

When I was young, 50 years ago, my father would take me to the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia. I remember a shiny airplane on display, outside. I've since learned it was a one-off prototype stainless steel airplane (I think from the 1930s), but not practical, too heavy. It's still on display, still shiny (Google "franklin institute stainless steel airplane" to see a picture of it). About that time, the Reading Railroad (now SEPTA) adopted the Silverliner series of electric railcars. Handsome. all stainless multiple unit passenger cars. SEPTA still runs Silverliners, although newer models. I really enjoy the History Guy's enthusiasm about a subject, any subject!

[@Moletrouser]

@crusinscamp - The Budd BB-1 may not have been practical (it never entered production) but not because it was too heavy. It weighed perhaps 140kg (about 20%) more than the Savoyard-Marchetti S.56 on which it was based; some of that would be accounted for by its more powerful engine (210hp instead of 125hp). It certainly flew, clocking up around 1000 hours, and Budd went on to build the RB-1 Conestoga transport aircraft for the US Navy during WWII - again using stainless steel.

[@larrybrennan1463]

A major breakthrough in the use of stainless steel occurred in 1932 when a metallurgist, Earl Ragsdale, of the Edward G. Budd Company in Philadelphia, invented a method of welding it without ruining its corrosion resistance, as normal welding does. In a process they called Shot Weld, a short electrical burst fuses the metal without damaging or weakening it. Budd became a major manufacturer of stainless steel railroad passenger cars, producing the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy's Pioneer Zephyr, which made a record breaking non-stop "dawn to dusk" run between Denver and Chicago in May 1934, covering the 1,034 miles in a bit over 13 hours. The Budd Company built thousands of cars for railroads all over the world, distinguished by their fluted sides and roofs of stainless steel -- the corrugations adding strength to the sheet steel, which also allowed for lighter weight. Many Budd-built cars are still in use on Amtrak, and until recently, cars from the early Fifties were still running on Amtrak trains. In New York City, some Budd subway cars (the R32 series) from 1964 are still in operation, 55 years after delivery. Their bodies are as good as ever; the electrical and mechanical systems have needed upgrades and overhauls. (Only a series of wood-bodied elevated cars built in 1903 and 1905 which served until 1969 have a longer record of use.) The Budd Company played an important part in the story of stainless steel.

[@larrybrennan1463]

@Kathleen Shaw Is that the one from Chicago?

[@larrybrennan1463]

@Kathleen Shaw I did some checking and I was surprised at the amount of Burlington Zephyr equipment (cars and locomotives) still in existence. The original Pioneer Zephyr of 1934 is on exhibit in Chicago, but it was restored a few years ago. The Illinois Railroad Museum in Union has a set of cars which they operate behind a Burlington passenger diesel. Just curious what that is out there.

[@larrybrennan1463]

@Kathleen Shaw It doesn't plod at 73, either!

[@stalkinghorse883]

The shot welding process was a precisely calculated procedure which took into account the thickness of the two pieces to be joined together and calculated the pressure, time and voltage to be used for each weld. There are many Budd cars still in service today: Amtrak's Amfleet cars are Budd, most of the Chicago Metra cars are Budd. Other operators include Via Rail Canada, the Grand Canyon Railway, Branson Scenic Railroad, Alaska Railroad and most large freight railroads use Budd cars in the executive fleets.

[@larrybrennan1463]

@@stalkinghorse883 And around the world, including Australia and Saudi Arabia. In my travels on Amtrak, I've seen many Budd private cars.

[@167curly]

Thank you, THG, for reminding us about how staInless steel has become so important in our lives. Another fascinating fifteen minutes.

[@Seawizz203]

HG, I don’t know how you can make subjects that seem so mundane on the surface so interesting at the core. Love your videos!

[@kellybreen5526]

Sheffield provided stainless steel for ships named Sheffield and many of the fittings were stainless steel rather than brass. It is for this reason the 1930's cruiser and (I believe) all ships since have had the nickname "Shiny Sheffield" or "Shiny Sheff".

[@ddpeak1]

Kelly Breen we have a large model of her in Rotherham at SYTM Aldwarke

[@jimfeldman4035]

Both Sheffield and Solingen became shorthand for quality steel production and unfortunately co-opted by those making inferior products. In pre-WWII straight razors, one of the two names were often added to the blade stamp.

[@bobg1685]

Another great example of how a mundane subject can be presented rather interestingly. Kudos!

[@mojoman2001]

Another example of a rather interesting comment

[@bentnickel7487]

Bob G That's a difficult thing to do and not often appreciated enough. Making the common, uncommon.

[@markgbrown6767]

I watched this video to see the history of the Gateway Arch, but the history of stainless steel is fascinating!! Hard to imagine our world without it!!

[@bigggdawg5599]

Another excellent presentation and production. And the acronym of the American Stainless Steel company deserves to be laughed at.

[@maem9246]

LOL 🤣 👍

[@drsch]

My uncle used to work for International Stainless Industrial Supplies. They changed their name to Industrial Stainless Supplies a few years ago. Apparently having packages delivered by ISIS was bad for business.

[@750suzuki7]

I'm sure it is the butt of many jokes

[@mikewood4311]

I have been marching stainless steel for 40+ years. Thanks for opening my eyes to appreciate the material that puts food on my table. History Guy rocks!

[@004Black]

More please. Hailing from the rust belt--(Detroit area), I'm sure I'm not the only one with interest in the history of industrialists and processes that have formed the backbone of our modern existence.

[@otm646]

I'd love to see an episode on Zug island, and it's potentially secret uses today.

[@004Black]

otm646 yes!

[@louf7178]

I once informed a literary professional that the "rust belt" had to do with our northeast area where cars rust out. She relied that it has nothing to do with this and that, IIRC, it was because of the color of the soil throughout the region due to iron. I can't find a thing about it on Google's search results, but only that it colloquially means "the economically declining area" - which I know is much too repeated by "researchers" and authors which then becomes "fact". I sure wish I could find that -mail. (Just FYI)

[@barahng]

@@louf7178 Pretty sure its well known that the term refers to rusted out abandoned factories after the US started offshoring manufacturing. Which also just happens to work perfectly for a metaphor for the resulting economic ruin that befell the towns and cities that so heavily relied on those factory jobs.

[@louf7178]

@@barahng I had tried to tell the person that "the rust belt" meant rusty cars - she (?) replied that it was not that what so ever. It certainly isn't rusty factories.

[@triggerMB]

While this was playing I was in my garage, working with stainless steel tools. What a marvel of ingenuity.

[@KellieT73]

My dad is a retired metallurgist; I love this video. Interesting and well done!

[@thomaspryor8202]

Being a metal guy, I loved it! Us blue-collar guys need history lessons too.

[@YSoreil]

In Dutch we call it roestvrij staal, directly translated it is "rust free steel" so I guess the original term did catch on in some places ;)

[@Rubensgardens.Skogsmuseum]

Same in Swedish and Finnish.

[@SGTDuckButter]

I wonder what they call it in Denmark and Norway?

[@giovannismet2924]

In Belgium where Dutch (60%) and French (40%) are the official languages, they speak in Dutch of "roestvrij staal" and in French of "acier inoxydable". These are the official names, but stainless steel is popularly known in Belgium as "inox". The word "inox" is widely known and used in Flanders as well as in Wallonia, in addition to the official names, of course. I suspect that the name "inox" is not so common in the Netherlands. nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roestvast_staal fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acier_inoxydable en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stainless_steel

[@chapiit08]

Rostfrei (rust free) in German.

[@paulkolodner2445]

@@chapiit08 I had a German student who noticed the label "Edelstahl rostfrei" (noble steel, rust-free) on steak knives and always referred to it as "Edelrost stahlfrei".

[@CharlesJohnson-yd9ym]

Took my 4 children up in the arch...we all had a great time looking out the windows and running around in that high room... A Great Memory!!! Chuck in Michigan

[@free_at_last8141]

St. Louis is perfect for your mindset. That city is full of history that seems to have been forgotten by the rest of the Nation.

[@dangreving1094]

free_at_last i had a blast in St Louis back in the 90s but now i hear that it’s a crime infested crap hole?

[@free_at_last8141]

@@dangreving1094 The crime stats are thrown way out of proportion because St. Louis City is separate from St. Louis County. Most major cities have their suburbs to bring down the crime stats, "St. Louis" is just the heavy urban area. That said, St. Louis is feeling the same loss of middle-class labor jobs that the rest of the country's going through. There's a lot of crime, but it's area-specific.

[@jameskosusnik1102]

@@free_at_last8141 lmao nice way of saying," naw naw its totally safe but bring some form of protection." The last sentence proves it. "There's a Lotta crime BUT..."😂

[@free_at_last8141]

@@jameskosusnik1102 Haha, yea. I guess what I'm saying can be summarized as: Yes, there's a lot of crime BUT the statistics related to it being the homicide capital of the US are absurd. Spend a week in the worst of St. Louis and then try the worst of Chicago, Detroit, etc. You'll see what I mean.

[@briangarrow448]

I worked for the company that fabricated and erected the St. Louis Arch- Pittsburgh-Des Moines Steel Company. The project that I was working on was the construction of stainless steel nuclear fuel rod storage and refueling tanks. I was a 19 year old boilermaker apprentice and learned to work with nuclear power plants building standards. And let me tell you that nuke inspectors have NO sense of humor. In that job, when I was finally laid off, I turned in a tool chest with around 5000 dollars worth of pneumatic tools. And that was in the early 1980's.

[@damonthomas8955]

An entire presentation on stainless steel without a single mention of the element NICKEL !!??!! I am at a loss for words and that doesn't happen very often.

[@mabamabam]

I wondered about that too

[@phill633vgs]

Damon Thomas me three

[@Hydrazine1000]

Because you don't need Ni per se. Stainless steel should have at least 10.5 % by weight Cr and at most 1.2 wt% C. That's what you need to get the self-passivation to occur, the immediate formation of Cr oxide that seals the surface off. Ni can be hugely beneficial for mechanical properties and increased corrosion resistance but it's not crucial.

[@damonthomas8955]

@@Hydrazine1000 point taken, but still, nickel accounts for almost a third of the story of story of stainless steel. I say this not only as a weldor/blacksmith, but also as a student of the arts of projectiles and armor. This stuff goes way back beyond the first world war. I truly love this channel, I'm not trying to rag on him, but c'mon, give nickel a shout out when discussing stainless, amen?

[@Hydrazine1000]

@@damonthomas8955 I can think of one better: just as with stainless, he could do a history about Inconel.

[@wallacefoster1119]

Thank you, history guy. You deserve a metal for fact of matter and hard evidence.

[@smokeyb1669]

Hey History guy you're speaking my language! I am an aerospace metallurgical Engineer. I started with ARMCO the developer of most high strength stainless steels. I was able to melt stainless, process through an AOD and pour very large ingots. This was a great presentation.

[@curtisbaker60]

The History Guy videos are like watching Saturday morning cartoons. When your videos drop, I'm 8 yrs old again on the floor watching.

[@augiegray6239]

Great job! Despite working with stainless steel since the late 60's; from working in a steel mill to pay my way through college to chemistry being part of my undergrad double major to later building many things using stainless steel, I never heard such a complete history of the alloy. Thanks!!

[@nsans2893]

The host's enthusiasm and delivery and knowledge could keep me captivated talking about paint drying on a wall

[@garymeadows5280]

I went to the Arch when I was in the Air Force, circa 1975. I was stationed at Blytheville Air Force Base, Arkansas. As someone who minored in History at Michigan State I enjoy your videos. Thank you for your service. As for my service, I was a medic.

[@BowzerTowboats]

Being also from the Saint Louis area I am fascinated by our Indian history and the Mounds in the area, also what happened to some of them. Thanks so much for your videos!

[@MrEvanfriend]

Gun barrels and beer fermenters is really all I need to know to endorse the stuff.

[@roleymarx3811]

I'll stand beside you on that vote Evan, not much on the beer, but the gun barrels most definitely!!!

[@MrEvanfriend]

@@roleymarx3811 The one thing I like as much as I like guns is the brewing (and drinking) of beer.

[@dukecraig2402]

@@MrEvanfriend 👍👍👍, I myself have been known to get thirsty from time to time.

[@andrewmanley9579]

Semper Fi

[@garethbaus5471]

Beer fermenters would have been enough.

[@derrickwillie4449]

This guy is fucking awesome. I keep coming back to learn more about history. If history was this interesting when I was a kid in school, I would have become a historian.

[@philmbridges]

I worked in Stainless steel for 10 years making Rolls Royce engine casing for ships and planes! We centrifugally cast it in rings and tubes ,so that it avoided welding, making it stronger. Great video.

[@DavidSchuVideo]

I had no idea you were Stl area! Amazing video and always cool to hear about your home town area and some history behind it!

[@N0rdman]

I like the fact you told exactly the same line I was told as a young engineer; it really is what it is called in English that describes it best, it "stains less" not that it's "rust free" as it's called in many languages.

[@glasscaster3536]

My Gandfather worked on the Gateway Arch and Busch Stadium. He was a cement Mason. It was pretty cool to be at the top of the arch looking down on the stadium. Standing in something he built looking at something he built. 😊

[@barbgarber8889]

Always loved history as a school aged kid. Now I'm 66 and "The History Guy" is still making a strong case for history as an intriguing story, In every episode. Keep up the great stories as it truly is history that needs to be remembered !!

[@Petah30]

Hard to find a blemish in this episode. A Stainless-episode

[@otpyrcralphpierre1742]

I had to steel my nerves to read that one...

[@olly2027]

Otpyrc Ralph Pierre hahaha.

[@malteseowl]

Even the principals' name is mis-spelt.

[@petergray2712]

I will test your mettle, sir! Unleash the corrosive comments!

[@Mgl1206]

Omg this comments section 😂

[@NickRatnieks]

When I was a kid, I visited HMS Sheffield at Navy Days 1963 in Portsmouth Harbour which had been commissioned in 1937. Sheffield had a very illustrious career in WW2- not least being a great survivor- she was torpedoed by mistake by Royal Navy aircraft searching for the Bismarck- luckily the new type detonators did not work and "The reaction of Sheffield's crew "has not made its way into the official records"' You can imagine what that was- in today's argot- WTF! Anyway, the ship was known as "Shiny Sheff." This was because as Sheffield is the home of stainless steel- HMS Sheffield had most of the brass fittings on her made with stainless steel to eliminate cleaning chores and this included the ship's bell. Sadly, Sheffield deteriorated while in the Reserve Fleet and went for scrap and her sister Belfast- a less storied vessel was preserved. I have to admit, all those years ago I do not recall the stainless steel but I was unaware at that age of Sheffield's special fittings. I do remember being in one of the turrets- very impressive!

[@robertross8243]

I live in Western KY. My grandfather was one of the workers that worked on the upriver top side of the arch when it was built. He was part of the crew that placed the keystone. He was one of the best welders and fabricators I ever met. His career ended his life at 64.

[@rzorbcksfan5747]

In 1968 my parents took us to St. Louis to see the Cardinals play baseball, and we made a trip up into the arch. Fast forward many years later, and I took my own kids up into the arch. I love the memories of those trips.

[@davidgreen5099]

i believe one of the primary causes of barrel erosion at the time was the primer in the cartridge,coupled with poor cleaning.

[@RichieRichOverdrive]

Yep. Still get that from cheap milsurp ammo today.

[@MrOlgrumpy]

The fulminate of mercury primers caused the corrosion,the hot burning cordite type propellant caused the erosion,combined they were a problem.Hot water cleaned away the mercuric salts residue,but the erosion remained.Better steel alloys and cooler burning powders helped but erosion still is an issue with very high velocity ammunition.

[@stephenjacks8196]

The Sulfur in gunpowder burns to acid, it also contained Nitrate. Smokeless powder was nitrated giving some Nitric acid on combustion.

[@davidgreen5099]

@@stephenjacks8196 thanks!

[@timmmahhhh]

The arch is cool and I look forward to seeing the new visitor center. It's worth a visit but the real treasure in St Louis is the City Museum, amazing place.

[@TheHistoryGuyChannel]

The City Museum is truly unique. And an aquarium is opening soon.

[@jwilsonhandmadeknives2760]

The St. Louis Cathedral Basilica is a national treasure that nobody knows about.

[@timmmahhhh]

@@jwilsonhandmadeknives2760 thanks I'll check it out next time I'm there.

[@markbeyea4063]

As an engineer, I use stainless in many applications. I have been amazed at the variety of grades and finishes that are available for a huge variety of applications.

[@markgivens3225]

As a native of Kokomo, Indiana I appreciated the mention of Elwood Haynes. The History Guy is great!

[@tavferry3301]

An early morning upload! Good way to start a day. EDIT: Just finished it. Good story, as always and your delivery which exudes a blatant love for history makes it even better. Thank you for your consistently phenomenal content.

[@mrjaz666]

Interesting, thanks! As a sailor it is hard to imagine life without it! :)

[@otm646]

Brass and Bronze make a boat into such a sweetheart though.

[@mrjaz666]

@@otm646 True they look good, but life is too short to polish :P

[@mrjaz666]

@@otm646 Though of course Ni-Cad bronze is essential for props, but too expensive for most fittings.

[@johnsherman7289]

Don't get too comfortable. where water can stagnatein contact with ss the metal can dissolve, things like chainplates and rudderstocks can weaken and fail without warning, my friend's Cal 25 rudder bent in half right where it exited the hull (that makes it hard to steer).

[@michaelhofer9149]

I loved this segment! I was a senior in high school in 1975, and in my Advanced Metal industrial education class we watched a movie about the planning and construction of the “St. Louis Arch”. It didn’t come close to the amount of information The History Guy packed into this piece! Thank you for the trip down memory lane History Guy!

[@paddedroom412]

I'm a native of STL, but now live in Warren, PA where the steel for the Arch was forged and made. Warren, PA has lot of mini arches all over town. Kinda cool.

[@jim-stacy]

best infotainment vids - very good voice, you should have a much greater audience

[@mojoman2001]

How do you know about my voice and the audience which I deserve?

[@jim-stacy]

@@mojoman2001 everyone knows your voice, its like thick velvet draped over broken glass. ;-)

[@David.Anderson]

This history guy is awesome.

[@sophrapsune]

First class, thank you. The history of common technologies is too often ignored, although fascinating, dramatic and with a huge impact on our daily lives.

[@wrightflyer7855]

Thanks History Guy for another excellent presentation! I attended the 1964 New York World's Fair and was seriously impressed by all the attractions and glimpses into the future. Especially impressive was the Unisphere constructed by US Steel, and I still have the souvenir medal featuring the Unisphere as part of its design. Thanks for the memories. Wright Flyer, USAF (1968-1972)

[@BlairMaynard]

They threw stainless steel into everything including the kitchen sink.

[@louf7178]

Has a high rejection of bacteria sticking; is why it's used, among other reasons, for culinary use.

[@letoubib21]

@@louf7178 *_"Has a high rejection of bacteria sticking [...]"_* I'm afraid the _oligodynamia_ of stainless steel is negligible. Its deformability does be the real reason for using it so very often, including the mentioned kitchen sink...

[@louf7178]

@@letoubib21 See worldstainless.org/Files/issf/non-image-files/PDF/Hygienicimportanceofstainlesssteelindevelopingcoun.pdf

[@letoubib21]

@@louf7178 Yeah, excellent cleanability and not very much corrosion --- never denied this. In my first three hospitals the operation rooms' walls and ceilings were paneled with stainless steel, just because of that simple fact...

[@TomSpurlock]

The arch has awesome engineering. I went up the elevator in 1973, which by itself is an engineering marvel to keep people vertical all the way to the observation windows at the top.

[@sharksport01]

I work at a house the same architect designed. A masterpiece!

[@NaNa-kj2gw]

I just bought a stainless steel revolver from the year 1982. A Smith and Wesson Model 66-2. It wasn't ever really fired, and has been sitting in various safes for 4 decades. There was some tiny spots of rust that were easily removed with oil and a toothbrush. This thing looks immaculate still even with almost zero maintenance performed on it in 4 decades. Amazing stuff.

[@rickieodem488]

I have several stainless steel screws and rods in my leg after a car accident. They have allowed me to regain full function and walk without impediment. So I truly appreciate the tribute and remembrance of the scientists and entrepreneurs who made that possible.

[@warrenpierce5542]

Everything I wanted to know about stainless steel, but was afraid to ask.

[@PaulSteMarie]

"Stain less, not stain free" Chuckle. The German word for stainless is "rostfrei".

[@HollywoodF1]

French is "acier inoxidable"-- Inoxidizable Steel. The French are so literal.

[@mbr5742]

Actually Edelstahl ( nobel steel), the "rostfrei" is typically a pre/suffix as in Edelstahl rostfrei

[@jasonjayalap]

I’m not sure that’s how the suffix -less works anyway...

[@cannaroe1213]

@@jasonjayalap Airless tires! Use 10% less air!

[@xj9779]

We German are good Business people too "Edelstahl rostfrei" may sells better...🤔 than "Edelstahl rosträge"

[@shaunreynolds407]

Thank-you for the history lesson. I found this fascinating because when I moved out of home 20 years ago a neighbour in Australia gave me 3 stainless steal pots from the 1960s from Sheffield, and I've gone through many cheap frying pans but it seems like the pots will last forever.

[@michaelcerkez3895]

I saw a movie back in grammar school about the building and opening of the arch circa 1966. It was very interesting and I finally drove past it in 1985; very impressive in person. Thanks Mr HG!

[@stevenhanlin2510]

I had no idea you are from the STL area! I am too and can see the Arch from the bluffs by my house in Edwardsville. Having an archaeology degree from SIUE I have always been blown away by the layers and layers of history (and pre-history ) of the confluence region. I watch this show a lot and really appreciate the amount of information you deliver in a relatively short video. Thanks and hats off to you. p.s. Have you ever looked into the "yellow hammer streetcar" and the connections to Delmar loop and old East St. Louis?

[@bentnickel7487]

Andrews Ongals Not Edwardsville, think Belleville.

[@BineySaurus]

@@bentnickel7487 Yeah, it's Belleville. I lived there for a few years and saw a local news segment interview with THG right after I moved away.

[@bentnickel7487]

Over half a million subs. Couldn't have happened to a more deserving guy. I live in Virginia now, but Belleville years ago. After one of his videos on a murder scene, I thought he had to live in Belleville or Mascoute.

[@bentnickel7487]

Correction Mascoutah. Damn cat !!

[@MileyonDisney]

"Monument to the Dream" (1967) is a cool video about the construction of the Arch.

[@Mortgage_Dad]

My wife’s great grandfather was one of the men who helped develop stainless steel.

[@amarmot3635]

His employer was uninterested, not disinterested. Judges should be disinterested. The two words are not synonymous. Really good story, thanks.

[@louf7178]

The dictionary has become much too extrapolated. They describe both of those words similarly, but I understand which definitions you mean. I actually don't think either are defined well; they imply previous interest. I think it should be "non- or in-interested or not interested".

[@comradefernandomandrake5822]

Some of the steel for the Gateway Arch was fabricated in Des Moines, Iowa by Pittsburg-Des Moines Steel Co. and then barged down the Des Moines river to the Mississippi river to St. Louis.

[@jennlizzy2019]

Thanks for your continued excellence in presenting interesting and engaging history. It takes a rare talent to imbue excitement on a subject like stainless steel.

[@charlesrives9092]

My wife and I visited the arch and St. Louis back around July 4 of this year. Very cool place. Very cramped tram ride to the top (I am 6'2" and 310#) I felt like I was in a dryer. Thanks for this channel. You really present a broad array of topics.

[@NunYa953]

Forget sending your kids to college, this channel is all they need!

[@riverraisin1]

just send THG $40k and he will send you a diploma!

[@ZenZaBill]

About 5 minutes before flashing a photo of one, I thought "He surely has to include a mention of the stainless steel-bodied DeLorian Motor Car." Which also serves as a good platform if you're building a time machine, btw.

[@tomfrazier1103]

It has a Peugeot engine, and other European non G.M. parts, and was partly subsidized by H.M. government of Northern Ireland as jobs/industry program to supplement the declining shipbuilding industry there. John Z. De Lorean was the ex G.M. executive behind the car, most often spelt Delorean. Delorean was an executive behind the G.T.O. from Pontiac in 1964. His further corporate ascent was blocked, so he left the company.

[@beernpizzalover9035]

BenjaminFranklin99 Actually, Kudos to John DeLorean - he wanted to produce a really new car design; that’s why he formed his own car company!

[@danielmckay3458]

Bullshit

[@mickmcnulty8200]

@J Hemphill The majority of the vehicles built in the last 50 to 60 years haven't had a chassis. Being of monocoque or Endo- skeletal design. But trucks have had chassis, but not all.

[@Relyt345]

Awesome video, reminds me of how whenever my dad sees anything made out of stainless steel he mutters “oooow stainless....” to himself.

[@MrGGPRI]

Henry Ford produced his own steel in various alloys in the early days and in 1932 he advertised that his cars were using over 50 different alloys including "rustless steel", his label for stainless-- likely used to preclude legal entanglements. As the owner of a 1932 Ford, four items of SS have been found on this car, the radiator cowl trim and its grill hand-crank hole cover, the rear tail light and the gas cap cover; each piece required only minor polishing but otherwise displayed no signs of being ~90 years of age. Great fan of this channel, very nice condensations of interesting subjects.

[@panchopuskas1]

I went to school with the inventor’s grandson back in Rotherham (which is next door to Sheffield )......

[@BradThePitts]

Fun fact! A lot of the "chrome trim" you see on classic cars is actually stainless steel.

[@gordonrichardson2972]

Chrome plated steel was notorious for flaking off and leaving an unattractive surface.

[@TheRealUnconnected]

better than the plastic chrome trim you see on modern cars. ugh. GM loves that aweful shit.

[@tenorc]

My dad was in the Veteran's Hospital in Saint Louis having some WWII shrapnel removed and watched the construction of the Arch from his window. He said it was one of the most fascinating things he had ever seen. Alas, he didn't live to see it completed. A few years ago when I moved from Michigan to Texas I made certain to plan our route to pass through Saint Louis to see the Arch and remember my Dad.

[@tcwright7544]

Thoroughly enjoy your presentations . Please keep them coming and I will keep watching.

[@arcticfox1402]

It's almost like someone would want to build space ships and trucks out this stuff!

[@rotorspinny5516]

Hey that’s an idea

[@pepstein]

🤣

[@teebosaurusyou]

Or fighter aircraft - MIG-25, MIG-31.

[@MikeV8652]

Spaceships travel where there is no oxygen to support either the rusting of carbon steel or the self-passivation of stainless steel.

[@clintcannon1902]

They should think about pocket knives, too!

[@oldesertguy9616]

Just amazing the things we take for granted, without realizing all the work that went into them.

[@tomspencer1364]

Yeah, like the Constitution.

[@darkstar92772]

You have a real gift for being able to make any topic interesting and an incredible capacity for useless information. I too have a love of knowledge for the sake of knowledge. That said, this is one of my favorite channels. Keep it up man, you rock!

[@carlmontney7916]

My family visited the arch on a vacation one time. Probably the late summer summer of 1967 and I believe we took the North tram to the top. I didn't realize it at the time but the Gateway Arch tram had just recently been completed. I remember the complex was so new that the grass hadn't even been fully planted yet. The experience on the tram was very cool. My dad was totally quiet and white as a sheet the whole way up the tram and back down. Each time the tram corrected itself to remain stable was a tiny bit scary for him. It wasn't until years later that I found out my dad was very claustrophobic. No wonder he was white as a sheet. The thing parents do for their kids. The greatest of which is to create memories. RIP dad I love and miss you.

[@griftereck]

I like your style of videos. very informative