Stainless steel bolts vs steel bolts | Stainless galling

In this video I demonstrate galling, which is an effect that can happen when using stainless steel bolts. Often when undoing or tightening stainless bolts they can gall up and seize together, this often makes stainless steel bolts a bad choice for many applications. Stainless steel bolts also cannot be burnt off using a gas axe, which is another reason to be careful where they are used.

[@mecabrico]

A friend who worked a lot in cooking materials told me about these problems more than 20 years ago. He told me that we had a lot less seizure if we used stainless steel of different qualities: A2 screws and A4 nuts for example. But according to him, the most effective solution was a stainless steel screw with a brass nut.

[@ultimatehandyman]

Thanks for the comment ;-)

[@lazylad9064]

Wow I didn't know you couldn't burn off stainless steel. You learn something new everyday👍👍

[@ultimatehandyman]

I only found out myself a few years ago ;-) Thanks for the comment

[@loc4725]

@MegaTabetha It's not because it's not hot enough but because the oxy torch first oxidises the metal and then blows the oxide off. And stainless steel resists oxidation.

[@untrainedprofessionals2374]

Ditto. Never to old to learn.👍

[@tallbrian100]

Plasma cuts it just fine.

[@YorkshireD1]

I found out when I was a 17 year old apprentice. A lad told me to burn off a corner of stainless. I was there for ages waiting for it to warm up. Meanwhile all of the lads were having a giggle at my expense. Good times.

[@pidjones]

Note that the "steel" bolts used here are actually cadmium or zinc plated, as are the nuts. SS should ALWAYS have an anti-sieze if into SS or aluminum. Then you also have to be careful not to over-tighten because the anti-sieze reduces the friction so much. And don't spin SS (or aluminum) so fast. Heat generated by friction will increase chances of gauling. Slow down and lubricate.

[@stribs44]

This provided the answer to a problem i had when fitting new hinges to a trailer using stainless steel nylock nuts and SS bolts. About 30% of them seized when fitting them before the nut had been fully tightened, these had to be cut off. I did eventually get the job done but used a lot more nuts and bolts with the wastage. Thank you for the very useful information

[@ultimatehandyman]

You are welcome Thanks for the comment

[@GetSommme]

At work we tend to use a stainless bolt with a standard steel nut on coal and iron ore conveyors. This way the threads stay cleaner than a steel bolt and it comes apart nice and easy as theres less or no galling

[@ultimatehandyman]

Thanks for the comment ;-)

[@dave-d]

Wish I had known this years ago! My engineering course at college missed this one back in 1986! Potential disasters averted. Thank you.

[@ultimatehandyman]

I’m glad you found the video useful Thanks for the comment 👍

[@Glendram]

Today i prepared to replace some small bolts on my 80 series Landcruiser side steps, I installed some rivnuts and thought i would do the right thing and use new 8mm Stainless Steel bolts to replace the old steel ones, however i will reconsider after watching your (as always) very helpful video. I always use an anti seize. Thank you for this timely video, great information. Glen..... South Australia

[@ultimatehandyman]

You are welcome ;-) As long as you use anti-seize there should not be a problem, especially if the rivnuts are steel. Thanks for the comment

[@tigerseye73]

Great demonstration! I have experienced this many times during my career in industrial machine maintenance. I have found you can usually use a lower grade stainless ( 18-8 ) to achieve good corrosion resistance, and they are far less prone to galling. However, there are applications where this would not be allowed.

[@ultimatehandyman]

Thanks for the comment

[@remkojerphanion4686]

I came across this problem in model boat building a number of years ago. Now I either use brass nuts or copper paste and this works well. Interesting video all the same!

[@ultimatehandyman]

Thanks for the comment ;-)

[@mjallenuk]

Very interesting ... I've never seen anyone actually try and oxy stainless but it was fun watching the attempt. Cheers for the demonstration and info.

[@ultimatehandyman]

I'm glad you found the video interesting ;-) Thanks for the comment

[@clayz1]

At my shop (well, it’s my boss's shop) we’ve turned threads 5 inches in diameter, both of the mating parts, in stainless. We’ve done these many times. 5” x 12 pitch. This corresponds to a 127mm by about 2mm pitch, for you metric worthies. We’ve jammed threads a few times. If you are real lucky you may get it loose with penetrating oil by slowly working back and forth. Slowly. Heat is the enema here. Other times we’ve machined out the mail member, cleaned up the female threads and made another male part. Expensive fix. The trick seems to be lube oil or anti seize, and CLEAN threads. A tiny speck of sanding grit, like what is used to deburr the entrance / exit of the thread, is the starting point for galling.

[@ultimatehandyman]

Thanks for the comment

[@robertmurdock9750]

I was a marine engineer for almost 50 years and in the mid to late seventies we started using some stainless bolts and nuts on steam lines out on deck instead of B7 or B9 bolts and 2H nuts and it was a nightmare they would always gall even with nickel plated antiseize. On tanker ships loaded with gasoline or crude oil you couldn't use a grinder on deck. In the late 90s we started using stainless again and had very little problems with seizing even with copper plated antiseize something changed dramatically between those years with stainless steel. I'm talking about 316 stainless.

[@ultimatehandyman]

Thanks for the comment ;-)

[@fleurys2]

Thank you... You saved me from doing a huge mistake... I was about to change all my regular steel bolts for ss one on my truck restoration project... I changed my mind after watching your video.... Bless you.

[@ultimatehandyman]

Thanks for the comment ;-)

[@torinbrown8196]

You can still do what you wanted with the s/s fasteners to prevent corrosion.

[@Sturmgeschutz2]

Do not us stainless for structural connections on automotive. 10.9 grade steel.

[@checkpoint3260]

Ya if you got a rust problem or something, you might want to try a chemical solution to your problem... like a coating, plating or a rust converter. Stainless isn't great for fastening... but it is so pretty... but so is chrome

[@ultimatehandyman]

I'm off to work for the day, I'll answer comments on my return ! I hope everyone has a great Sunday ;-)

[@nightjarflying]

Very interesting thank you. Apparently using two different grades of stainless steel for nut & bolt reduces the problem of cold welding. Also working very slowly with clean unbroken threads reduces the friction heat that causes the weld..

[@richardnelson2702]

Would it be a problem if u used a socket and ratchet as to oppose a wrench gun ? Cheers

[@davesmitj6257]

Great video. Action Can make a product in an aerosol called AG-90, Anti-Galling lubricant It's also food/pharmaceutical grade (h1) for such a problem. It works a treat.

[@ultimatehandyman]

Yes, using different grades of stainless can help. I've had bolts gall up when using a ratchet spanner in the past, when tightening and undoing them. Obviously if we are on a breakdown we have to remove the bolts as fast as possible, even if it means shearing them off and drilling them out afterwards. Thanks for the comment

[@ultimatehandyman]

They still gall up using a ratchet spanner, but the impact wrench makes them gall up much faster. Thanks for the comment

[@feuilletcamille]

Hello Guys, Thanks a lot for this fruitfull video we can understand that: -Galling appears when we use standard stainless steel, I can see A2 on the bolt -Also increasing the speed mouting is not so good during mounting -Stainless is really well know against fire, this is why it is more and more used in construction We need absolutly to separate standard SS bolts and qualitative SS bolts : -Most of the stainless steel bolts strength are obtained by cold forging and this work is really important -The galling is a fact but the method to make the thread is really important. The thread rolling is important. -Last point and maybe the most important, what is the strength of the SS bolt you used? A2-70? Most of the bolts in industry have poor mechanical strength. It means that you will have many chance to enter in the pastic area of your bolts. All these points are really important against galling! You need only to find a stainless company having screws of high quality like Bumax (www.bumax-fasteners.com). They are really well know against galling and also have created same mechanical properties than steel bolts. Feel free to comment !

[@lincolnengland3596]

I am a design engineer by trade and don't profess to know the hands on stuff like yourself but when design stainless assemblies I would mix the grades of stainless ie 300 grade (austenitic st.stl) nut with 400 grade (Martensitic st.stl) bolt. This dissimilar combination worked pretty well on gas turbine bits. I didn't realise that you couldn't burn out stainless but it is full of Nickel and chrome so pretty good at resisting heat. Another point is that 300 grade stainless is weak as it comes....it's about as good as super cheap Chinese bolts, saying that 400 grade can be heat treated up to the equivalent of 8,8 bolts maybe more.....we use it for compressor blades on gas turbines so it's tough and good in tensile strength.

[@ultimatehandyman]

Using different grades of stainless is supposed to help prevent galling, although I can't confirm that is true as I have not tested it. Thanks for the comment 😉

[@kylehazachode]

Thanks for the info. I had a bad experience trying to get nylock nut off of a stainless steel bolt and have never attempted to use nylock nuts again. I've been using thread locker instead. Now knowing about galling on stainless, I'll use them again.

[@ultimatehandyman]

They are a nightmare when they do gall up, but a bit of anti-seize should prevent that. Thanks for the comment

[@rogeronslow1498]

You have a knack of choosing interesting practical problems to make videos about. I too have found this problem with SS hardware. I've been told (but never verified) that if you mix SS grades it galls less frequently.

[@ultimatehandyman]

Thanks for the comment

[@Ritcheyyy]

I have used hundred or so A2 bolts and nuts on my solar system and never had any issue on galling on M8 and M10 threads, no need to be scared, I will never use zinc plated bolts outside, they are rusty after a year sometime, useless. I use stainless everywhere now and very happy with it.

[@chrismate2805]

Hi, thanks a lot for showing this, you saved me from future disaster. I had used 6mm SS Bolts and nuts on a lathe fixture part of the stand, and did noticed it were tighter than anticipated when I had to remove them. I did however used blue marine grease on them. I will now go and examine them all. I bought them from a stainless fabricating shop in our area, not from a general store, if that could matter for types. I used just spanners in this case.

[@ultimatehandyman]

You are welcome. Not all stainless steel bolts gall, most of the time we can undo them on site- but there is always that one, and as soon as you start to undo it you know it has galled. You don't necessarily need an impact gun to make them gall, I just used that to speed things up. We often get galling nuts/bolts when just using normal spanners. Thanks for the comment

[@BBQDad463]

Thank you for this video. How did I get to the age of 71.5 years without knowing that stainless steel bolts cannot be cut by an oxyacetylene torch? Sheesh! My face is red! Again, thank you for this video. Subscribed.

[@marttimattila9561]

This is a good lesson for ignorants. Naturaly I have learned this in my working days in the Shipyard.

[@ultimatehandyman]

👍

[@keithlincicum3691]

I found this interesting but it didn't go far enough. I was a maintenance tech for 7 McDonald's restaurants for over 20 years and encountered a nightmare when the self-gapping clam-shell grills came into use. The upper platen operated at 425 degrees with a stepper motor and band pulley system to adjust from bacon to McRibb meat by computer. There was nothing BUT stainless fasteners in that mini oven. The adjustment blocks were fine thread bolts into machined bases. After ruining several under warranty, I discover a stick of copper-based anti-seize ( Locktite?)at my fastener dealer rated at 800 degrees. Problem solved. As to galling, part of the high cost of stainless bolts is the threading process. If the cutting gets rushed and the tooling dull it can tear the thread apex and the nut will grab the tear and roll up a (B-all that causes the "Gall". Other bolts are threaded by roll-pressing the threads and then heat treating.

[@ultimatehandyman]

Thanks for the comment

[@pidjones]

A product called Neolube is just right for this. Graphite in isopropyl alcohol. Two thin coats on both threads. Remove and recoat each time. Graphite doesn't care about temperature.

[@liminal-m3g]

Excellent! I was wondering why I have had galling issues in the past specifically with SS bolts and Nylock nuts while working on my Motorcycle - now I know! Cheers!

[@ultimatehandyman]

You are welcome Thanks for the comment

[@sonshinelight]

Thank you. I went out of my way to acquire s/s bolts and nuts for re-installing the rear fenders on my Kenworth. I couldn't understand why these new bolts seized the way they did. I thought it was just super cheap bad foreign made bolts. Now I understand. Subscribed and thumbs up.

[@ultimatehandyman]

You are welcome Thanks for the comment

[@euromodeller]

You have just saved me a few quid as I was about to install some stainless bolts on my motorcycle refurb. Thanks for posting

[@ultimatehandyman]

You are welcome Thanks for the comment ;-)

[@wdwerker]

I learned something from this, Thanks ! When I use stainless or brass wood screws I pilot the hole and then run the same size steel screw in to thread the hole. Then replace the steel screw with a stainless or brass one. Stainless & brass screws either strip the Phillips recess, snap the screw or twist the head off when power driven.

[@ultimatehandyman]

You are welcome. Stainless screws are useless, I used them once to make a wooden gate. A week later I needed to adjust the hinges and every one of the heads sheared off! Thanks for the comment 😉

[@vitabricksnailslime8273]

Just had to return to this video after thinking it over. Galling is indeed a problem with SS fittings, particularly with locking nuts. But as a problem it usually only becomes apparent with the larger sized screws. I've used small ones for years with nary a problem. Even with the larger ones, if the thread is properly lubricated and you proceed with hand tools, you're unlikely to have a problem. But if you do feel it tightening up, you want to reverse and not force the issue, then either use your taps and dies to clean up the thread, or replace the nut and bolt. The problem with SS is that any heat generated is not as quickly dispersed as with other steels, leading to tightness between the two components. And running a locknut repeatedly on and off with a power tool is guaranteed to generate a significant amount of heat. In short, most of the "problem" has been artificially generated.

[@ultimatehandyman]

Thanks for the comment ;-)

[@roberthorwat6747]

One more top tip firmly stored in the noggin. Have used Stainless in the past but am steering well clear henceforth. Also I must have known once upon a time what a set screw is (I googled it - bolts have threads only so far up the shaft), I can't believe at 58 no one ever told me this, so thanks for the memory jog. As ever UH you are the go to man with all the answers.

[@ultimatehandyman]

I'm glad you have found the video useful. Normally if you ask at the hardware store for fully threaded bolts you will get set screws and the person serving you will not bat an eyelid, but with this video going on KZbin I had to point out the difference or else I would have had a thousand comments saying "that is not a bolt, it is a set screw" etc. Stainless bolts are still fine in many applications as long as you use some anti-seize and are aware that they can gall up. Thanks for the comment

[@cobberpete1]

Quite a few learning's from today's video. Thank you sir

[@ultimatehandyman]

You are welcome Thanks for the comment

[@WineScrounger]

A wipe of oil will prevent this. We usually assemble stainless fasteners with a bit of moly grease and we never see any problems. The trouble we do see is in very old installations where stainless bolts have sat in tapped aluminium holes for 20 years or more. The aluminium corrodes, egged on by the less reactive stainless, and it locks up as tight as tight can be. In fairness the same or worse would happen to carbon steel. If you want a real nightmare, bolt copper to aluminium and leave it near the sea, it’ll rot like a pear in a cesspit.

[@ultimatehandyman]

Thanks for the comment ;-)

[@juarezvivo-sc2qi]

Increíble. Jamás pensé que la tornillería de acero inox presentara tales inconvenientes. Excelente información y además muy útil. Gracias por compartirlo.

[@ultimatehandyman]

De nada Gracias por el comentario

[@warpman74]

Thanks for a great tip! I had no idea that stainless could seize up like this, I'll be thinking twice before using stainless next time if it's not absolutely necessary!

[@ultimatehandyman]

I didn't know until I worked on a few machines where the stainless bolts used to shear off for fun! Thanks for the comment

[@drengskap]

Interesting video, I'd never heard of stainless galling before. I've rebuilt several bicycles using stainless fasteners, and not encountered any problems like this - maybe screwing into aluminium and/or using copper grease has prevented problems.

[@richardsandwell2285]

I have noticed this problem before, if possible I try to apply a little Tallow Fat to the Stainless Bolt, also I use A4 Stainless instead of the weaker A2 grade. One golden rule that I cannot stress enough is "KILL THE SPEED" never ever wind stainless bolts together at speed using powered ratchets, it is the speed that can cause galling. Always wind them together slowly, it takes longer but its much safer. Stainless does not conduct heat away like steel will, this is why you only need about a third of the power to weld the stuff, so when driving it at speed, friction heating can start off the galling. It is Horses for courses really, sometimes only stainless will do a particular job. When cutting, welding or grinding stainless always wear a mask to guard against harmful hexavalent chromium emissions, lest you get lung cancer.

[@ultimatehandyman]

Thanks for the comment

[@WiltshireTigger]

Thanks for this very useful information. So today I replaced all the SS A2 nuts with BZP nuts on some new customised SS A2 coach bolts on bells up in a church tower where everything is a bit exposed to the weather. All the SS nuts came off easily except for one that had already galled and put up a fight! A bit of WD40 and mechanical persuasion eventually shifted it.

[@ultimatehandyman]

It can be a real pain when they gall up, I just hope that nobody uses stainless steel bolts and nuts on the steam pipes at work again! Thanks for the comment

[@allmenon]

As always, an excellent video mate. Well done and thanks!

[@ultimatehandyman]

You are welcome Thanks for the comment

[@catabaticanabatic3800]

Stainless nylocs on stainless screws equals disaster. For many years I worked in a marine environment where it was necessary to use stainless fixings - beacons at sea,marina pontoons etc. If nylocs had been used ,you could virtually guarantee that one of the fixings would've "picked up" and have to be cut off. This is a ball ache ashore but a nightmare stuck on a rock ,miles from land. Blessed be the advent of the battery grinder and thin cutting discs!. Anti-galling paste is of some help but not guaranteed to work .In all the years I did it, I never had a plain nut come loose provided it was correctly used.In my view, stainless nylocs are the work of the devil.

[@ultimatehandyman]

I can imagine that being a nightmare job- it's hard enough when you are working on a site and it happens! Thanks for the comment

[@aaronk2242]

Wondering the same thing as rivercarper01 - is it something specific about nylock nuts that makes it worse? I always thought any stainless-on-stainless had a chance to gall and sieze.

[@-ShootTheGlass-]

We fit nyloc s/s nuts to s/s bolts and it’s a nightmare. Cutting off every 5 out of 20. Just a complete pain, yet the supplier designs them that way so we are kinda stuck with it.

[@JohnBrinkPhoto]

@rivercarper01 We have a large solar panel array on our ranch. Something like 48 pivot points each with a stainless bolt and nut that has to be loosened and tightened twice a year for sun position adjustment. 90% of them were seized after the first couple of years. These are conventional nuts. These were always adjusted by using hand wrenches. Gonna' have to research some alternative soon.

[@aaron6841]

@@ultimatehandyman did you work as a mechanic and in construction?

[@1954BJohn]

Interesting video - never knew about SS bolts/nuts. Thanks Chez - Have a great week!

[@ultimatehandyman]

You are welcome, John ;-) Thanks for the comment

[@saskloppers1]

In my work I use stainless steel bolts and nuts ONLY once. Especially where there is a lot of heat involved. The only real benefit is that these do not rust, but other than that they offer absolutely no advantage at all. Once I loosen a stainless nut or bolt it gets replaced.

[@ultimatehandyman]

Thanks for the comment

[@bbbf09]

If you need to use stainless you can buy ready silver plated that avoid this galling effect (they are not the cost hike that silver plating suggests). Otherwise I would use AG-90 Lubricant. If naked stainless is a must then try using nut at A2 grade with an A4 bolt. Its not addressed here but the one thing that many don't appreciate is you can't just swap steel for stainless and get the same preload on the clamping surfaces for same set torque. Generally stainless gives *much* lower preload ...i.e. If you simply swap for stainless and torque up to the same then you risk whatever assembly you have just fastened falling apart (subject of course to its max design load and loading conditions.). Can be dangerous! Be careful about application.

[@ultimatehandyman]

Thanks for the info ;-)

[@williamreynolds8210]

Thank you for the demonstration! That stainless bolt galled surprisingly fast.

[@ultimatehandyman]

You are welcome Yes, it surprised me how quickly that galled up! Thanks for the comment

[@dougankrum3328]

even a standard SS nut would gall easily by just using your hand to thread it on...

[@zaprodk]

Learned two new things by watching this video. - Thanks for sharing!

[@ultimatehandyman]

You are welcome Thanks for the comment

[@peckelhaze6934]

I wasn't aware of any of these issues with SS. Great video.

[@ultimatehandyman]

Thanks for the comment

[@tonymunn]

I've been wasting money and causing more problems for myself. Thank you for the information.

[@disconeil]

That's fascinating stuff that I never realised happened! Thank you for sharing this info. Cheers pal. N.

[@ultimatehandyman]

You are welcome, Neil ;-) Thanks for the comment

[@oysterjohn5669]

Not a Stainless Steel story, but along the same lines. We had aluminum "saw guides" that we had to put shims on for adjusting board sizes. We used 1/4 inch, hardened, grade 8 steel bevel head bolts that went into a tapped hole in the aluminum guide (good aircraft grade aluminum). Even with just snugging the bolts they would need a cheater pipe on the allen key, and POP loose. They were so tight that I would put a rag over the allen so it didn't launch like a bullet if it slipped out of the allen hole. Grease or anti-seize wouldn't help. Once they popped loose they would come right out with no thread damage. We had hundreds of these to do on a size change, and 95% were like that. We ended up getting all brass screws and never had a problem again. So in conclusion, for some reason those hardened bolt and the aluminum did not like each other.

[@ultimatehandyman]

Thanks for the comment

[@jelothere11]

Thank you sir. Another know how or should I say knowledge for me because of you. Cheers & have a great Sunday too.

[@ultimatehandyman]

You are welcome Thanks for the comment

[@ScoutCrafter]

Great presentation as always!!! 😃👍

[@ultimatehandyman]

Thanks for the comment

[@anthonylau3065]

Ultimate Handyman Appreciate the demonstration :-)

[@mastersKaaP]

Good video, nice to know. I recently replaced the bolts and nuts on the roof rack of my truck for stainless steel since the steel ones that was on there had almost corroded away to the point of no longer being able to keep the thing together (this truck sits outside next to the ocean 24/7 and corrosion is a massive pain the ass). I wondered why they don't just do stainless steel on all the bolts of the truck, apart from cost I guess this answers my question. I'm still happy that I swapped those to stainless though, since I never have to undo/redo those bolts so seizing won't bother me so much and now, with the stainless bolts and nuts, it should basically last for the lifetime of the roof rack and/or truck.

[@ultimatehandyman]

👍

[@martyspargur5281]

So, cutting ss is a different animal. Cut off wheel (disc) works if it fits in the space, but sprays chips (future rust stains) everywhere. But using a hacksaw (or just a hacksaw blade in vise grips cutting on the "pull" stroke) works pretty well. If you happen to be cutting thin sheet metal, you pretty much have to use a fine tooth blade. But whenever the ss is thick enough, use an 18, or even 14tpi. Always use hss blades. A fine tooth blade will only polish and further work harden ss. A coarse blade is necessary bc you need to RIP THROUGH the metal. Make every stroke count. If your coarse blade is not cutting, either it is dull, or you are not being aggressive enough with it. Cheap or tubular hacksaw frames will definitely work against you here. If you are just grabbing a blade in your vise grips, wear leather gloves, clamp onto the toothed side of the blade, and cut on the pull stroke. Sometimes you can even clamp two blades together to stiffen them (clogs faster, though). Your channel and videos are fantastic. You saw a need to present some truth, vs the epidemic of "amateur hour" videos, and filled it. Thank You

[@ultimatehandyman]

Thanks for the comment, Marty ;-)

[@martyspargur5281]

@@ultimatehandyman I am learing many new things, your techniques are sensible.

[@gepwxaqdfsidsesg1548]

Thank you for the video. I have had problems with SS threads but I didn't know why. Now I do.

[@ultimatehandyman]

You are welcome Thanks for the comment

[@asfandiyar5829]

Interesting stuff, never would have imagined this being an issue

[@aidankilleen5889]

wow, you probably just saved me a lot of time and money, thank you

[@markrowland5393]

Thanks for this excellent and informative video. I seem to remember that a combination of a brass nut and stainless screw is recommended for some applications.

[@ultimatehandyman]

You are welcome. I'm not sure if brass nuts would have the strength for some jobs- but at least they won't gall. Thanks for the comment

[@franklettering]

Very interesting. Another professionally produced tip top video.

[@ultimatehandyman]

Thanks for the comment ;-)

[@MatCendana]

A seemingly `simple' video, but is so informative. It demolishes my assumption and prejudice that "stainless steel is always better". Despite rusting and making things look unattractive, it may be better for me to live with this than dealing with a seized SS bolt.

[@ultimatehandyman]

Absolutely! Thanks for the comment ;-)

[@DMX-PAT]

Loved this video, thanks so much for making it!!

[@ultimatehandyman]

You are welcome Thanks for the comment 👍

[@arthurfrilingos1860]

Top video. I learned something new about the consideration one must take when using ss nuts on ss screws.

[@ultimatehandyman]

Thanks for the comment ;-)

[@JerGoes]

To add to that Stainless steel bolts are not as strong. As you mentioned stainless has it's place, I've made the mistake of using galvanised/zinc coated screws and bolts on a boat once, never again, it doesn't last 5 minutes. Great video as always, thanks.

[@ultimatehandyman]

Yes, I should have mentioned about the strength in the video but didn't have time. Thanks for the comment

[@cannonball666]

Happened to me yesterday using SS sheet metal screws. The screws seized before going all the way in the sheet metal and I stripped the screw heads trying to drive them in. I even had the holes drilled larger than recommended and they still seized. Had I seen this video beforehand I would never have used them.

[@ultimatehandyman]

Thanks for the comment ;-)

[@hopefilledsinner3911]

Being a know all I thought the worst, at first. You taught an old dog two new tricks. Subscribed.

[@ultimatehandyman]

Thanks for the comment ;-)

[@rayc.1396]

Worked in the food industry for a couple decades, stainless is a way of life in the food industry. Never Seize will keep a stainless nut/bolt from seizing for a while, but does wear off if constantly taken apart and put back together. IF, you are where you don't have to have stainless but only have stainless of either a nut or bolt, a regular steel nut or bolt won't seize with stainless. Any good quality lube will also keep SS from galling for at least the first time, but when they get tight they will gall.

[@ultimatehandyman]

Thanks for the comment ;-)

[@tonyhughes7792]

That was most enlightening, thank you. Tony

[@ultimatehandyman]

You are welcome Thanks for the comment

[@daveyuk8142]

Great video. I have an off-road buggy and was considering replacing some of the older bolts for Stainless ones. Think I'll stick to BZP now...

[@ultimatehandyman]

Thanks, as long as the bolts are not in a critical component (stainless bolts are often not as strong as steel bolts) and you use some anti-seize compound, they should be fine. Thanks for the comment

[@jusb1066]

great information! i believe there are grades that exist that reduce the galling and also avoiding use of power tools helps a great deal too, couple with some lubricant if possible.

[@ultimatehandyman]

Anti-seize will definitely help, also using grade A4 bolts and A2 nuts can help reduce galling. Thanks for the comment

[@mikes6844]

Thanks for posting, don’t work too hard. I’m also off to do work in my lads salon. Thought I’d retired 🤔 all the best.

[@ultimatehandyman]

You are welcome, I'm home now having a cup of tea ;-) I know a few people that have retired and they always say "I don't know how I had time to work", they are so busy! Thanks for the comment

[@caskwith]

Wow can't believe how quick that galled. I know they can be bad, but that was much worse than I thought it would be.

[@ultimatehandyman]

Yes, it amazed me how quickly it galled up ;-) Thanks for the comment

[@GrahamDIY]

Well I for one don’t mind admitting I’d never heard of this. As you said, I thought SS was the better choice nearly always (actually, always) Thanks for the video 👍

[@ultimatehandyman]

You are welcome Thanks for the comment

[@torinbrown8196]

Good and very interesting video. Marine mechanic here so for me it's usually either s/s or brass/ monel/ inconel fasteners.

[@ultimatehandyman]

Thanks for the comment

[@lliambunter]

Very informative, and basic, well done.

[@ultimatehandyman]

Thanks for the comment

[@stanleyfranks8252]

I worked in a cryo plant that made liquid oxygen, nitrogen, and argon. At -300 F steel bolts are brittle. We used SS bolts with silicon bronze nuts and they would come off while still frozen. You don't need any lube (not allowed near oxygen anyway--goes boom!). You better have a lot of money though.

[@ultimatehandyman]

I bet that was an interesting job! I bought some cryogenic gate valves a few years back at auction as they were cheap- I've still not had time to sell them- yet! Thanks for the comment

[@TheWilferch]

Stanley Franks.....completely correct....see my other comment above with 3 solutions presented....uses of Silicon-Bronze nuts is one of them. Also from my own cryo system backgound. Cheers. Don't recall these being particularly pricey. Quality costs in aby case, but not stupid-expensive in my recollection.

[@loktom4068]

What happened was the high speed & torque from your tools causes the problem you have mentioned. I never has any problems with stainless steel bolts where corrosion were high. In fact it's is easy to remove without torches or penetrating oil. Try turning in or out on lower speed settings & avoid over torque them with your power tools is the secret to success and happiness with stainless steel bolts. Easy with your tools on them.

[@ultimatehandyman]

We get galling regularly even when using hand tools, but there are literally thousands of stainless bolts where I work. Thanks for the comment

[@Paxmax]

Holey frick! Had no idea it was this bad, this should be on a warning poster near every sales point for stainless steel nuts'n'bolts!

[@ultimatehandyman]

I guess it does not happen much, unless you are using them all the time! Thanks for the comment ;-)

[@ChrisGilliamOffGrid]

When I worked at a shipyard we used Grade 5 nuts on SS bolts because of this.

[@ultimatehandyman]

Thanks for the comment

[@hobbs3424]

Great to the point video mate, thankyou 👍👍

[@ultimatehandyman]

No problem 👍

[@Pat19eighty4]

Very informative thanks. What would you use for non-marine outdoor environments instead of stainless steel? Also does the grade of stainless steel matter? 316 A4 better than A2 or vice versa when it comes to this problem? Cheers.

[@ultimatehandyman]

You are welcome. Galvanised bolts cab be a good solution for outdoors, or if you want the bolts to look good you could just use stainless steel bolts and apply anti-seize compound as that should prevent the galling. I'm not sure about the different grades, but I believe that if you mix the grades, such as a A4 bolt and a A2 nut the problem is nowhere near as bad. Thanks for the comment

[@jusb1066]

brass nuts with the stainless bolts works very well indeed

[@Tse3581]

Pat19eighty4 zink coated or galvanized..oil base paint or grease works as long as you re apply every 6 months in high humidity conditions

[@henrietn]

Honestly, I didn't know that. Thanks for the information!

[@ultimatehandyman]

You are welcome Thanks for the comment

[@TheWilferch]

Three solutions..... use an appropriate anti-galling compund between nut and bolt.......or.....use a nut of a slightly different stainless alloy as the bolt ( 304 vs 316....300 series vs 400 series,etc).....or the best bet....use silicon-bronze nuts on stainless bolts. Double-check component strength ratings of all pieces in critical strength applications.

[@ultimatehandyman]

Thanks for the comment ;-)

[@RKMLarsen]

Very interesting information -- thanks for the video!

[@ultimatehandyman]

You are welcome Thanks for the comment

[@SoundAssault]

Well, I didn't know any of that. Good info - thanks! 👍

[@ultimatehandyman]

You are welcome Thanks for the comment

[@darkbyte2005]

Thanks for this video, great tip...

[@ultimatehandyman]

You are welcome Thanks for the comment

[@BigKelvPark]

I was always taught that nylock nuts were use once only (as well as bent beam nuts - which essentially destroy the thread on tightening).

[@ultimatehandyman]

There are no set rules for Nylocks, I've never seen anything on the packaging saying "only to be used once" etc. Thanks for the comment

[@DonzLockz]

Good to know, I never knew this info. 🍺👍🏽

[@ultimatehandyman]

Thanks for the comment

[@mrsemifixit]

Couple questions come to mind; are stainless steel bolts more of a one time use thing? What if you slowly loosen/tighten nut every to avoid much heat from generating preventing galling?

[@yuriilukkumbure7416]

Pure gold! I had absolutely no idea about this. Why is it that stainless steel does this? Is it because its harder and has a higher Mohes rating or because stainless steel has the tendency to bind to itself. How do you cut stainless steel then if not with a torch. That’s bonkers! Had no idea an acetylene torch wouldn’t melt stainless!

[@ultimatehandyman]

This explains it well- www.boltdepot.com/fastener-information/materials-and-grades/thread-galling.aspx You can cut stainless with a plasma cutter, or a laser cutter. We mainly use a 4.5 inch angle grinder on site though. Thanks for the comment

[@Tse3581]

Yuri Ilukkumbure it binds up because the stainless balls up on a molecular level

[@ianmackenzie686]

Very educational, thanks.

[@ultimatehandyman]

You are welcome Thanks for the comment

[@rammohang4760]

Thanks for all the wonderful information. I couldnt understand why my ss nuts were jamming on the bolts. Now I know.

[@ultimatehandyman]

You are welcome Thanks for the comment ;-)

[@MUDMAD83]

Thank you this was extremely interesting

[@ultimatehandyman]

You are welcome Thanks for the comment 👍

[@4G12]

Speaking of galling, that was a major issue with stainless steel 1911 pistols until they came up with lubricants to overcome the problem.

[@ultimatehandyman]

Thanks for the comment

[@645hughes]

Knowledge bomb dropped. Good information UHM. Cheers 👍

[@ultimatehandyman]

You are welcome Thanks for the comment

[@grantadamson3478]

More useful information. Thank you.

[@ultimatehandyman]

You are welcome Thanks for the comment

[@T3hJones]

Very interesting I had no idea about these problems!

[@ultimatehandyman]

I didn't know myself to be honest until I started having problems with some machines that require stainless bolts. Thanks for the comment

[@keystonedaytrip238]

I assemble and disassemble 316 stainless parts on a daily basis (healthcare industry) . it sure can be a pain the ass ! We use H1 graded assembly lube on all threaded connections , it greatly reduces the likelihood of galling.

[@ultimatehandyman]

Thanks for the comment

[@ttsstt1000]

Thanks very informative was that the rebranded Hitachi impact driver you used

[@ultimatehandyman]

The impact driver is a Kielder, I keep it in the back of the van for emergencies (its a great little impact wrench) kzbin.info/www/bejne/aJvPhKSgpdyNrbs Thanks for the comment

[@pb9926]

I've been educated once again, thank you.👍

[@ultimatehandyman]

You are welcome Thanks for the comment

[@xlfive]

Interesting video,I have read that PTFE provides good resistance to galling,off topic how are you getting on with Kielder impact drill as I’m about to purchase a replacement

[@ultimatehandyman]

PTFE probably does help. We have a spray white grease on site now with PTFE and it is a great all round lubricant etc. The Kielder impact wrench is superb, it is very compact and powerful. I keep mine in the back of the van for emergencies ;-)

[@captainbarnes923]

Thanks. Something I hadn't realised. What happens to mild steel nuts on stainless bolts?

[@ultimatehandyman]

Mild steel on stainless should not be a problem, it's only stainless on stainless that causes the problem. Thanks for the comment

[@zedman442]

Another enlightening video! So SS bolts and SS nuts together causes this problem? Or a mixture of mild steel and SS? Cheers

[@ultimatehandyman]

Thanks, Yes stainless on stainless causes the problem, you should be able to use a stainless steel bolt and steel nut and this problem should not occur. We get it a lot on a machine where tapped holes are in stainless stub axles, often the bolts pick up and shear off with very little force. Thanks for the comment

[@urz7481]

after 2 years this video still save someone wallet. that's me. i almost spend money on all stainless bolt n nut. lucky found it. thank

[@ultimatehandyman]

I'm glad the video helped ;-) Thanks for the comment 👍