Bryan1 wrote:The easy way with the cheap SS coming out of China is stick a magnet on it. SS is non magnetic but the shit coming in is. Think 316 for distilling and nothing else as if a magnet sticks the SS is shit. Also 304 being a lesser grade and as it's all made in China now avoid it like the plague.
that all depends on how it's been worked. most commercial kegs are 304.and don't seem to have a corrosion problem unless contaminated with iron from outside sources like leaving a mild steel bar against them for a while. i have 304 fittings from china that a magnet won't stick to. i have other stainless from china that a magnet won't stick to.my squat pot boiler is made from a tooheys spear keg... which means its *decades* old and not made in china. The centre a magnet won't stick to, the end sections will. this is because of they way they were formed, changing the internal structure of the metal. a magnet is not necessarily the best indicator of quality :-p .