The differences between carbon and stainless steel include:

1, corrosion resistance

2, mechanical properties

3, appearance

4, cost,

Corrosion resistance

The most apparent difference between carbon steel and stainless steel is corrosion resistance.

As the name suggests, stainless steel is the more corrosion-resistant material of the two.

Carbon steel and stainless steel both contain iron.

Iron oxidizes when it is exposed to the environment, resulting in rust.

And stainless steel added chromium, chromium will increase the corrosion resistance of stainless steel, so that stainless steel is more corrosion resistant than carbon steel.

Chromium bonds with oxygen more readily than iron.

When chromium attaches to oxygen, it forms a layer of chromium oxide, which protects the steel from degradation and corrosion.

Carbon steel has a low chromium content and a small amount of chromium cannot form the chromium oxide layer.

The combination of oxygen and iron leads to iron oxide and rust.

Therefore, if corrosion resistance is a key factor for you, then stainless steel is your steel of choice.

Mechanical properties

It is difficult to generalize because of the difference in mechanical properties between carbon steel and stainless steel.

Stainless steels are generally more malleable than carbon steels, mainly because they contain more nickel.

However, some stainless steel is very brittle, such as martensitic stainless steel.

Carbon steel with sufficient carbon content, such as 0.30% carbon, is easier to heat than austenitic stainless steel.

Appearance

If you are doing work that needs to be more aesthetically pleasing, you must consider the appearance of metal.

If appearance factors are important, it is best to choose stainless steel with a special finish.

Although both can be ground and polished for a bright, shiny look.

But carbon steel needs to be quickly coated with a clear coating or paint after the polishing process.

If these are not used, carbon steel will tarnish and eventually rust.

Cost

Another important consideration is the cost difference between carbon steel and stainless steel.

Stainless steel is generally more expensive than carbon steel, although different steels have different costs.

This is mainly due to the addition of a variety of alloy elements in stainless steel, such as chromium, nickel, manganese, and so on.

These additional elements in stainless steel increase the cost compared to carbon steel.

If your project is on a tight budget, carbon steel may be the best choice.