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Metal finishing Q&As since 1989
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Stainless Steel #7 commercial finish alternatives
I work for a company that manufactures stainless steel brackets that require a #7 commercial finish. With the skyrocketing price of nickel and subsequently stainless steel, I have been looking for other finishing alternatives that provide a similar mirror/shiny finish that is less costly. Are there finishes that can be applied to aluminum or carbon steel that are comparable to a #7 commercial finish on stainless steel but is a more cost effective alternative?
Matthew Shopemanufacturer - Columbus, Ohio
2004
Hi Mr Shope,
You are not the first person to look out for substituting SS and probably won't be the last! A suitable grade of Mild steel can be beautifully plated with Zinc Cobalt alloy plating to give an acceptable finish and life span to your parts.
![Khozem Vahaanwala](../portraits/khozem_vahaanwala2.jpg)
Khozem Vahaanwala
Saify Ind
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Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
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2004
Will a zinc cobalt alloy finish on mild steel be able to produce a similar aesthetic look as a 304 SS with a #7 commercial finish or a 430 SS with a best bright finish?
Matthew Shopemanufacturer - Columbus, Ohio
2004
I am not familiar with finish No 7, but the plated finish actually looks better than SS.
![Khozem Vahaanwala](../portraits/khozem_vahaanwala2.jpg)
Khozem Vahaanwala
Saify Ind
![supporting advertiser](../letters/support.png)
Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
![saify logo](../shops/saifyind/saifyind.png)
2004
You might try a ferritic stainless steel. Some of these have no nickel. Type 409 stainless steel is one of these.
Mark CookHigh purity piping - Springfield, Missouri, USA
2004
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