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Surgical Grade 1 SS316L vs non-surgical (Never Mind, I screwed up! :) )

"11"

Silver Contributor
ECF Refugee
Member For 5 Years
EDIT: Leaving original post for reference, but I was confusing the surgical grade TITANIUM wire I got, with the 316L wire I got - both from Temco.

(Original post)... Realized the last few years I've been vaping regular old SS316L as I forgot there was a surgical grade 1 type, and was buying vape-branded wire, as I also forgot I wanted only Temco! :) (Buy in quantity, so not often, and years pass between, so forgot about Temco until some weeks back and suddenly remembered them.)

So got 100' of Temco Surgical Grade 1 for $17 and I like it a LOT, (EDIT: No, it was Ti Surgical Grade ... and also got 100; of 316L from them, which I prefer 316L) but am wondering out of sheer curiosity if anyone knows the technical diff b/t the surgical grade and the normal grade, as it might relate to vaping. That is, if it's considered that much safer or if the properties that make it surgical grade aren't such that heating/inhaling the wire will make a diff between the two grades.

I realize any 'benefit' is likely minimal but just wondered if anyone has an informed opinion ?
 
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Grandpa

Bronze Contributor
Member For 4 Years
I would think the surgical grade would be sterile and that would be the only difference. 316L SS is 316L SS - the materials and their percentages that go into it are what makes it 316L SS. And since you are heating the wire up to very hot temps, any wire will be sterile after you heat it. 316L SS is the material used for kitchen and lab equipment like sinks and tables and vessels. As a former sheet metal mechanic, I've made quite a bit of different items out of the stuff. As stated below, 316L is the low carbon version of 316 SS. Maybe this surgical grade SS means the difference between 316L and plain old 316; that being it is a low carbon version of 316 SS.

From Wikipedia:

SAE 316L grade stainless steel, sometimes referred to as A4 stainless steel or marine grade stainless steel, is the second most common austenitic stainless steel after 304/A2 stainless steel. Its primary alloying constituents after iron, are chromium (between 16–18%), nickel (10–12%) and molybdenum (2–3%), with small (<1%) quantities of silicon, phosphorus & sulfur also present. The addition of molybdenum provides greater corrosion resistance than 304, with respect to localized corrosive attack by chlorides and to general corrosion by reducing acids, such as sulfuric acid.[1] 316L grade is the low carbon version of 316 stainless steel. When cold worked, 316 can produce high yield and tensile strengths similar to Duplex stainless grades.

It is commonly used in chemical and petrochemical industry, in food processing, pharmaceutical equipment, medical devices, in potable water,[2][3] wastewater treatment,[4] in marine applications[5] and architectural applications near the seashore or in urban areas.

 

"11"

Silver Contributor
ECF Refugee
Member For 5 Years
Thanks for the input, and as you can see now I was confusing the Ti Surgical with the 316L... !
 
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