What is No.1 Finish?

No. 1 Finish is produced by rolling stainless steel that has been heated prior to rolling (hot-rolling). This is followed by a heat treatment that produces a uniform micro-structure (annealing) and ensures that the stainless steel will meet mechanical property requirements. After these processing steps, the surface has a dark, non-uniform appearance called “scale.” Surface chromium has been lost during the previous processing steps, and, without removal of the scale, the stainless steel would not provide the expected level of corrosion resistance. Chemical removal of this scale is called pickling or descaling, and it is the final processing step. A No. 1 finish has rough, dull, and non-uniform appearance.