Material
AISI 304 Stainless Steel Wire
Stainless steel wire
AISI 304 stainless wire is the general-purpose stainless brush wire: firm, corrosion-resistant in water and detergents, and safe to use on stainless parts because it leaves no carbon steel behind to rust. Its limit is chlorides. In salt water, brine, bleach and persistent chloride washdown, it can pit, and 316 is the better grade.
Datasheet values
- Density
- about 8.0 g/cm³
- Wire diameter
- Set by required brush stiffness and supplier capability
- Hardness
- Depends on wire temper and cold work
- Temperature use
- Alloy data extend to elevated temperatures, but finished-brush service depends on wire temper, anchoring, hub, atmosphere, speed and load
- Corrosion behavior
- Good general corrosion resistance; chloride pitting and crevice corrosion require review
- Standards
- ASTM/UNS/EN/JIS grade designations should be confirmed for the supplied wire
What is 304 stainless brush wire?
304 is the austenitic stainless steel with about 18% chromium and 8% nickel. As brush wire it is drawn from about 0.03 mm to 1.0 mm, with a density of 7.9–8.0 g/cm³ and a hardness of roughly Rockwell B 70–95, depending on how much the wire has been cold-worked. Thinner wire and longer trims flex; thicker wire on a short trim cuts.
In our range it is in nearly sixty brushes: bottle brushes and Sodastream bottle brushes, mold and tire mold brushes, conveyor belt brushes, heat treatment fixture and sealing jaw brushes, medical instrument brushes, pond filter brushes and the twisted-wire cores of many tube brushes.
Why use stainless wire instead of carbon steel?
For two reasons. The wire itself does not rust in wet service. And it does not contaminate the work: a carbon steel brush used on stainless steel or aluminum leaves particles of carbon steel embedded in the surface, which rust and stain later. On stainless welds, stainless parts, food equipment and wet brushes, stainless wire is the right choice. Keep brushes used on stainless for stainless only.
When should you choose 316 instead of 304?
When chlorides are present for long. 304 has good general corrosion resistance but is more prone than 316 to pitting and crevice corrosion in chloride. That covers seawater and salt spray, brine, hypochlorite and other chlorine-based sanitizers, and washdowns that leave chloride residue. 316 adds molybdenum, which raises its resistance to exactly that. For occasional exposure followed by rinsing, 304 is usually fine.
How hot can a 304 wire brush run?
The alloy keeps its strength well above any polymer fill; industry reference ranges for stainless brush wire run to about 400°C continuous and 500°C short-term. That is the wire, not the brush. The temper of the wire, how it is anchored, the hub, the atmosphere, the speed and the load decide the real limit, and a staple-set or glued brush has a much lower one. Tell us the temperature and the brush is built for it.
Where does 304 wire fall short?
- Chloride environments, where 316 is safer.
- Soft, polished, painted or coated surfaces, which it scratches; use nylon, brass or abrasive nylon.
- Hard scale on carbon steel, where carbon steel wire cuts faster and costs less.
What should you tell us when you ask for a 304 wire brush?
The part material and deposit, whether the brush is wet and with what, any chlorides or sanitizers, the temperature, the tool or machine and its speed, and the wire diameter and form, crimped or knotted, if you know them.
Questions buyers ask about AISI 304 Stainless Steel Wire
Should I choose a 304 or a 316 stainless steel brush?
304 for general wet and dry work. 316 where chlorides are present for long: salt water, brine, bleach or chlorine sanitizers. 316 contains molybdenum, which resists the pitting that chlorides cause in 304.
Will a 304 stainless wire brush rust?
Not in normal wet service. It can pit in long chloride exposure, and it can show rust spots if it has been used on carbon steel and picked up steel particles. Keep stainless brushes for stainless work.
Why not use a carbon steel brush on stainless steel?
Because it leaves carbon steel particles in the surface, which rust and stain the stainless later. Use stainless wire or abrasive nylon on stainless parts and welds.
Where these figures come from
| Property | Published value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Chemical resistance | Strong corrosion resistance in water, detergents and many industrial cleaning environments. | Alleima Retrieved 2026-07-21 |
| Published datasheet figures |
|
Alleima Retrieved 2026-07-21 |
| Hardness and stiffness | Very firm metallic wire; Rockwell/shored hardness is controlled by 304/316/steel-wire grade and wire temper. | Alleima Retrieved 2026-07-21 |
| Limitations | Not for soft plastic, glass, PCB, coated solar glass or polished paint. | Alleima Retrieved 2026-07-21 |
| Temperature resistance | Suitable for high-temperature brushing above polymer-filament ranges. | Alleima Retrieved 2026-07-21 |
| Water resistance | Metal wire does not absorb water; alloy and holder corrosion resistance control wet service. | Alleima Retrieved 2026-07-21 |
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Discuss This Material
Share what the brush works on, the temperature and chemicals it meets, the form you need — strip, disc, roller or hand brush — the quantity and a drawing or photo.
We reply to every request within 24 hours, with a quotation or with the questions we need answered first. If the brush can be made on our existing tooling, we make the sample directly. If it needs new tooling, we quote a sample fee and a tooling fee, and the sample fee is credited against the bulk order. Need an NDA first? We sign yours before you send drawings, and the files you send are never shown to other customers.
- MOQ500 pcs for small hand-held brushes, 100 pcs for medium and large ones
- SampleTypically 3–7 days
- ProductionFrom 7 days after sample approval, by size and quantity
- Payment30% deposit and 70% before shipment above US$10,000; smaller orders on agreed terms
“We need a brush to remove wet residue from a stainless steel conveyor, about 800mm wide. The current brush wears quickly. We can send photos.”
“We sell drinkware and need a cleaning brush to include with the product. Quantity around 5,000 pieces.”