How Do You Grade Stainless Steel Flatware?
Stainless steel flatware is the everyday silverware service of the American kitchen because it goes from dishwasher to table, and it holds up for decades with little visible wear. Sterling silver is special-occasion flatware because it is expensive and less durable and does not wash well in the dishwasher. Silver-plated flatware is a fine vintage collectible, but the plating wears with constant use. These three kinds of flatware have adorned the American table for more than a century, but stainless flatware is currently the most popular choice, according to Lenox. Grade stainless flatware by metal content. The metal content of most stainless flatware is visibly marked, either on the backs of the handles or on the blades of the table knives. Three common marks for grades of stainless flatware are 18/0, 18/8 and 18/10. These numbers reveal the quantity of chromium and nickel in the metal. Eighteen percent chromium and no nickel is marked 18/0; 18/8 is 18 percent chromium and 8 percent ni
