2013 marks 100 years since stainless steel was discovered in Sheffield. The BSSA have selected 50 applications and features that demonstrate how stainless steel has influenced our lives so far.

Imagine a world without stainless steel... what we take for granted today was only discovered 100 years ago. In fact the discovery that changed the world was an accident Harry Brearley, at Firth Brown's laboratory in Sheffield, was testing different steel alloys to try to improve the rifling in gun barrels and noticed that one cast did not corrode.

The vital ingredient was sufficient chromium that meant the oxide film known as rust on ordinary steel was an impenetrable protective layer on the new 'rustless steel'.