INSTRUMENT CARE The majority of surgical instruments are made of stainless steel. There are many different types of stainless steel alloys (60+), with varying amounts of nickel & chromium to increase resistance to corrosion. All types of stainless steel will corrode under certain conditions - ‘stainless’ is a little misleading. The proportions of the various constituents affect the characteristics of the final steel, along with the degree of hardening applied.
