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This was an interesting recent commission for a customer who lives on the Jurassic Coast and has a passion for fossils ... and a penchant for
stainless steel.
Given their location, the handrails were made from marine grade 316L stainless steel. This is a tough old metal to work but it should remain rust free.
The ammonites were made by forging a long elegant
taper on the ends of the upright bars, which were then carefully twisted and coiled to shape.
These were
electropolished
by immersing them in a strong acid and passing an electric current through the stainless steel and the acid solution.
This stripped away a very thin layer of material from the metal's surface, removing any contamination that could cause corrosion.
An energetic flow of bubbles was created as the metal was stripped away.
The bubbles buffeted and gently polished the metal to give a bright sparkly appearance, further enhancing its
corrosion resistance.
The pictures include some stainless steel ammonite
inspired bowls that were made and electropolished at the same time as the handrails... and mild steel fossils, along with silver, gold, and bronze ammonites also made at the same time. See if you can spot which is which!
These handrails are definitely a case of "less is more". A few uprights, some bold curves, and ammonites as focal points, really create quite a
striking design.
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