We draw stainless steel wire in grades 304, 304L, 316 and 316L, in diameters from 5 mm down to 0.025 mm. Stainless steel wire is used in a number of industries including wire drawing, weaving of wire mesh, soft pipe, cabinet beams, steel wire rope, filter material and equipment, and springs. Because we weave our own cloth, the wire we sell is the same material our looms run every day — drawn, annealed and spooled under one roof.
Diameter Tolerances
Fine wire is sold by tolerance as much as by size. Our standard tolerances follow the table below; tighter tolerances can be quoted for weaving and spring applications.
| Wire Diameter (mm) | Tolerance (mm) | Max. Deviation (mm) |
|---|---|---|
| 0.020 - 0.049 | +0.002 / -0.001 | 0.001 |
| 0.050 - 0.074 | ±0.002 | 0.002 |
| 0.075 - 0.089 | ±0.002 | 0.002 |
| 0.090 - 0.109 | +0.003 / -0.002 | 0.002 |
| 0.110 - 0.169 | ±0.003 | 0.003 |
| 0.170 - 0.184 | ±0.004 | 0.004 |
| 0.185 - 0.199 | ±0.004 | 0.004 |
| 0.200 - 0.299 | ±0.005 | 0.005 |
| 0.300 - 0.310 | ±0.006 | 0.006 |
| 0.320 - 0.499 | ±0.006 | 0.006 |
Chemical Composition by Grade
Alloy chemistry determines corrosion resistance, formability and weldability. The composition ranges we supply against are:
| AISI Grade | C | Si | Mn | P | S | Ni | Cr | Mo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 304 | ≤0.08 | ≤1.00 | ≤2.00 | ≤0.045 | ≤0.030 | 8.00-10.50 | 18.00-20.00 | - |
| 304H | >0.08 | ≤1.00 | ≤2.00 | ≤0.045 | ≤0.030 | 8.00-10.50 | 18.00-20.00 | - |
| 304L | ≤0.030 | ≤1.00 | ≤2.00 | ≤0.045 | ≤0.030 | 9.00-13.50 | 18.00-20.00 | - |
| 316 | ≤0.045 | ≤1.00 | ≤2.00 | ≤0.045 | ≤0.030 | 10.00-14.00 | 16.00-18.00 | 2.00-3.00 |
| 316L | ≤0.030 | ≤1.00 | ≤2.00 | ≤0.045 | ≤0.030 | 12.00-15.00 | 16.00-18.00 | 2.00-3.00 |
| 430 | ≤0.12 | ≤0.75 | ≤1.00 | ≤0.040 | ≤0.030 | ≤0.60 | 16.00-18.00 | - |
| 430A | ≤0.06 | ≤0.50 | ≤0.50 | ≤0.030 | ≤0.50 | ≤0.25 | 14.00-17.00 | - |
Selecting a Grade
Grade 304 covers general weaving, mesh and forming work; 304L and 316L trade a little strength for weldability; 316 adds molybdenum for chloride and acid service; 430 is the economical ferritic option where corrosion exposure is mild. Independent technical resources on stainless steel families and their applications are published by the Stainless Steel Industry of North America. If your application involves repeated flexing — rope, springs, conveyor weaving — tell us, and we will recommend temper and tensile range as well as grade.
Stainless Production Context
In its 27 February 2026 production release, worldstainless reported global stainless steel melt shop output of 64.2 million tonnes in 2025, up 2.1% on 2024. Asia produced 55.3 million tonnes, up 2.7%; the European Union produced 5.7 million tonnes, down 1.9%; and the United States produced 2.1 million tonnes, up 7.6%. China's output was 40 868 thousand tonnes, up 3.6%. These figures describe melt shop production, not the availability of a particular wire grade, diameter or temper. Use them as industry context while keeping the material and dimensional requirements of an individual wire specification separate.
Packing and Related Products
Wire ships on spools, in coils or in cut lengths, with moisture-proof export packing. Much of our wire goes straight into our own products: see plain weave wire mesh, stainless welded wire mesh and stainless steel wire netting. Send diameter, grade, temper, quantity and spool preference through the Specification Guide form for a same-week quotation.