Stainless steels are chromium containing steel alloys, the minimum chromium content of the standardised stainless steels is 10.5%. The better corrosion resistance is due to a chromium oxide film that...
It is the incorporation of a good bit of chromium that makes steel into stainless steel. The presence of chromium in steel alloys allows them to resist chemical attack better than "regular" steels.
Stainless steel itself is made in an electric arc furnace. Carbon electrodes blast currents through scraps of steel. The scraps of steel can be mixed with other elements than chromium, such as...