Copy of Specular Grinders: XRF-Verified 304 Stainless Steel
Saying "304 stainless steel" is easy. SHOWING it is different.
Anyone can put "food-grade stainless steel" on a product description, but it doesn't mean that their product is actually made from 304 stainless. We had our flagship grinder, the Specular OG1, independently tested by professionals, on camera, using an X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) analyzer and we've published the reports here. The professional analysis identified the material of the OG1 grinder as SS-304, a grade of stainless steel widely used in food processing and kitchen applications. Here are the details.
The OG1 under a handheld XRF analyzer. Handheld XRF (X-Ray Fluorescence) is used for alloy verification in aerospace, manufacturing, and industrial quality control. Full test, two separate runs, no cuts in the video documentation.
Firstly, What is 304 stainless steel?
We should first explain the basic distinction between food-grade 304 stainless steel versus standard 303 stainless steel, so that readers can understand why testing our metals is important in the first place.
303 is a free-machining grade of stainless steel. The main difference with 303 is that sulfur is mixed into the alloy specifically to make it faster and cheaper to machine. However, the additives reduces the metal's toughness, ductility, and resistance to corrosion over time. This is most commonly seen as small dark "pits" on the surface of the metal that grow larger or rust over time.
304 stainless steel, or SS-304, does not use those softening additives, so it is a tougher, more ductile, and more corrosion-resistant metal. This means that 304 stainless steel costs more and it takes longer to machine but it performs much better in the long term. You'll see this most commonly in the superior surface quality of the metal over time. This is why SS-304 is used in culinary applications and why we choose to make our stainless steel grinders from SS-304.
| Element | XRF measurements | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Fe (Iron) | 71.2–71.6% | The primary base metal in stainless steel. |
| Cr (Chromium) | 17.18–17.25% | A key alloying element responsible for stainless steel’s corrosion resistance. |
| Ni (Nickel) | 7.99–8.47% | Our readings show substantially lower manganese and higher nickel than the composition typically associated with Type 201. |
| Mn (Manganese) | 1.80–1.96% | Low manganese. |
| S (Sulfur) | 0.111% | 0.111% reported on the mid-piece in one small-spot reading, which carries larger measurement uncertainty; the instrument still identified that component as SS-304. Full bulk chemistry, including sulfur and carbon, would require an appropriate laboratory chemistry method. |
| Pb, Cd, Sb | Not detected | Lead, cadmium, and antimony were not detected in the XRF readings. |
What XRF testING IS
We used XRF testing on all components of our finished, packaged product — the same OG1 grinder we ship to customers. XRF stands for X-ray fluorescence. The analyzer uses XRF to measure detectable elements in the metal and compares the resulting composition against an alloy library, providing rapid, nondestructive material identification.
Handheld XRF is used for alloy verification in aerospace, manufacturing, and industrial quality control. Our readings were collected using a Thermo Fisher Scientific Niton XL3 handheld XRF analyzer.
WHY WE TESTED OUR METAL
We got burned before we built the OG1. You buy something marketed as "premium" stainless, and six months later it looks dull, feels tacky, or starts to rust. And the "premium" material claim was never checked or proven by anyone.
Even though we source our materials from trusted sources, we wanted to provide proof to our customers that our marketing claims are legit. So we hired an independent lab to test and verify our metal. The XRF analyzer identified the tested material in our finished product as SS-304. Then we tested the components individually — lid, grinding body, collection chamber — and got the same identification. SS-304, verified food-grade stainless steel.
The certificate
This is the actual document provided by the testing lab. The short version: the analyzer identified SS-304 on the tested components, and sulfur, lead, cadmium, and antimony were not detected in any meaningful amount in the reported readings.
XRF Certificate of Verification — Thermo Fisher Scientific Niton XL3
Tested twice. Consistent results.
Two handheld XRF tests, run separately. Readings agree within a few tenths of a percent.
XRF test 1: assembled components
Top + bottom pieces · SS-304 identified · match value 0.00
XRF test 2: on camera, disassembled
Components tested individually · SS-304 identified
We also used a second, totally different analytical method, SEM-EDS electron microscopy, which independently examined the surfaces and elements. We've documented this in Part 2 of our report for those who want to get really nerdy. See Part 2: Under the Microscope →
How to read these numbers, straight up
The measured chromium and nickel values should be interpreted as handheld XRF measurements, not as a mill chemistry certification. The instrument's alloy identification reported SS-304 on every component tested. What the identification establishes: the instrument identified the tested material as stainless steel, with an SS-304 alloy identification, and lead, cadmium, and antimony were not detected in the reported readings. We publish the complete test documentation so you can read them yourself.
SS-304 VERIFIED Using XRF Testing
The Specular OG1 grinder is precision-machined from metal tested and identified as SS-304. We've made the test reports public.
See the OG1 Part 2: Under the Microscope