Short answer: Buyers typically use a magnet, a spark test or chemical test kits and increasingly a handheld analyser that reads the alloy composition in a second or two, which tells them the grade and whether it is the more valuable 316, and they price on the result, so a load that is already sorted by magnet and described honestly passes quickly and is paid at the right grade.
Stainless sorted? Compare offers from verified buyers.
List Free →Magnet and spark
Quick checks that separate the main families.
Chemical kits
Spot tests that show the presence of molybdenum and other elements.
Analysers
Handheld devices read the composition directly and give the grade.
How ScrapTrade Fits In
ScrapTrade buyers test on arrival, so your price reflects what they find.
Stainless is worth sorting. ScrapTrade connects you with verified buyers, transparent weighing and escrow-protected payments.
List or Find Scrap on ScrapTrade →Practical answers on telling stainless steel grades apart, keeping them separate from mild steel and selling them well.