304 SS 7 x 19 Wire Rope - 3/8" Dia. (12,000 lb Min. BL)

Used when flexibility and fatigue resistance are important.
Because of its fine wires, the best uses for 7 x 19 wire rope are applications where abrasion is not too severe and tight bending is required.
Aircraft controls, running rigging on sailboats, exercise equipment, winches and garage doors are all common applications.

Having the thinnest strands, and being in the middle as far as metallic cross-section, 7 x 19 is in the middle as far as strength, but is the most flexible among the 3 common marine wire rope braids: 1 x 19, 7 x 7, and 7 x 19.

• Price is per foot; full spools are 500 ft
• Note: BL (nominal breaking strength) and weight (lb/100 ft) are approximate
• Rule of thumb is for the application load not to exceed 20% of the breaking load


Heavy on the technical side...

Which alloy to choose?
If you have a choice between the most common marine stainless steel alloys — 304 and 316 — which should you choose?

304* is the stronger (by about 15%) and more economical of the two alloys commonly used for rigging. In the middle range of corrosion resistance provided by stainless steels, it is often used for rigging on boats in cooler climates, like the Pacific Northwest of the United States.
316 stainless steel alloy provides increased corrosion resistance at the cost of some strength. It is the alloy of choice for rigging — especially in tropical climates where higher temperatures and saltwater combine to make corrosion a significant concern.

*304 stainless steel is also referred to as "18/8", denoting its 18% chromium and 8% nickel components.
316 alloy adds 2 -3% molybdenum to the basic 304 formulation to increase resistance to pitting caused by chlorides.
Reference: ASM Specialty Handbook - Stainless Steels; ASM International, 1994