Stainless steel plate flat bars are sheared to width, and then have had their edges treated to remove sharp edges and improve their performance and appearance.Sheared and edge treated bars are not as exact on squareness as true flat bar, but are a lower cost option when squareness and edge finish are not a main requirement. Tolerances on width are +/-0.093 inch.304 stainless steel is a type of austenitic stainless steel that contains 18% chromium and 8% nickel. It is the most common grade of stainless steel and is widely used in a variety of applications due to its excellent corrosion resistance, high temperature resistance, and good formability and weldability.