I've recently polished part of a necklace I had printed in SS to a really nice shine using a metal file, I'm curious if this exposes the metal to potential rust, and if I should put a coating of, say, clear nail polish over it? I know it says "stainless" steel, I'm just wanting to be safe. Thanks!
It is a composite of stainless steel alloy and bronze alloy. The stainless steel will resist oxidation while the bronze will readily oxidize. You could clear coat it to keep it looking the way it is now, but I'll bet the oxidation or tarnishing wouldn't be noticeable for at least a year.
The SS material will definitely rust when exposed to moisture and will also react to skin oils and acids. The stainless alloy used in the print media is not as highly corrosion resitant as other SS alloys. Also something about the nature of the thermal process and the fact it is a bi-metal composite all contribute to the corrosion factor. SO, definitely use a high grade acrylic clear coat for anything exposed to the weather or human skin.