Stainless steel has demonstrated a reduced tendency to gall. The corrosion resistance of iron-chromium alloys was first recognized in 1821 by French metallurgist Pierre Berthier, who noted their resistance against attack by some acids and suggested their use in cutlery. Metallurgists of the 19th century were unable to produce the combination of low carbon and high chromium found in most modern stainless steels, and the high-chromium alloys they could produce were too brittle to be practical. In 1872, the Englishmen John T. Woods and John Clark patented a "Water Resistant" alloy in Britain, that would today be considered a stainless steel. In
The Stainless Steel Rat outfoxed by the mysterious "Special Corps" — a crime-fighting organisation staffed with former criminals — and recruited by them in order to fight crime. Harrison used the story, with minor modifications, as the introduction to the series' first full-length novel, also called "The Stainless Steel Rat". Like other characters created by Harrison, the Rat is a speaker of Esperanto and advocates atheism. There are 13 works in the Stainless Steel Rat series. Based on information in "The Stainless Steel Rat Saves the World" it is possible to work out when the timeline is set: James is sent 32,598 years into