Stainless steel even polished to high sheen still have it's light grey that most stainless steel has. Aluminum softer and galls "blackened marks" easily, won't hold sheen long unless clear-coated. Whitish in color on fresh cuts. Steel rusts, tend to be bit lighter grey and more duller if acid-etched to passivate it. Often looks yellowish tint on stamped items. In terms of machinablity I like aluminum especially with hand tools if mid-strengh requires this. But overall, I prefer brass for ease of machining by machine and gives clean cuts, doesn't galls as much and less prone to rust that steel suffers. Stainless steel is POOR in structual parts where there's active loads even light ones and wearablity is also not as good. OT: Remind me to tell that, not great idea to cook with potmetal/aluminum containing cookwares except copper is perfectly fine but not with acidic foods. That is where stainless steel comes in (poor cooking heat except thoses that has copper or aluminum bottom welded on. Also cast iron or ceramic erameled cookwares is fine for this. Wizard