Service over modern SS wire
 

I'd like to serve the bottom 6 feet or so of my shrouds. 7mm 1x19 316 stainless, with Norseman terminals. Previously, I've only served galvanized wire and fibre rope; I'm curious if there's any caveats to observe before laying onto that stainless.
Had planned to lsaturate with Lanocote or such, parcel with the gooiest friction tape I could find, serve with seine twine, and slush with one or more of my favourite tarry recipes.
Would it be a bad or good idea to butt the service hard against the terminals? Anything more modern I might think of applying beneath the parcelling/as the parcelling?

Thanks,

Yuri

I'm interested in the response here as it's sort of contrary to what I've always heard about stainless wire. Hopefully people much more qualified than I will have some insight. I am curious though... Why are you serving the wire? Is this for appearances or do you have something else going on?

It is not good practice to deprive stainless steel of oxygen because it needs oxygen to achieve passivation - the chemistry for its corrosion resistance. It is especially bad practice to do so with stresses present (as in tensioned shrouds) and in a chloride-rich environment (sea water). And while a passive layer is formed early, it is a continuing process. Parceling, where applied, would keep oxygen from reaching the stainless steel.

One of the benefits of stainless steel shrouds, IMO, is the fact that they do not need to be parceled. For if one is prudent about inspecting one's rigging, parceling must be removed and re-applied.

If your desire is for appearance, as Matthew questioned, perhaps another approach can be considered.

I'm wanting to serve the shrouds for a couple reasons: for better grip in hand, and as chafing gear against the lifelines and aloft at the spreader tips. The Herreshoff method of securing the spreader tips appeals to me, and is lauded in The Apprentice.
In "The Comforts of Service" section of The Apprentice, Brion makes reference to several other fine application for service on modern boats; clearly, full service is most appropriate for galvinized wire, but no distinct advice against patch-service of stainless is in evidence. Further reference is made to stainless wire service over stainless wire rope, with all the attendant lanolin, parcelling, etc., without any further dire warnings.
I'm assuming (a dangerous thing, I know) that the goal is to utterly exclude all moisture along with the air in order to prevent corrosion. Wooden or plastic rollers/sleeves at the bottom of the shrouds slip and twist in hand, as well as trap moisture, whereas service "bulks up" thin wire nicely, and lends security and comfort when going forward.

SS and corrosion
 

Gosh , that is a very interesting question, and I too am interested in hearing from someone who has done it !

Luckly enough, I have never opened one of my used sta-loks (sp-?) to find any corrosion, evidenced by rust, inside, and I guess that is because the caulking I used during assembly, effectively eliminated any sea water from getting inside.

If serving and parceling elininate sea water penetration, I would suspect no corrosion would start,,,,,, but there might be a problem at the very ends of the serving, or at the interface of the serving and unserved bare ss wire.

A curious mind here,,,, Douglas