Just when you thought it was safe to forget about the maniacally frustrating Rubik's Cude, Lu Laboratories have cursed us with a new one!! (actually it's really rather nice). Their original design had more corrosion resistant metal alloys (approximately 304 or 316), however Lu Laboratories eventually decided to use 303 instead, due to these alloys being too "tough and gummy".
After careful planning combined with CNC and lathe know-how, Lu Laboratories was able to create a gorgeous ornate Rubik's Cube; with custom engravings that are filled with enamel paint. The cube weighs roughly 3 pounds (1.4kg), with the designer commenting that solving it would be "more a test of the wrists than of the mind!".
Between the relief grooves, the contours under the face centres, and the closer tolerances, the cube is far smoother and neater than the aluminium one. All the corner and edge pieces fit snugly without significant play. That does mean the faces must be better aligned to turn, but nobody would try speed cubing with this anyway.
How far Stainless Steel can be pushed in design and fabrication is of constant fascination to us. That's why at DSM we're continually developing and designing, from Stainless Steel Worktops to Stainless Steel Splashbacks.