Abstract: An austenitic stainless steel which is completely or practically completely austenitic in a hot worked, solution treated state, with properties characteristic for such steel and with a corrosion resistance clearly superior to the AISI 304 type of 18/8-steel, at least on a par with AISI 316 type of acid resistant steel 17/12-2Mo. The steel consists essentially of less than 0.10% C, less than 1.5% Si, between 0.10 and 0.30% Mn, between 17 and 20% Cr, between 6 and 16% Ni, between 2.0 and 4.0% Cu, less than 0.40% N, less than 1.0% Ti, less than 1.5% Nb and less than 100 ppm B, the balance being iron and impurities such as S, P and Mo usually present in steel.