Stainless steel 18-8 cotter pin fastens material together, similar to a staple or rivet, by locking clevis pins, slotted nuts, and other fasteners. The general-purpose 18-8 stainless steel type resists corrosion in a range of applications. Pin has two easy-to-open prongs, with one longer than the other.

Stainless steels are used for their corrosion resistance, high-temperature strength, scaling resistance, and low-temperature toughness. These properties account for their wide use in practically every industry. Stainless steel 18-8 denotes 18% chromium and 8% nickel.

A cotter pin is a metal fastener with two prongs that are bent during installation. Typically made of wire with a half-circular cross section, cotter pins may be used in some applications as low-tech shear pins.