Something to ponder while watching the snow.

I have a 20 year old steel cutter with original wire rigging. Ted
Brewer design.

The orignal owner fitted it out with all 1/4" 316 standing rigging.

I'm thinking of changing out part of the rigging, the back stay and fore
stay. It all looks good but just because.............

Anyway two questions:

1. Supposed I change out the wire, these are the two longest, and then
save the used wire as emergency wire. The wire fails at the bottom
connection so wack off 6" and the rest is good! No? New bottles etc.
of course.

2. Ted Brewer recently wrote in Good Old Boat about standing rigging and
is apparently partial to 304 vs 316. That does not seem to be
conventional wisdom, yet consider the source. So what say you, 304 does
have more strength for the same weight and windage. What are the
detractors and how severe?

Many thanks,

Howard