A continuous process line for converting hot rolled stainless steel strip to final gauge product is provided. The stainless steel strip has a scale formed on the surface thereof. The steel strip is introduced to a rolling mill to reduce the thickness of the hot rolled stainless steel to a final gauge thickness and tolerance. The rolling mill also cracks the scale on the surface of the final gauge thickness strip. An annealing section anneals the final gauge thickness strip received from the rolling mill. A pickling section pickles the annealed strip from the annealing section and removes the scale from the surface. Preferably, a molten salt bath section provided between the annealing section and the pickling section conditions the scale cracked in the cold rolling section and passes the conditioned stainless steel to the pickling section.