On a drivetrain with a steel chain and steel cogs, why wouldn't you want to use a steel chainring?

Most chainrings on the market are made from aluminum, which is 35% softer than stainless steel. A softer metal means a shorter lifespan. Enter the Surly Stainless Steel chainring, made from 304 grade stainless. You can now have an all-steel drivetrain that will love you long time. Stainless, as it's name implies, is a rust and corrosion-resistant alloy steel that is known for it's toughness. Like all things mechanical, it will eventually wear out. When it does, simply flip the chainring around and you'll get another lifespan out of it.

Surly's chainring is ideal for single-speed, fixed gear and tandem timing chain applications or even internal gear hub, 1x8 or 1x9 drivetrains. It is not ramped or pinned for shifting assistance, so shifting will be a bit slower if using these with a front derailleur.
Surly's 94mm BCD chainrings are made with a 2.2-2.3mm thick stock plate and work best with 5-8 speed chains. Many folks are using these on 9 speed drivetrains but this can often results in a "tight fit" right out of the box (This will loosen up and shifting should improve after the chain breaks in).