Fascination with black chrome tools?

[Heavymetalmechanic]

I am trying to wrap my head around the fascination with black chrome tools. I have had to work with them while helping friends and family. They are next to impossible to find in low light conditions or if dropped into a confined area. They must be marketed towards a certain population I guess. Anyone have thoughts on this?

 

[Gmonkee]

I try to buy black chrome or black oxide when there is an option. I just prefer the black over chrome.

I guess not working in the dark/low light much avoids one issue. The loss into tiny corners eats them all even if they were dayglow pink.

 

[jjjrmx5]

Yes.

Fad.
And marketing/OMG something new.

Found on a lot of Stanley tools/kits IIRC sold at Walmart beginning last year . There were a few threads on the matter.

Not bad based on mfg. process but there is a reason there are so few made.

 

[Heavymetalmechanic]

It guess I can understand the market of users that has them for a home garage, where you have good light and no time constraints for project completion. It is the same principle as tools with very tiny size lables, if you are familiar with a particular tool set it will not slow you down but you have to deal with the learning curve.

That said, a full kit of black or blue chrome does look very **** in a nice clean tool box...

 

[Heavymetalmechanic]

I have a set of hand tools I take on my side jobs or out 4x4ing that has all the SAE tools spray painted fluorescent orange and all the metric fluorescent yellow. It makes a huge difference when you are laying on your back in the snow at 2am on a gravel shoulder. "Hand me the three biggest yellow wrenches please." makes it easier for me and the spouse/friend/client who is helping. Good point on losing small sockets too the black holes in an engine compartment, I love my locking wratchets and extensions, I also use a wrist strap that attaches to wrenches/pliers/screw drivers.

 

[ChevyEFI]

Someone had a Ko-Ken ratchet on eBay a while back that looked damn good in industrial finish.

Not my thing; I hate black wheels too. But it was good photography if nothing else.

 

[Packard V8]

Guess I've just been lucky, because I've been using industrial black finish tools for forty years without losing any more of them than the chromies.

A bit OT, but in the rare times I've lost a tool, it's always when the job was a rush, at night and there were helpers. Those three situations will increase tool loss if there was a strobe attached to them. That's why aircraft service has such stringent rules about a defined space for each tool and a checklist inventory after each use.

jack vines

 

[SMKS]

I am trying to wrap my head around the fascination with black chrome tools. I have had to work with them while helping friends and family. They are next to impossible to find in low light conditions or if dropped into a confined area. They must be marketed towards a certain population I guess. Anyone have thoughts on this?

Who's "fascinated" with them? I don't see them mentioned that much.

What quality tools are even offered in black chrome? I see quality tools in black industrial finish, but black chrome I mostly see on gimmicky or low-end tools.

 

[DEMAYO]

I bought one of those Husky Black chrome tool cases. I think it was 150 pc.

For some reason the tools turn your hand black, too.

I was just fascinated with black chrome tools. I dunno why.