Old hand tool plating / coatings?

[EOC_Jason]

I see people mention in threads sometimes the old coatings used on tools, guess I should have committed it to memory better because searching has not turned up anything...

Before chrome (or during war time) what was some of the other plating they did on hand tools? I'm guessing cadmium as one maybe?

 

[T45]

black oxide is the classic answer...nickel plating is the other...never personally seen cadmium except on hardware, but maybe there are still some folks using it

you still see both finishes in the market in various guises. the original knipex pliers wrench is nickel plated. and apparently so are the later-stage cman usa 'chrome' sockets...nickel has a sort of off-silver colour with yellowish color-temp vs the blue-ish silver of true chrom.

 

[GTIDriver]

Cadmium particulate is very dangerous to breathe in, correct? How can I tell what type of coating is on my tools? I have a number of older hand tools (mid century) that i'd like to clean up on a wire wheel, but I obviously don't want to jeopardize my health.

 

[Air21]

Cadmium plated Snap On hand tools? Not only do you get raped by the price but it comes with a side of cancer!

 

[T45]

Cadmium plated Snap On hand tools? Not only do you get raped by the price but it comes with a side of cancer!

$2 a$$ ******

 

[EOC_Jason]

What prompted me to ask initially is I have some old =V= Craftsman wrenches, they just don't look chrome plated... Maybe they are? What do you guys think?

 

[jumbojak]

I'm not aware of cadmium being dangerous to handle, only breathe though I could be wrong. Personally, I wouldn't worry about it unless I planned on modifying the tool.

 

[nickleone]

The surplus store in Denver CO has a lot of WW2 surplus tools.
Most seem to be OD. Some have a black coating.
I have bought some.

Nick

 

[Gmonkee]

Bare steel, jappaning, plating in cad, zinc, nickel and chrome in hex and tri formulas.

Then painted or black oxide as well as the anodized color stuff.

My stocks have a lot of bare steel in the display case with a spattering of nickel plating. I like to keep it earlier than 1930. Nickel plate meant you were getting the top line stuff of the day because it would resist rusting.

All depending on what you consider vintage tools.