old school question

[south pier garage]

why are a substantial number of toolboxes & cabinets finished in red?

i tried to do a search but ended up reading a bunch of threads and figured i would lose track of my question.

i understand there are black/ blue/ variations, but there must be a reason the "big boys" roll with red.

personally, my favorite is the old craftsman brand hammered grey tool boxes.

thanks

 

[Garage_Mahal]

I'd love to know the answer to this too. My entire garage is being decked out in "toolbox red"

 

[ImportTuner]

Good question .. wish I knew I have red and black ..

 

[HandyManny]

Not sure I look in my shop and garage and see most of my tool boxes and chests are red as well, with the exception of an older portable USA made Stanley tool box that's black with 3 yellow pullout drawers.

I recall growning up seeing my dad had a couple portable tool boxes and a tool chest that was greyish. In fact they were the older grey Craftsman tool boxes, hammered.

Maybe the red all has to do with visibility purposes? I don't know.

 

[-B-]

Here is one theory I have heard it is because shops use to be very poorly lit it was easier to see the tools with a contrast in colors.

 

[jeep44]

No theory, but when I started my Diemaking apprenticeship 30 years ago, all the machinist trades like Toolmakers,Diemakers, and Machine Repair had brown (Kennedy) boxes. The mechanics, like Millwrights, had red boxes.