Tools, what is under the chrome?

[tcreeley]

I have a new bumper pull horse trailer- this spring, and I was taking the tires off and doing some undercoating. It didn't come with a tire wrench or jack, so I got the wrench from the dealer and the jack elsewhere.
So today I've got it up in the air and am taking off the third tire using the tire wrench - really a 1/2" socket wrench with a sliding handle that allows you to increase leverage. Not a brand name, and made in China. As I am pulling the 13/16ths deep socket (separate buy) on and off I noticed that the tire wrench looked a little less shiny on the end. I looked closely, and the chrome was worn off the eges and the color of copper was shining back up at me!
So is this a tire wrench made of copper? some alloy? Is it as tough as steel? I think I need to start looking for another wrench!

Anybody else see this- chrome plaited copper tools that are made to look like steel?

 

[adventure bob]

Its a layer of copper added to the metal to allow the chrome plate to adhere better. When done right it increases the surface adhesion of the chrome plate. When the chrome goes on thin, you see the copper. The tool isn't made of copper, its just another plated substrate.

 

[OldMasterTech]

Its a layer of copper added to the metal to allow the chrome plate to adhere better. When done right it increases the surface adhesion of the chrome plate. When the chrome goes on thin, you see the copper. The tool isn't made of copper, its just another plated substrate.

Exactly what Bob said. If a leverage tool was made of copper it wouldn't make it past the first use.

 

[DFB]

Chroming is done so cheaply too today. At one time a layer of nickel was applied over the copper before the chrome. The quality of 40 year old HD chrome far surpasses most offshore work you find on parts today. I worked in plating shop many years ago.

 

[jaotguy]

steel bar with a copper coating ... the copper is used to make it easy to polish out imperfections before plating .... not to make the plating stick better ...

in either case , the unit wasn't plated correctly ... just a visual thing ....

 

[tcreeley]

That's good to know that there is steel underneath it all! I can live with that. I was kind've disappointed that I was going to be replacing it, works well.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

We have an old Soda Fountain Oak table and bent wire chair set that I'm guessing is about 100 years old. It was in pretty bad shape when we got it, so I re-finished the Oak and repainted the bent wire frames after removing all of the finish/paint. I noticed the same phenomenon, i.e., steel with a coating of Copper. I don't know if the original finish was a black Chrome plating, or some other kind of plating, or just paint. In any case, it's painted now.

 

[300UGUY]

Chroming is done so cheaply too today. At one time a layer of nickel was applied over the copper before the chrome. The quality of 40 year old HD chrome far surpasses most offshore work you find on parts today. I worked in plating shop many years ago.

I worked for the Cadillac Motor Car Company. Our plating was copper / nickel / chrome. Cheaper cars skipped either copper or nickel, I forgot which.

 

[caver]

I thought you were gonna say it was chrome plated plastic under the wrench.

 

[CrownHawg]

That's good to know that there is steel underneath it all! I can live with that. I was kind've disappointed that I was going to be replacing it, works well.

If it was solid copper, I'd buy it from for a small price!!