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Searching for Corrosion Resistant and Wear Resistant Hand Tool Finishes [California] 

September 29, 2009

We are looking for hand tool finish options that are highly resistant to corrosion and wear or marring. Black Zinc-Iron finishes are of interest but We also have need of matt finishes in other than black.

William Mohr
Hand Tool Developer - San Jose, CA., USA

If you take a trip to your local DIY store and have a look at other mf hand tools and see how they are finished. I am 100% sure that they will be coated in various shades and gloss levels (even mtallic finishes)all being achieved by having them powder coated.

Terry Hickling Martex Paints Ltd    Birmingham, UK

Hi, Terry. What part of what kind of hand tool? Hammers, pliers, screw drivers, ratchets, etc. are all electroplated, not powder coated :-)

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.  finishing.com Brick, New Jersey

The only finishes I regularly see on tools is chrome plate and on some of the custom specialty tools I use bluing and color case hardening. None of these finishes come in different colors and bluing and case hardening last until you get the tool wet or handle it. I think you may have to resort to chrome. It seems that most other toolmakers use it. There must be a reason for that.

Rod Henrickson     gunsmith Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Everything is relative unless specific units that are measurable are included.
When you say "highly" corrosion resistant and wear resistant, you fairly nearly limit yourself to chrome plating or electroless nickel.
Everything else is less! So, you need to decide what you really want.
Zinc is the easiest to dye several colors. You can use different vinyl colors or plastic inserts to give color.

James Watts
- FL