I decided I needed a set of wrenches to adjust/set-up my bench tools, so I ordered a
set from Harbor Freight. Made in India. "chrome vanadium". They finally arrive (HF
SOP) and they look good, but I found that on one the "chrome" was flaking off. Is
this simply a sign of bad manufacturing? I don't know ... is chrome just applied, so
if it is applied badly, it flakes off? Or, does this mean, somehow, that whatever
"chrome vanadium" is, the term is wrongly applied to these wrenches?
Of course, this may be just another HF story. Any comments? Thanks.
BTW, I added things up and realized that >10% of the stuff shows up DOA in one way or
another. I ordered some of their pistol grip clamps. Two different versions of the
18" clamps showed up, one with a broken grip. On the 12" clamps, two of the same
version but one had a broken grip. It's starying to be like a pot-luck trunk sale,
but with return privileges.
I am a metallurgist.
"Chrome-Vanadium" is not any sort of official designation used in
metallurgy. It is entirely a marketing term.
Chrome is used in stainless steel to give corrosion resistance, but you
generally need at least 12% to make it stainless. If you see "18-8"
stainless, it is 18% Cr and 8% Ni. In smaller quantities, it does some
strengthening, but it's not very effective.
Vanadium is used for strengthening and hardenability. But I'm sure
that some of the crap that says it has vanadium has nowhere near enough
to get those jobs done.
If the tool is being upfront with what it is made of, it will give an
SAE/AISI designation or a brand name from the supplier.
"Chrome Vanadium" means nothing. If these things are Cr plated and it
is flaking off already, it is probably junk.
In article <[email protected]>, Igor
<[email protected]> wrote:
> I decided I needed a set of wrenches to adjust/set-up my bench tools, so I
> ordered a
> set from Harbor Freight. Made in India. "chrome vanadium". They finally
> arrive (HF
> SOP) and they look good, but I found that on one the "chrome" was flaking
> off. Is
> this simply a sign of bad manufacturing? I don't know ... is chrome just
> applied, so
> if it is applied badly, it flakes off? Or, does this mean, somehow, that
> whatever
> "chrome vanadium" is, the term is wrongly applied to these wrenches?
>
> Of course, this may be just another HF story. Any comments? Thanks.
>
> BTW, I added things up and realized that >10% of the stuff shows up DOA in
> one way or
> another. I ordered some of their pistol grip clamps. Two different versions
> of the
> 18" clamps showed up, one with a broken grip. On the 12" clamps, two of the
> same
> version but one had a broken grip. It's starying to be like a pot-luck trunk
> sale,
> but with return privileges.
Chrome Vanadium is the standard in tools. All the big names in tools use forged CV.
That's why HF put it on their tools.
I bought a couple of 1/2 deep sockets from HF. One lasted a couple of bolts at 80 lb/ft
before it cracked. I didn't even bother to go and get a free replacement from them.
My guess is that they chrome plated some cheap base metal with Vanadium as impurity, and
called it CV.
Igor wrote:
> I decided I needed a set of wrenches to adjust/set-up my bench tools, so I ordered a
> set from Harbor Freight. Made in India. "chrome vanadium". They finally arrive (HF
> SOP) and they look good, but I found that on one the "chrome" was flaking off. Is
> this simply a sign of bad manufacturing? I don't know ... is chrome just applied, so
> if it is applied badly, it flakes off? Or, does this mean, somehow, that whatever
> "chrome vanadium" is, the term is wrongly applied to these wrenches?
>
> Of course, this may be just another HF story. Any comments? Thanks.
>
> BTW, I added things up and realized that >10% of the stuff shows up DOA in one way or
> another. I ordered some of their pistol grip clamps. Two different versions of the
> 18" clamps showed up, one with a broken grip. On the 12" clamps, two of the same
> version but one had a broken grip. It's starying to be like a pot-luck trunk sale,
> but with return privileges.
I wouldn't do any heavy tourqing with them, especially with the open end. I
haven't used any HF wrenches, but am familiar with cheap, chromed ones. The
open end can start "spreading" or break on some. They are good for light
duty, throw-away<sp> or specialized "chopped" configurations. My Craftsman
hand tools do the heavy-duty stuff at home and work.
By all means though, hang on to 'em. It's always helpful having extra tools.
<snip>
"Igor" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I decided I needed a set of wrenches to adjust/set-up my bench tools, so I
ordered a
> set from Harbor Freight.
<snip>
"Igor" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I decided I needed a set of wrenches to adjust/set-up my bench tools, so I
ordered a
> set from Harbor Freight. Made in India. "chrome vanadium". They finally
arrive (HF
> SOP) and they look good, but I found that on one the "chrome" was flaking
off. Is
> this simply a sign of bad manufacturing? I don't know ... is chrome just
applied, so
> if it is applied badly, it flakes off? Or, does this mean, somehow, that
whatever
> "chrome vanadium" is, the term is wrongly applied to these wrenches?
>
> Of course, this may be just another HF story. Any comments? Thanks.
>
> BTW, I added things up and realized that >10% of the stuff shows up DOA in
one way or
> another. I ordered some of their pistol grip clamps. Two different
versions of the
> 18" clamps showed up, one with a broken grip. On the 12" clamps, two of
the same
> version but one had a broken grip. It's starying to be like a pot-luck
trunk sale,
> but with return privileges.
chrome vanadium is a bit different from chrome plating, the plating peeling
away
just means that it is a bad chrome job. chrome vanadium is the metal that
the wrench is actually forged from.
no big deal, you got what you paid for. you want a wrench to hang on the
wall buy from
HF, you want a wrench to actually use: go to sears and get a craftsman.
I buy the black wrenches and have two sets of impact sockets. I use them
hard and have no complaints. They obviously have some junk, but it's
obvious which is which when you see it in the store. Things like spring
compressors I'd never pay for elsewhere.
Wilson
"Igor" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I decided I needed a set of wrenches to adjust/set-up my bench tools, so I
ordered a
> set from Harbor Freight. Made in India. "chrome vanadium". They finally
arrive (HF
> SOP) and they look good, but I found that on one the "chrome" was flaking
off. Is
> this simply a sign of bad manufacturing? I don't know ... is chrome just
applied, so
> if it is applied badly, it flakes off? Or, does this mean, somehow, that
whatever
> "chrome vanadium" is, the term is wrongly applied to these wrenches?
>
> Of course, this may be just another HF story. Any comments? Thanks.
>
> BTW, I added things up and realized that >10% of the stuff shows up DOA in
one way or
> another. I ordered some of their pistol grip clamps. Two different
versions of the
> 18" clamps showed up, one with a broken grip. On the 12" clamps, two of
the same
> version but one had a broken grip. It's starying to be like a pot-luck
trunk sale,
> but with return privileges.