First Post: Vintage vs new steel?

[pcm81]

I am starting to build up a set of snapon tools (sockets, wrenches and other "dumb" tools.) With most of manufacturers going offshore, including snapon, i am curious about your opinions of the quality of the steel used in modern snapon tools vs vintage snapon tools. I like the feel and ergonomic shape of old wrenches better than the new ones, as I am sure there are many people that prefer one vs the other. Personal preference aside for ergonomics, shape of the logo etc, what is the story about quality of the steel used in new tools vs vintage tools? I know that craftsman tools became bulkier because of cheaper Chinese steel, snapon seems to still be thinner and more ergonomic, however does anyone have a definitive answer regarding vintage US steel vs new offshore steel in snapon product line?

I have couple old socket sets, which have plating flake off and rust pitting. I know the local snapon guy, and could easily swap them sockets for new ones, or i could acid clean the chrome plating off and the EN plate the sockets... I don't mind the hassle of EN plating the old sockets if the new (offshore) ones i get in return are actually lower quality steel than old US made ones.

Thanks ahead

[snapmom]

This would be a good topic to post on the Garage Journal site.
My opinion is that the SO tools from the late 40s were the best, but the plating was not.

[bcedrone]

As the 20th century progressed, tool companies were trying to make better and better tools; or maybe it was just a marketing idea. Many older tools I have collected say "chrome" or "alloy" or "forged" or "drop-forged" on them. Some say what their alloy was such as chrome vanadium. Chrome was added to the steel itself (not plating) to make it stronger. Like the chains that held King Kong...Chrome steel, although he still broke them. I don't remember Snap-On having anything on the tool itself to indicate some special alloy. Many of them were and still are drop-forged for extra strength. Some vintage tools will say a particular alloy on them. For example Bonney tools sometimes had "Bonaloy" on them or Armstrong would use the term "Armaloy".
I am sure Snap-On had their own formula as well. Did the catalogs say anything about that?