Some of that can be blamed on the tree huggers. Lots of materials and finishes we used to take for granted are no longer RHOS or EPA compliant and so inferior coatings, plastics, and chemicals take their place. Some of it is driven by cost, but in the past few years it's also been driven by artificial shortages caused by over-regulation (or poorly managed regulation) holding certain products hostage. Nylon 6/6 became rare as gold due to some political shenanigans and lots of companies shifted to straight nylon 6 (inferior) or some other material - none of which are better than 6/6 unless you pay an ungodly premium for it.
On metals, good chromate went out the window. It was a great corrosion inhibitor. Hard chrome has also disappeared to a significant degree. Only a few dwindling number of places offer it, and only under 'grandfathered' operating licenses.
Soft touch materials universally suck, but the younger generation has been coddled with rubber on every 'touch point' since birth, and so designers feel they're necessary even on hard-use items. They're NOT. Soft materials are weaker by their very nature, and none are completely impervious to chemicals. Only a few can resist hydraulic fluids, and only one or two can resist DEET and hydraulic fluids.
I wish tool makers would build some of today's good tech (high voltage lithium batteries and brushless motors) into cast magnesium housings finished with hexavalent chromate. Best of both worlds, IMO. But then our tools would last more than a few years and they'd likely go out of business.
