The design is as follows, the body is cast non-ferrous metal and the handles are chrome steel with a nice knurled end for grip. The die fits snugly in the center and has three slotted thumbscrews to secure the die to the die. I used mine to trace multiple threads from 7/8 to 14 and it worked really well. The die is too short for cutting new threads in large diameter material, but works for new threads up to 1/2 inch. Overall this is a really good tool for the money.