Fuller Tool Company

Table of Contents

Introduction

The Fuller Tool Company was founded in 1937 as a maker of screwdrivers and expanded to offer a line of tools for hardware stores and similar retail outlets. In the late 1950s the company was one of the pioneers in Japanese tool imports and became a significant distributor of Japanese tools.

Company History

The Fuller Tool Company was founded in May of 1937 by Bernard Fuller in Whitestone, New York, a section of Queens. (The founding date is based on the first use date in a later trademark filing.) The company's early products included screwdrivers and nut drivers.

The company was incorporated on July 26, 1946.

Fig. 1. 1944 Ad for Fuller Screwdrivers.

During the 1940s and 1950s the company advertised its screwdrivers in publications such as Hardware Age, Popular Mechanics, and Popular Science.

The scan in Fig. 1 shows an ad for Fuller "De Luxe" screwdrivers, as published on page 36 of the December 7, 1944 issue of Hardware Age.

Note that the list of sales offices below the illustration already includes an office in Montreal. Fuller Tool would later open a subsidiary in Canada, and eventually the company moved to Canada.

Tool Imports

By the late 1950s Fuller had started importing tools from several countries in Europe but especially from Japan.

Fig. 2. 1960 Notice for Fuller Adjustable Wrenches.

In 1957 Bernard Fuller attended an industrial exhibition in Tokyo and soon afterwards began importing tools from Japan. Our information on this early visit comes from the published history of KTC, who later became Fuller's most important production partner.

Currently we don't have any specific information on the Fuller's earliest imports, but it's possible that the company may have started working with Toho Kōki, a well known maker of "HIT" adjustable wrenches and other tools.

The scan in Fig. 2 shows a notice for Fuller adjustable wrenches in a merchandising stand, as published on page 28 of the October, 1960 edition of Hardware World.

The adjustable wrenches in the illustration are probably of Japanese origin.

The KTC Contract

By 1961 Fuller Tool was using the Kyoto Tool Company (KTC) of Japan as a contract manufacturer of Fuller brand tools. Production by KTC included adjustable wrenches, open-end wrenches, and combination wrenches, and the contract with Fuller Tool was important enough that KTC includes it in their online history.

KTC's published history (in Japanese) includes an interesting story of the origin of the Fuller contract. According to KTC, in 1960 Bernard Fuller visited the KTC factory in person and took some sample wrenches back with him, then upon returning home sent the wrenches to Sears Roebuck to be evaluated. As a result of this visit, in 1961 KTC and Fuller established their export agreement, and KTC supplied tools to Fuller for many years.

The tools sent to Sears for testing also had far-reaching effects, as this served as an introduction for KTC and set in motion events that would lead to the Sears "BF" series of Japanese import tools.

When we first read about Fuller providing sample tools to Sears for testing, we were surprised and a bit puzzled. Fuller was a small company selling primarily to hardware stores, and Sears (with their tool department) was a much larger competitor. Why would a small company tip off their competitor to a highly capable (but relatively unknown) Japanese manufacturer?

The answer turned out to be surprising as well. KTC's contract with Fuller was not merely an agreement to sell a certain quantity of tools at a certain price, but was in effect a business development agreement making Fuller Tool the exclusive U.S. distributor for KTC's contract production. In the early 1960s KTC was extremely interested in developing exports to the United States, and rather then just sell a few tools to a small company, they decided to help Fuller build an extensive Japanese import business, with KTC as the prime contractor.

With this new understanding, the wrenches sent to Sears were effectively a sales call, with Fuller ready to supply any quantity at attractive prices. Sears was definitely interested, and a short time later placed a sample order for adjustable wrenches. (More on this later.)

The Fuller Orient Corporation

By 1962 Fuller had established the Fuller Orient Corporation as a subsidiary to handle the growing volume of Japanese imports. We have a report that Fuller Orient hired the owner of a Japanese tool distributor as its vice-president, but haven't found independent confirmation yet.

We've found references to Fuller Orient in congressional hearings for the "Trade Expansion Act of 1962", which included an extensive weekly inventory of hand tool imports from various countries by a wide variety of companies. The weekly imports can be seen beginning on page 1975 [External Link] of the congressional hearings report.

The table below shows the imports consigned to Fuller Orient from April through June of 1962.

The weekly inventory reports for Fuller Orient show that the Japanese import business was already booming even at this early date.

The establishment of the Fuller Orient subsidiary was an important step in the transformation of Fuller Tool from a small manufacturer into a significant distributor of imported goods.

Production Contract with Toho Kōki

In 1962 Fuller Orient made a $15,000 investment in Toho Kōki, which was reported in the 1963 "Annual Report on Foreign Capital" from the Japanese Department of Trade and Industry. We take this as an indication that Fuller had an ongoing production contract with Toho Kōki, possibly dating back a number of years.

Toho Kōki is known to have supplied adjustable wrenches for the Fuller brand, and in addition supplied "Dunlap" and "Sears" brand wrenches to Sears Roebuck.

A Trial Order

By 1962 discussions with Sears Roebuck had advanced to the point that Sears placed a trial order with Fuller. Sears sometimes chose to do a test marketing experiment when evaluating a potential new vendor, and an example of this from much earlier can be seen in the "P-Circle" wrenches made by Wilde Tool in the mid 1940s.

The present trial order included adjustable wrenches, which turned out to be marked for the "Dunlap" brand. Both KTC and Toho Kōki supplied wrenches for the trial order, and examples can be seen as the [KTC] Dunlap "Japan" 6 Inch Adjustable Wrench and [Toho Kōki] Dunlap "Japan" 12 Inch Adjustable Wrench.

The test marketing was apparently a success, and soon afterwards Sears began its "BF" series of Japanese import tools.

A Visit by KTC

In 1963 Sojiro Yamazaki, one of the founders of KTC, made a visit to Fuller Orient as part of a trip to several U.S. cities.

Fig. 3. 1963 Notice for Visiting Buyer.

An announcement of the trip was found in a column for "Visiting Buyers and Officials", which listed the Fuller Orient Corporation as the local contact.

Fig. 3 shows a notice of the impending visit by Yamazaki, as published on page 28 of the October 28, 1963 issue of International Commerce.

The text notes that Sojiro Yamazaki of KTC would be in New York beginning on October 29, and would be traveling to Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Detroit.

Although we don't have further details of this trip, it's likely that KTC would have been planning to expand its production facilities to prepare for the expected high volume of orders from Sears.

Country of Origin Labeling

In 1963 the FTC issued a cease-and-desist order against Fuller for complaints including improper labeling of country of origin. The FTC order notes that at that time Fuller was importing tools from Japan, England, Holland, Italy, and Portugal.

The Sears "BF" Series

In 1964 Sears began importing tools from Japan using a "BF" manufacturer's code, which greatly expanded the market for Japanese tools in the United States. KTC became the primary manufacturer of wrenches for the "BF" series, and Fuller Tool was involved through its Fuller Orient subsidiary, which was the importer for KTC's production. (It seems obvious that the "BF" almost certainly represents the initials of Bernard Fuller.)

In addition to acting as the importer, Fuller Tool was probably a beneficiary of the "BF" series by gaining quantity pricing for its own purchases of tools from the same Japanese manufacturers. We can offer evidence for this by noting that a number of Fuller tools have been observed with "BF Japan" markings in addition to the Fuller markings, indicating that the tools came from the same production line as the tools for Sears. Examples can be seen as the Fuller 192 "BF" Needlenose Pliers and Fuller 7218 "BF" 16 Ounce Claw Hammer.

The Sears "BF" line began modestly in 1964 with a selection of pliers, carbon-steel wrenches, adjustable wrenches, and Stillson-pattern pipe wrenches. The line expanded significantly in the following years, with notable additions including claw hammers in 1966, heavy-duty pipe wrenches in 1968, Arc-joint pliers and Craftsman combination wrenches in 1969, bolt cutters in 1973, and vises in 1975.

More information on the "BF" series can be found in our article on Distributor "BF".

Manufacturing Partners

Although KTC made many of the tools for the "BF" series, they didn't make everything, and one of our challenges is to identify the other makers of "BF" tools.

Our starting point is to look for the manufacturing partners for Fuller itself. Fuller would have had a financial incentive to source its tools from the same manufacturers supplying tools to Sears, due to better pricing for quantity purchases and possible savings on shipping costs. As noted previously, a number of Fuller tools have been found marked "BF Japan", strong evidence that they came from the same production line supplying tools to Sears.

Another reason to look to Fuller is that the company had a relaxed attitude towards allowing manufacturers to mark their name or brands on its tools, which makes it easy to identify the maker.

KTC is the best known example of a company marking its brand on production for Fuller, but others include Toho Kōki ("HIT") for adjustable wrenches, Itō Kōgu ("ITO") for pliers, Maruto Hasegawa ("Maruto") for pliers, and Hokuyo Sangyō ("Sanki") for adjustable wrenches. As it turns out, all of these companies are believed to have been suppliers to the Sears "BF" series as well.

Fuller's dual branding may have been offered as an incentive or to gain better pricing. Japanese manufacturers were very interested in developing export markets in the 1960s, and selling tools through Fuller would have helped the companies gain brand recognition.

Another manufacturing partner we've discovered is Nippon Riki (Lobtex) as a supplier of claw hammers. The connection was found through a similar dual branding for the Globemaster brand, and then identified through the similarity of the tools.

We hope to discover other Japanese suppliers to Fuller, with the expectation that makers for Fuller are likely to have been makers for Sears "BF" tools as well.

Acquisition of Award Tool Company

In 1965 Fuller Tool acquired the Award Tool Company of Flushing, New York. Award Tool appears to have been an importer and reseller of tools, similar to the operations of Fuller Tool by that time.

Our information on the Award Tool Company comes from a small notice regarding Martin H. Rieger, the founder of Award Tool.

Fig. 4. 1969 Notice for Award Tool.

The scan in Fig. 4 shows a notice indirectly mentioning the Award Tool Company, as published on page 28 of the June 1, 1969 issue of Hardware Age.

The text notes that Martin H. Rieger had become president of Steelcraft Tools, having previously been the executive vice president of the Award Tool Company.

The notice provides additional background information that Award Tool had been founded by Rieger in 1963, and that Award had been a subsidiary of the Fuller Tool Company since 1965.

Prior to founding Award Tool, Rieger had been an employee of the Fuller Tool Company, and in 1947 was promoted to the position of sales manager at Fuller.

As a side note, the Steelcraft Tool Company was later acquired by the Daido Corporation, a Japanese company best known for its "Truecraft" tools.

Award Tool filed a trademark application for "AWARD" on April 16, 1964, with the first use date noted as April 1, 1964 and serial #191,242. The application was published on October 20, 1964, and the company received trademark #782,779 on January 5, 1965. The applicable goods were listed as screwdrivers, pliers, and wrenches.

Fuller as Distributor

As Fuller's imports expanded in selection and volume, the company's operations would have changed from that of a pure-play manufacturer of screwdrivers to be more like a distributor, with products sourced from many different manufacturers. The company's catalogs from the early 1980s show a wide range of products, including screwdrivers, open-end and combination wrenches, adjustable wrenches, pipe wrenches, pliers, socket sets, bolt cutters, C-clamps, twist drills, hammers, bit braces, wood chisels, and vises.

Later Operations

KTC's production for Fuller continued into the late 1980s.

In the 1990s Fuller Tool moved its operations to Montreal, Canada, and in 1995 Fuller was acquired by Johnson Level, a Canadian company.

Patents

We haven't found any patents issued to or used by the Fuller Tool Company.

Trademarks

References and Resources

Photographs and observations of particular tools are based on items in the Alloy Artifacts Collection.

Catalog Resources

Industrial Distributors

Fuller tools were available from some industrial distributors. We'll add references as time permits.

Wrenches

Currently all of our examples of Fuller wrenches were made by KTC. KTC's production for Fuller goes back to the early 1960s, and based on KTC's reputation we would expect these to be high quality tools.

Wrenches made by KTC have been observed in three styles, which are described in the list below. Our production date estimates are partly based on catalog references, but with a large degree of uncertainty due to a lack of early catalogs.

• Recessed Oval Panels

  Wrenches with recessed oval panels are believed to represent the earliest production period and were likely made from 1961 into the mid 1970s. Wrenches in this style were made with forged-in markings, and the known examples were marked for chrome vanadium steel.

  These wrenches closely resemble KTC's own JIS-certified open-end wrenches of the 1960s, as shown on page 8 [External Link] of the 1966 KTC catalog. The wrenches are also very similar to KTC's OEM production for Toyota Motor, and example of which can be seen as the Toyota Motor 14x17mm Open-End Wrench.

  KTC's production of this time used nickel-chrome-vanadium steel, and we think it's likely that the Fuller wrenches were made of the same steel, but marked simply as "Chrome Vanadium" to be more familiar to the U.S. market.

  Strong evidence of the 1960s origin for this style can be obtained by tracking retail pricing. We were able to observe a Fuller 11/16 recessed-panel combination wrench in its original packaging, and the plastic pouch was printed with a $1.19 price. If we had Fuller catalogs from the 1960s we could just check to see when this price was offered, but since no Fuller catalogs are available for this period, we can use Sears Craftsman catalogs as a proxy.

  In the 1979 Fuller catalog listing shown below the 11/16 combination wrench is priced at $3.09, or approximately 2.6 times the price of the earlier wrench. In the 1978-1979 Craftsman catalog the Craftsman combination wrench is priced at $3.39, and if we divide that by 2.6 ($1.39/2.6) we get $1.30 as the estimated Craftsman price in the year the Fuller wrench was sold.

  If we now check Craftsman catalogs from the 1960s for prices of 11/16 Craftsman combination wrenches, we find $1.19 in 1960, $1.29 in 1964, and $1.39 in 1966. The price closest to $1.30 is from 1964, which becomes our estimate for the date of the observed Fuller wrench. These price comparisons provide strong evidence that the recessed panel wrenches were available in the mid 1960s.

  The recessed panel wrenches were still illustrated in a 1976 Fuller catalog, suggesting an extended production period.

• Raised Oval Panels

  The second style was characterized by raised oval panels and stamped markings. Production of this style may have begun in the late 1960s and probably continued through the 1970s, and possibly beyond. Currently we don't have a catalog reference for this style.

  Wrenches in this style were typically marked as "Drop Forged" for open-end wrenches or "Forged Alloy" for combination wrenches, but no specific alloy references are known.

  Another characteristic of this style is a forged-in "Fx" manufacturing code, with the "F" prefix believed to indicate a Fuller-specific forging die.

  The stamped markings and absent (or less specific) alloy references suggest that this style was intended for lower cost production. The 1960s and 1970s were a time of rising costs and increasing competition, and economic factors may have required an alternative to the impressive but expensive recessed panel style.

• Raised Parallelogram Panels

  The third style is characterized by raised paralleogram panels and stamped markings, with production commencing in the late 1970s. The earliest published reference is in a 1979 catalog, as noted in the figure below.

  Wrenches in this style were marked with a specific alloy as either "Chrome Vanadium" or "Chrome Molybdenum".

  Based on paired comparisons with the raised oval group, the larger wrenches in this group were somewhat longer. For example, a 5/8 parallelogram panel wrench was 7.8 inches long, compared to 7.0 inches for the oval panel wrench.

  This style has a forged-in manufacturing code of the form "Ux".

In the above descriptions the production date estimates are uncertain due to a lack of catalog coverage. One factor is clear though: the raised oval panel wrenches were the cheapest, both in terms of production cost and in customer perception. Raised oval panels are the most generic paneled form, and the absence of specific alloy markings (or even "alloy" at all) leave open the possibility of lesser grades of steel. Even the lengths are shorter for the larger sizes.

The raised oval wrenches are also the most commonly seen examples, suggesting that they were sold for a longer period of time, or were offered at lower prices or through higher volume channels.

These considerations suggest the possibility that Fuller might have offered a separate catalog of lower-priced high-volume tools for hardware stores or similar retail establishments. Fuller also appears to have used a direct sales force, and these salesmen may have been working from a separate list of high-volume items.

We have no direct evidence of a separate Fuller catalog, but if one exists we would expect to find the raised-oval wrenches listed at a lower price.

If this turns out to be the case, the raised oval wrenches could be regarded as an economy grade alternative to the recessed panel and parallelogram panel styles, and their production probably substantially overlapped the other styles.

1979 Catalog Listing with Parallelogram Panels

Fig. 5. 1979 Catalog Listing for Fuller Combination Wrenches.

Fig. 5 shows a 1979 catalog listing for Fuller combination wrenches with raised parallelogram panels, as published on page A-54 [External Link] of a 1979 La Cross Roofing catalog.

The text notes that the wrenches were drop forged of chrome vanadium steel.

This catalog is currently the earliest known published reference showing the use of parallelogram panels on Fuller wrenches.

Open-End Wrenches

Fuller "KTC" 9/16x5/8 Open-End Wrench

Fig. 6. Fuller 9/16x5/8 Open-End Wrench, with Inset for Back Side, ca. Late 1960s to 1970s.

Fig. 6 shows a Fuller 9/16x5/8 open-end wrench with raised oval panels, stamped with "Fuller" and the fractional sizes on the front panel, with "Forged Alloy" and "Japan" plus the KTC-Oval logo on the back panel.

The back side of the shank also has a forged-in "F20" code visible at the right.

The overall length is 6.4 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.

Fuller "KTC" 11/16x3/4 Open-End Wrench

Fig. 7. Fuller 11/16x3/4 Open-End Wrench, with Inset for Back Side, ca. Late 1960s to 1970s.

Fig. 7 shows a Fuller 11/16x3/4 open-end wrench with raised oval panels, stamped with "Fuller" and the fractional sizes on the front panel, with "Drop Forged" and "Japan" plus the KTC-Oval logo on the back panel.

The back side of the shank also has a forged-in "F24" code visible at the right.

The overall length is 7.3 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.

Fuller "KTC" 3/4x7/8 Open-End Wrench

Fig. 8. Fuller 3/4x7/8 Open-End Wrench, with Inset for Back Side, ca. 1960s to Mid 1970s.

Fig. 8 shows an early Fuller 3/4x7/8 open-end wrench with recessed oval panels, marked with "*Fuller*" and "Chrome Vanadium" plus the fractional sizes forged into the front, with "Drop Forged" and "Japan" plus the KTC-Oval logo forged into the back.

The overall length is 8.6 inches, and the finish is chrome plating, with extensive losses due to wear and rust.

Fuller "KTC" 15/16x1 Inch Open-End Wrench

Fig. 9. Fuller 15/16x1 Inch Open-End Wrench, with Inset for Back Side, ca. Late 1970s to 1980s.

Fig. 9 shows a Fuller 15/16x1 inch open-end wrench with parallelogram panels, stamped with "Fuller" and the fractional sizes on the front panel, with "Chrome Molybdenum" and "Japan" plus the KTC-Oval logo on the back panel.

The back side of the shank also has a forged-in code "U02" visible at the right.

The overall length is 11.9 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.

Fuller "KTC" 13x15mm Open-End Wrench

Fig. 10. Fuller 13x15mm Open-End Wrench, with Inset for Back Side, ca. Late 1960s to 1970s.

Fig. 10 shows a Fuller 13x15mm open-end wrench with raised oval panels, stamped with "Fuller" and the metric sizes on the front panel, with "Drop Forged" and "Japan" plus the KTC-Oval logo on the back panel.

The back side of the shank also has a forged-in "F35" code visible at the right.

The overall length is 5.9 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.

Fuller "KTC" 17x19mm Open-End Wrench

Fig. 11. Fuller 17x19mm Open-End Wrench, with Inset for Back Side, ca. Late 1960s to 1970s.

Fig. 11 shows a Fuller 17x19mm open-end wrench with raised oval panels, stamped with "Fuller" and the metric sizes on the front panel, with "Drop Forged" and "Japan" plus the KTC-Oval logo on the back panel.

The back side of the shank also has a forged-in "F79" code visible at the right.

The overall length is 7.1 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.

Combination Wrenches

We have a good selection of Fuller combination wrenches, and examples are available for all three production styles.

Fuller "KTC" 3/8 Combination Wrenches

The next figures show two styles of the Fuller 3/8 combination wrench.

Fig. 12. Fuller 3/8 Combination Wrench, with Insets for Back Side and Side View, ca. Late 1960s to 1970s.

Fig. 12 shows a Fuller 3/8 combination wrench with raised oval panels, stamped with "Fuller" and the fractional size on the front panel, with "Forged Alloy" and "Japan" plus the KTC-Oval logo on the back panel.

The back side of the shank also has a forged-in code "F2" visible at the left.

The overall length is 4.5 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces and ends.

Fig. 13. Fuller 3/8 Combination Wrench, with Insets for Back Side and Side View, ca. Late 1970s to 1980s.

Fig. 13 shows a Fuller 3/8 combination wrench with raised parallelogram panels, stamped with "Fuller" and the fractional size on the front panel, with "Chrome Molybdenum" and "Japan" plus the KTC-Oval logo on the back panel.

The back side of the shank also has a forged-in "U2" code visible at the left.

The overall length is 4.5 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces and ends.

Fuller "KTC" 7/16 Combination Wrench

Fig. 14. Fuller 7/16 Combination Wrench, with Insets for Back Side and Edge View, ca. Late 1960s to 1970s.

Fig. 14 shows a Fuller 7/16 combination wrench with raised oval panels, stamped with "Fuller" and the fractional size on the front panel, with "Forged Alloy" and "Japan" plus the KTC-Oval logo on the back panel.

The back side of the shank also has a forged-in code "F4" visible at the left.

The overall length is 5.0 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces and ends.

Fuller "KTC" 1/2 Combination Wrench

Fig. 15. Fuller 1/2 Combination Wrench, with Insets for Back Side and Edge View, ca. Late 1960s to 1970s.

Fig. 15 shows a Fuller 1/2 combination wrench with raised oval panels, stamped with "Fuller" and the fractional size on the front panel, with "Forged Alloy" and "Japan" plus the KTC-Oval logo on the back panel.

The back side of the shank also has a forged-in code "F6" visible at the left.

The overall length is 5.5 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces and ends.

Fuller "KTC" 9/16 Combination Wrench

Fig. 16. Fuller 9/16 Combination Wrench, with Insets for Back Side and Edge View, ca. 1960s to Mid 1970s.

Fig. 16 shows an early Fuller 9/16 combination wrench with recessed oval panels, marked with "*Fuller*" and "Chrome Vanadium" plus the fractional size forged into the front panel, with "Drop Forged" and "Japan" plus the KTC-Oval logo forged into the back panel.

The top inset shows a side view of the wrench.

The overall length is 7.0 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces and ends.

Fuller "KTC" 5/8 Combination Wrenches

The next figures show two styles of the Fuller 5/8 combination wrench.

Fig. 17. Fuller 5/8 Combination Wrench, with Insets for Edge View and Back Side Detail, ca. Late 1960s to 1970s.

Fig. 17 shows a Fuller 5/8 combination wrench with raised oval panels, stamped with "Fuller" and the fractional size on the front panel, with "Forged Alloy" and "Japan" plus the KTC-Oval logo on the back panel.

The back side of the shank also has a forged-in "F6" code visible at the left.

The overall length is 7.0 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces and ends.

Fig. 18. Fuller 5/8 Combination Wrench, with Insets for Back Side and Edge View, ca. Late 1970s to 1980s.

Fig. 18 shows a Fuller 5/8 combination wrench with raised parallelogram panels, stamped with "Fuller" and the fractional size on the front panel, with "Chrome Molybdenum" and "Japan" plus the KTC-Oval logo on the back panel.

The back side of the shank also has a forged-in "U0" code visible at the left.

The overall length is 7.8 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces and ends.

Fuller "KTC" 11/16 Combination Wrenches

The next figures show two styles of the Fuller 11/16 combination wrench.

Fig. 19. Fuller 11/16 Combination Wrench, with Insets for Back Side and Side View, ca. Late 1960s to 1970s.

Fig. 19 shows a Fuller 11/16 combination wrench with raised oval panels, stamped with "Fuller" and the fractional size on the front panel, with "Forged Alloy" and "Japan" plus the KTC-Oval logo on the back panel.

The back side of the shank also has a forged-in "F2" code visible at the left.

The overall length is 7.9 inches, and the finish is chrome plating.

Fig. 20. Fuller 11/16 Combination Wrench, with Insets for Back Side and Edge View, ca. Late 1970s to 1980s.

Fig. 20 shows a Fuller 11/16 combination wrench with raised parallelogram panels, stamped with "Fuller" and the fractional size on the front panel, with "Chrome Vanadium" and "Japan" plus the KTC-Oval logo on the back panel.

The back side of the shank also has a forged-in "U1" code visible (upside-down) at the left.

The overall length is 8.6 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces and ends.

Fuller "KTC" 3/4 Combination Wrench

Fig. 21. Fuller 3/4 Combination Wrench, with Insets for Edge View and Back Side Detail, ca. Late 1970s to 1980s.

Fig. 21 shows a Fuller 3/4 combination wrench with raised parallelogram panels, stamped with "Fuller" and the fractional size on the front panel, with "Chrome Molybdenum" and "Japan" plus the KTC-Oval logo on the back panel.

The back side of the shank also has a forged-in "U4" code visible at the left.

The overall length is 9.5 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces and ends.

Adjustable Wrenches

Adjustable wrenches were one of Fuller's earliest Japanese imports, with production possibly going back to 1958. These wrenches were an important product for the company from the 1960s onward.

Earlier production of Fuller adjustable wrenches typically had an additional marking for the maker's brand, with "HIT", "KTC", and "SANKI" having been observed thus far. The brand markings probably continued through the 1970s.

Fuller No. 8 "HIT" 8 Inch Adjustable Wrench

Fig. 22. Fuller No. 8 "HIT" 8 Inch Adjustable Wrench, with Insets for Back Side, Side View, and Construction Detail, ca. 1960s.

Fig. 22 shows a Fuller No. 8 8 inch adjustable wrench, marked with "Fuller No. 8" and "Chrome Alloy" forged into the front, and with "Full Drop Forged" forged into the back side.

The shank is also marked with "HIT" forged along a curved arc near the hanging hole, with "JAPAN" forged along a curved arc on the back side.

The lower inset shows a close-up of the open jaws, illustrating the rounded corner of the fixed jaw and the inset convex cutaway of the moveable jaw.

The overall length is 8.2 inches, and the maximum opening is 1.0 inches. The finish is chrome plating with polished faces.

The "HIT" marking indicates production by Toho Kōki, a well known maker of adjustable wrenches using the "HIT" trademark. Toho Kōki was an early production partner for Fuller, with production possibly going back to 1958.

One detail noted for this wrench is that the pin securing the worm gear is threaded on the outside (slotted) end, a characteristic of Toho Kōki production.

Fuller No. 12 "KTC" 12 Inch Adjustable Wrench

Fig. 23. Fuller No. 12 "KTC" 12 Inch Adjustable Wrench, with Insets for Back Side, Side View, Construction Detail, and Marking Detail, ca. Mid 1960s to Early 1970s.

Fig. 23 shows a Fuller No. 12 12 inch adjustable wrench, marked with "Fuller No. 12" and "Chrome Alloy" forged into the front, with "Full Drop Forged" forged into the back side.

The back side is also marked with the KTC-Oval logo and "JAPAN" forged along a curved arc near the hanging hole.

The lower inset shows a close-up of the open jaws, illustrating the rounded corner of the fixed jaw and the inset convex cutaway of the moveable jaw.

The overall length is 12.0 inches, and the maximum opening is 1.4 inches. The finish is chrome plating with polished faces.

We were able to remove the pin securing the worm gear on this wrench and noted that it is threaded on the inside end.

This wrench is a nearly perfect embodiment of the "KTC Style" of adjustable wrenches as expressed on page 11 [External Link] of the 1966 KTC catalog. Note in particular the details of the jaw construction, the full width of the tailpiece of the moveable jaw, and the absence of a ridge around the hanging hole.

In addition, the jaws of the wrench have a "spear type" outline, a design change introduced by KTC in the mid 1960s.

KTC is known to have relied heavily on Hokuyo Sangyō ("Sanki") for production of adjustable wrenches, but we believe that this wrench is an example of KTC's own production. This conclusion is based on the close match of all features with the 1966 catalog illustration and the relatively large hanging hole compared to Sanki.

One more factor favoring KTC production is the presence of the KTC-Oval marking, but as evidence this is less conclusive than some readers might imagine. All of KTC's production partners were authorized to replicate the KTC-Oval logo and regularly did so on contract production for KTC.

But this wrench is contract production for Fuller, and there are numerous examples of Fuller wrenches made by and marked with "Sanki". It's likely that if this wrench had been made by Sanki, it would have been marked that way.

Fuller No. 10 "SANKI" 10 Inch Adjustable Wrench

Fig. 24. Fuller No. 10 "SANKI" 10 Inch Adjustable Wrench, with Insets for Back Side, Side View, Construction Detail, and Marking Detail, ca. Late 1960s to Early 1970s.

Fig. 24 shows a Fuller No. 10 10 inch adjustable wrench, marked with "Fuller" and "Chrome Alloy No. 10" forged into the front, and with "Full Drop Forged" and "JAPAN" forged into the back side.

The shank is also marked with "SANKI" forged along a curved arc near the hanging hole, as seen in the small upper inset.

The lower inset shows a close-up of the jaw construction, illustrating the angled transition to the fixed jaw and the angled cutaway on the moveable jaw.

The overall length is 10.2 inches, and the maximum opening is 1.1 inches. The finish is chrome plating with polished faces.

The "SANKI" marking indicates production by Hokuyo Sangyō.

One construction detail to note is that the pin securing the worm gear is threaded on the inside end, a characteristic of Hokuyo Sangyō production.

Another important detail is that there is no ridge round the hanging hole, a less common design choice that suggests Sanki may have been copying a feature on KTC wrenches. Notice though that the diameter of Sanki's hole is substantially smaller than what would fit within the outer ridge of the shank. In contrast, KTC's plain hanging hole is larger and goes close to the edge of the outer ridge, as can be seen in the Fuller No. 12 "KTC" Adjustable Wrench.

If the proportions of this wrench appear to be a bit strange, your eyes aren't deceiving you. This wrench has a 15 degree jaw offset angle (Sanki's preferred design) instead of the more common 23 degree offset. Also note that the handle of the wrench has a relatively constant width, instead of expanding slightly toweard the end.

Fuller No. 6 "SANKI" 6 Inch Adjustable Wrench

Fig. 25. Fuller No. 6 "SANKI" 6 Inch Adjustable Wrench, with Insets for Back Side, Side View, Construction Detail, and Marking Detail, ca. 1970s.

Fig. 25 shows a Fuller No. 6 6 inch adjustable wrench, marked with "Fuller" and "Chrome Alloy No. 6" forged into the front, and with "Full Drop Forged" forged into the back side.

The shank is also marked with "SANKI" forged into the front, with "JAPAN" forged into the back side.

The lower inset shows a close-up of the open jaws, illustrating the angled transition at the corner of the fixed jaw and the angled inset at the corner of the moveable jaw.

The overall length is 6.1 inches, and the maximum opening is 0.8 inches. The finish is chrome plating with polished faces.

The "SANKI" marking indicates production by Hokuyo Sangyō.

We were able to remove the pin securing the worm gear and verified that it is threaded on the inside end.

Fuller No. 8 "Extra Strong" 8 Inch (200mm) Adjustable Wrench

Fig. 25B. Fuller No. 8 "Extra Strong" 8 Inch Adjustable Wrench, with Insets for Back Side, Side View, Construction Detail, and Marking Detail, ca. 1980s to 1990s.

Fig. 25B shows a later Fuller No. 8 8 inch adjustable wrench, marked with "Fuller Extra Strong" forged into the front, and with "Forged Chrome Vanadium" and "Japan" forged into the back side.

The center inset shows a close-up of the open jaws, illustrating the angled transition at the corner of the fixed jaw and the angled inset at the corner of the moveable jaw.

The bottom inset shows a close-up of the cross-point head of the pin securing the worm gear.

The overall length is 8.2 inches, and the maximum opening is 1.0 inches. The finish is chrome plating with polished faces.

Unlike the earlier examples in previous figures, this wrench is not marked with the maker's brand.

We were not able to remove the pin securing the worm gear, but the smooth bore indicates that it is threaded on the inside end. The smooth bore and use of pin with a cross-point head strongly suggest production by Hokuyo Sangyō. An example of the use of a cross-point head can be seen in the Sanki 250mm Adjustable Wrench.

Pliers

Fuller offered pliers in a variety of styles including combination, utility (waterpump), tongue-and-groove, lineman's, diagonal cutting, and needlenose.

Several manufacturers of Fuller pliers have been identified, in particular Nippon Riki/Lobtex (combination pliers), Maruto Hasegawa (lineman's, diagonal cutters, needlenose), and Itō Kōgu (diagonal cutters, needlenose).

In addition, KTC's Kyoto Kōki subsidiary is believed to have been a supplier of combination, waterpump, and tongue-and-groove pliers, although we don't have definitive evidence yet.

Fuller "Hobby" Pliers

Fig. 26A. 1979 Catalog Listing for Fuller "Hobby" Pliers.

By the late 1970s Fuller was offering a line of pliers with a distinctive rounded body instead of the typical flat top and bottom with sharp edges.

The scan in Fig. 26A shows a catalog listing for Fuller "Hobby" pliers, as published on page A-50 of a 1979 "La Cross Roofing" catalog with a substantial selection of Fuller tools.

The distinctive rounded edges identify these as pliers as products of Itō Kōgu, a Japanese maker of pliers operating in Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture. In the mid 1970s the company received a Japanese "Good Design Award" for this rounded design.

The catalog listing shows a 715x series of small 4 inch models, including longnose pliers with side cutters, diagonal cutters, needlenose pliers, and end nippers.

Itō Kōgu also made these pliers in larger sizes, and somewhat later Fuller began offering the rounded design as its standard No. 192 pliers.

Fuller 8 Inch Slip-Joint Combination Pliers

Fig. 26. Fuller 8 Inch Slip-Joint Combination Pliers, with Insets for Side View and Marking Detail.

Fig. 26 shows a pair of Fuller 8 inch combination pliers, stamped with "Fuller" and "Drop Forged" near the pivot, and with "Japan" forged into the undersides of the handles.

The handles of the pliers are also marked with a forged-in "H" code at the ends.

The overall length is 8.0 inches, and the finish is polished chrome.

Fuller [192] "Maruto" 6 Inch Needlenose Pliers with Side-Cutters

Fig. 27A. Fuller [192] "Maruto" 6 Inch Needlenose Pliers with Side-Cutters, with Insets for Back Side, Side View, and Marking Detail, ca. 1960s.

Fig. 27A shows a pair of Fuller [192] "Maruto" 6 inch needlenose pliers with side-cutters, stamped with "Fuller" and "Maruto" around the pivot, with an "F" code on the back.

The handles of the pliers are covered with vinyl plastic grips.

The overall length is 6.4 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The absence of a model number marking suggests a production date in the 1960s.

The "Maruto" marking indicates production by Maruto Hasegawa, a major maker of pliers based in Niigata, Japan.

The stamped "F" code has been observed on similar tools in the same location, and appears to be specific to Maruto Hasegawa. Other letters "E" and "G" have been observed as well, suggesting that it may be a date code.

The Fuller 192-6 needlenose pliers were listed in the company's 1981 catalog. The pliers were also available in 5 and 8 inch sizes.

Fuller 192 "Ito" 6 Inch Needlenose Pliers with Side-Cutters

Fig. 27B. Fuller 192 6 Inch Needlenose Pliers with Side-Cutters, with Insets for Back Side, Side View, and Marking Detail, ca. Mid 1970s.

Fig. 27B shows a pair of Fuller 192 6 inch needlenose pliers with side-cutters, stamped with "Fuller" and "Drop Forged" around the pivot, with "BF Japan" and "ITO" on the back.

The handles of the pliers are covered with vinyl plastic grips.

The overall length is 6.5 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

These pliers were found in a vehicle toolkit we used in the mid 1970s to 1980s.

The Fuller 192-6 needlenose pliers were listed in the company's 1981 catalog. The pliers were also available in 5 and 8 inch sizes.

The "ITO" marking was recently discovered (2024) to indicate production by Itō Kōgu, a Japanese maker of pliers operating in Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture. The "BF" code strongly suggests that Itō Kōgu was also producing pliers for Sears Roebuck.

Lineman's Pliers

Fuller also offered lineman's pliers in sizes 7 and 8 inches.

Fig. 28. 1979 Catalog Listing for Fuller "Maruto" Lineman's Pliers.

Fig. 28 shows a 1979 catalog listing for Fuller "Maruto" lineman's pliers, as published on page A-51 of a 1979 "La Cross Roofing" catalog with a substantial selection of Fuller tools.

The pliers were available in 7 and 8 inch sizes.

In the illustration the "Maruto" marking is visible below the pivot, indicating production by Maruto Hasegawa.

Fuller 190 "Ito" 6 Inch Diagonal Cutters

Fig. 29A. Fuller 190 "Ito" 6 Inch Diagonal Cutters, with Insets for Back Side, Side View, and Marking Detail, ca. 1970s.

Fig. 29A shows a pair of Fuller 190 6 inch diagonal cutters, stamped with "Fuller" and "Drop Forged" around the pivot, with "Japan" and "Ito" on the back.

The overall length is 6.2 inches, and the finish is polished steel with red hand grips.

The "Ito" marking indicates production by Itō Kōgu, a Japanese maker of pliers operating in Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture.

Fuller "Maruto" 7 Inch Heavy-Duty Diagonal Cutters

Fig. 29B. Fuller "Maruto" 7 Inch Heavy-Duty Diagonal Cutters, with Insets for Back Side, Side View, and Marking Detail, ca. 1960s.

Fig. 29B shows a pair of Fuller 7 inch heavy-duty diagonal cutters, stamped with "Fuller" and "Maruto" around the pivot, with "Japan" on the back of the handle.

The overall length is 7.3 inches, and the finish is plain steel with yellow hand grips.

The absence of a model number marking suggests early production.

The "Maruto" marking indicates production by Maruto Hasegawa, a major maker of pliers based in Niigata, Japan.

Other Tools

Fuller 7218 "BF" 16 Ounce Claw Hammer

Fig. 30. Fuller 7218 16 Ounce Claw Hammer, with Insets for Marking Detail, ca. 1970s.

Fig. 30 shows a Fuller No. 7218 16 ounce claw hammer, stamped with "Fuller" plus "#7218" and "16oz" on the front, with "Japan-BF" on the back side.

The tubular steel handle is fitted with a rubber cushion grip, making the hammer comfortable to hold and use.

The overall length is 12.8 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

This hammer is very similar to the Sears Companion No. 3812 "BF" Claw Hammer, and the presence of the "BF" code suggests that they were likely made by the same manufacturer.

The No. 7218 hammer was listed in the 1979 "La Cross Roofing" Fuller excerpt catalog.

The manufacturer of this hammer has been identified as Nippon Riki, now known as Lobtex. The identification was made based on the close similarity in construction between this hammer and a Globemaster No. 60820 Ripping Hammer, which was stamped with Nippon Riki's trademark Lobster-Logo. This type of hammer was also made for the Truecraft brand.

Award Tools

The Award Tool Company was formed in 1963 by Martin H. Rieger, formerly a sales manager at Fuller Tool. The company operated independently only briefly, as by 1965 Award Tool had been acquired by Fuller Tool.

After the acquisition Fuller used "Award" as a second brand for tools, with most of the production done by KTC.

Based on the observed examples, production for the Award brand was identical to that for the main Fuller brand.

Award "KTC" 15/16x1 Open-End Wrench

Fig. 31. Award "KTC" 15/16x1 Open-End Wrench, with Insets for Back Side and Marking Detail, ca. Mid 1960s to Mid 1970s.

Fig. 31 shows an Award 15/16x1 open-end wrench with recessed oval panels, marked with "Chrome Vanadium" and the fractional sizes forged into the shank, with "Drop Forged" and "Japan" plus the KTC-Oval logo forged into the back side.

The overall length is 11.9 inches, and the finish is chrome plating.

The KTC-Oval logo indicates that the wrench was produced by the Kyoto Tool Company.

Award "KTC" 3/8 Combination Wrench

Fig. 32. Award "KTC" 3/8 Combination Wrench, with Insets for Back Side and Edge View, ca. Mid 1960s to Mid 1970s.

Fig. 32 shows an Award 3/8 combination wrench with recessed oval panels, marked with "Award" and "Chrome Vanadium" plus the fractional size forged into the shank, with "Drop Forged" and "Japan" plus the KTC-Oval logo forged into the back side.

The overall length is 4.6 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.

Award "KTC" 7/16 Combination Wrench

Fig. 33. Award "KTC" 7/16 Combination Wrench, with Insets for Back Side and Side View, ca. Mid 1960s to Mid 1970s.

Fig. 33 shows an Award 7/16 combination wrench with recessed oval panels, marked with "Award" and "Chrome Vanadium" plus the fractional size forged into the front panel, with "Drop Forged" and "Japan" plus the KTC-Oval logo forged into the back panel.

The overall length is 5.5 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.

Award "KTC" 5/8 Combination Wrench

Fig. 34. Award "KTC" 5/8 Combination Wrench, with Insets for Back Side and Side View, ca. Mid 1960s to Mid 1970s.

Fig. 34 shows an Award 5/8 combination wrench with recessed oval panels, marked with "Award" and "Chrome Vanadium" plus the fractional size forged into the shank, with "Drop Forged" and "Japan" plus the KTC-Oval logo forged into the back side.

The overall length is 7.8 inches, and the finish is chrome plating, with losses due to wear.

The wrench in the next figure at first seemed to be a duplicate of the one above, but something looked a little bit off. Can you spot the difference?

Fig. 35. Award 5/8 Combination Wrench, with Insets for Back Side and Side View.

Fig. 35 shows an Award 5/8 combination wrench with recessed oval panels, marked with "Award" and "Chrome Vanadium" plus the fractional size forged into the shank, with "Drop Forged" and "Japan" forged into the back side.

The overall length is 8.0 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.

Note that this wrench is not marked with the KTC logo! At first we thought it was just an omission, but then started noticing other small differences — the shank is a little thicker, the box end is thicker, the markings are slightly larger.

After noticing all of the small differences, we realized that this wrench is a copy made by another Japanese manufacturer rather than KTC.

Award "KTC" 11/16 Combination Wrench

Fig. 36. Award "KTC" 11/16 Combination Wrench, with Insets for Back Side and Side View, ca. Late 1970s to 1980s.

Fig. 36 shows an Award 11/16 combination wrench with raised parallelogram panels, stamped with "Award" and the fractional size on the front panel, with "Chrome Molybdenum" and "Japan" plus the KTC-Oval logo on the back side.

The shank is marked with a forged-in "U1" code visible at the left on the back side.

The overall length is 8.6 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.