Ikeda Kōgyō
Ikeda Kōgyō (池田工業) is a maker of wrenches based in Tsubame, Niigata Prefecture.
The company was founded in 1936 by Tokuhei Ikeda (池田徳平) as a knife forging factory for
Western-style tableware.
The company's early factory was at Mukaimachi in Tsubame City.
During the war the company supplied wrenches to the military,
and indirectly to Nissan Motors.
In May of 1948 the company changed its name to the Nihon Shokki Co., Ltd. (日本食器).
Products at this time were knives and wrenches.
In December of 1952 the company changed its name to the Ikeda Kōgyō (池田工業).
JIS Certification
On March 11, 1953 the company received JIS certificate 2174 for class B4630
at its Mukaimachi factory.
The record for this registration can be seen in the
1955 Factory Name List for Class B4630.
[Editor's note: the company history claims this registration covered both normal and strong grades,
but it doesn't appear in the records.]
New Factory at Somaki
In June of 1968 the company built a new factory in the Tsubame Metal Center complex
at 1961-4 Somaki, Tsubame City, Niigata Prefecture.
On June 30, 1970 the company received JIS certificate 2174 in class B4630 at the new Somaki factory,
with notes indicating normal and heavy grades.
The record for this certification can be seen in the
1972 Certified List for Class B4630.
In July of 1973 Hisakazu Ikeda (池田久一) was appointed representative director.
In August of 1973 the company began making combination wrenches.
"IKK" Trademark
In 1975 the company registered "IKK" as a trademark.
In June of 1982 the company began making box-end wrenches.
In April of 1992 Daisuke Ikeda (池田大輔) was appointed representative director.
JQA JIS Certification
In May of 2007 the company received JQA certificate JQ0307007 in classes B4630, B4632, and B4651,
with both normal and strong grade noted for class B4630.
Continuing Operations
The company continues in business with its head office at 1961-4 Somaki, Tsubame City, Niigata Prefecture.
More information can be found at the
ikktool.co.jp
[External Link] website.
JIS Certification History
The company is known to have received JIS certification for classes B4630, B4632, and B4651.
Factory locations were at Mukai and Somaki in Tsubame, Niigata prefecture.
View Company History with Factories for Ikeda Kōgyō.
View JIS Certification Events for Ikeda Kōgyō.
IPS Pliers Company
The company was founded in 1940 as Igarashi Seisakusho (五十嵐製作所) in Sanjo City, Niigata.
[Editor's note: who was the founder?]
In 1958 the Igarashi Manufacturing Company, Ltd. was established.
New Factory at Naoechō
By 1962 the company had become the Igarashi Pliers Manufacturing Company (五十嵐プライヤー製作所),
and a new factory was established in Naoechō 2-chome, Sanjo City to increase production.
In 1972 the company passed US Federal Standards and became a supplier to the GSA.
JIS Certification
On August 28, 1974 the company received JIS certificate 374078 for class B4614 (combination pliers)
at the Naoechō factory.
The record for this certification can be seen in the
1982 JIS Summary for Class B4614.
[Editor's note: the company history says 1973.]
New Factory at Sakai (坂井)
In 1983 the company built a new factory at 1-4-3 Sakaicho, Mitsuke City in Niigata
and then moved its head office to the new facility.
At this time the company name was changed to Igarashi Pliers Company, Ltd.
On February 23, 1983 the company received JIS certificate 374078 for class B4614 (combination pliers)
at its Sakai factory.
The record for this certification can be seen in the
1999 JIS Summary for Super-Class B043.
On December 27, 1985 the company received JIS certificate 385132 for class B4626 (waterpump pliers)
at its Sakai factory.
The record for this certification can be seen in the
1999 JIS Summary for Super-Class B070.
Contract Production
The company is known to have provided contract production for Stanley in the late 1980s to 1990s,
based on observations of waterpump pliers marked for JIS 385132.
In addition,
the company supplied waterpump pliers for the Truecraft brand managed by the
Daido Corporation.
JQA JIS Certification
In August of 2008 the company received JQA certificate JQ0308053 for classes B4614 and B4626.
Continuing Operations
In January of 2021 Koyo Uchiyama (内山 航洋) was appointed as representative director.
In September of 2022 the company changed its name to the IPS Pliers Company, Ltd.
IPS continues in operation today and more information can be found at the
IPS Pliers Company
[External Link] website.
Our history was adapted from the historical timeline on the site.
JIS Certification History
The company is known to have received JIS certification for classes B4614 (combination pliers)
and B4626 (water-pump pliers).
Factory locations were in Naoechō and Sakai in Niigata prefecture.
View Company History with Factories for IPS Pliers Company.
View JIS Certification Events for IPS Pliers Company.
Tool Identification
Pliers from IPS may have a forge mark with "IP" on the bottom line and a two-digit number and letter on the top.
Fig. 17A shows
a close-up of the "91E IP" forge mark on a pair of Stanley 84-139 10 inch tongue-and-groove pliers,
which were identified as production by Igarashi Pliers based on the JIS marking.
The two-digit number appears to be a production date code.
Selected Tools
[IPS] Stanley 84-139 10 Inch Tongue-and-Groove Pliers
Fig. 17A shows
a pair of Stanley 84-139 10 inch tongue-and-groove pliers,
stamped with "Stanley" and the model number on the handle,
with the
JIS-Circle and "385132" plus "Japan" on the back.
The pliers are also marked with a "91E IP" forge mark on the lower handle near the adjustment slot,
as seen in the lower right inset.
The overall length is 10.0 inches closed and 10.6 inches fully extended.
The finish is chrome plating with plastic hand grips.
The JIS marking allows us to identify the maker as the Igarashi Pliers Company,
which received JIS 385132 on December 27, 1985 for class B4626 (waterpump pliers).
The "91E IP" forge mark is believed to be a date code for 1991,
with "IP" indicating Igarashi Pliers.
[IPS] Truecraft 509 "IP" 10 Inch Tongue-and-Groove Pliers
Fig. 17B shows
a pair of Truecraft 509 10 inch tongue-and-groove pliers,
stamped with the "Truecraft" Hex Logo and model number on the handle,
with "Japan" on the back side.
The lower handle has a "95K IP" forge mark near the adjustment slot,
as seen in the lower inset.
The overall length is 10.5 inches fully extended,
and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.
The "Truecraft" Hex Logo suggests production in the 1990s.
The "IP" forge mark on the lower handle indicates production by the Igarashi Pliers,
and the "95K" is likely a date code for 1995.
Itō Kōgu
Itō Kōgu Seisakusho (井藤工具製作所) was founded in 1951 as a maker of pliers in Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture.
A 1960 directory listed the company at 4-165 Ryorionomachi in Sakai City
(大阪府堺市遼里小野町 4一165).
[Editor's note: who was the founder?]
The company sold its tools under the ITO and SUN brands.
The company's products are known to have included diagonal cutters and needle-nose pliers.
JIS Certification
On December 28, 1963 the company received JIS certificate 9785 for class B4631 (needle-nose pliers)
at its Sakai factory.
A record for this certification can be seen in the
1967 JIS Summary for Class B4631.
Contract Production
The company is known to have provided contract production for the Fuller Tool Company,
probably beginning by the mid 1960s.
By around 1970 the company had simplified its name to Itō Kōgu (井藤工具).
Good Design Award
In 1978 the company received the Japanese "Good Design Award" for its pliers,
which can be seen at the
Good Design Award
[External Link] web page.
Discontinued Operations
The company's JIS 9785 certification was revoked on June 6, 1991 (Heisei 3.6.6),
indicating that the company probably closed in 1991.
JIS Certification History
The company is known to have received JIS certification for class B4631 (needlenose pliers).
The factory location was in Sakai City, Osaka prefecture.
View Company History with Factories for Itō Kōgu.
View JIS Certification Events for Itō Kōgu.
[ITO] Fuller 192 "BF" 6 Inch Needlenose Pliers with Side-Cutters
Fig. 17 shows
a pair of Fuller No. 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.
The "ITO" marking indicates production by Itō Kōgu.
The "BF Japan" marking generally indicates a tool made for Sears Roebuck
and imported by the Fuller Orient Corporation,
strongly suggesting that Itō Kōgu was also supplying tools to Sears.
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.
Kobayashi Kōgu Seisakusho
Kobayashi Kōgu Seisakusho (小林工具製作所) was founded in 1963 as a maker of power tools,
and initially operated at 727 Kabukigawa in Sanjo City, Niigata Prefecture (三条市嘉坪川727).
By 1970 the company was producing and exporting open-end and box-end wrenches,
and started developing flex-combination wrenches.
New Factory in Tsukanome
In 1972 the company participated in forming the Sanjo Metal Industrial Park,
a major center for metal-working companies.
In 1973 the company built a forging plant in the industrial park complex
and began manufacturing parts for automobiles and machines.
JIS Certification
On March 18, 1981 the company received JIS 380242 for class B4632 (box-end wrenches)
and JIS 380243 for class B4630 (open-end wrenches),
with the address at 2217-3 Tsukanome.
The records for these certifications can be seen in the
1982 Certified List for Class B4632
and
1982 Certified List for Class B4630.
In 1985 the head office address changed (not moved) to 1-10, Katsubogawa 2-chome, Sanjo City.
In 1991 the JIS 380243 certification was moved into 380242 for administrative reasons.
The company also submitted an application for JIS approval of combination wrenches,
amusingly called "one-eye, one-mouth spanners" (片目片口スパナ)!
In 1992 the company received JIS certificate 380242 for classes B4630, B4632, and B4651,
with the factory address listed as 2217-3 Otsuki, Tsukanome in Sanjō City
(新潟県三条市大字塚野目字大月2217番地3).
The record for this certification can be seen in the section on the
1999 Summary for Super-Class B027.
New Manager
In 2004 Teizō Kobayashi (小林定三) became the new manager of the company,
and the company moved its head office to 13-27 Shinko-cho, Sanjo City.
JQA JIS Certification
In 2006 the company received JQA certificate JQ0306011,
probably for class B4630,
but unfortunately the certificate is no longer active and no information can be found.
Continuing Operations
In 2011 Mitsuharu Kobayashi (小林光春) became representative director.
The company continues in operation today with its head office at 13-27 Shinkocho, Sanjo City, Niigata Prefecture.
Additional information can be found (in Japanese, English, and German) at the
kobayashi-tools.com
[External Link] website.
Our history was adapted from the historical timeline on the Japanese site
and from an article in the Japanese Wiki.
Kyoto Kikai
Kyoto Kikai (京都機械) was founded in 1938 as a maker of machinery and tools and operated in Kyoto City.
The predecessor company was founded in 1932 as the Kyoto Somemono Kikai Seisakusho (京都染物機械製作所)
by Yoshikazu Nakaguchi (中口好一),
which operated as a maker of textile dyeing machinery.
By 1937 Kyoto Somemono Kikai was having financial difficulties,
and with the assistance of Tokutaro Nagase (長瀬徳太郎),
a major customer,
Kyoto Kikai was established in August of 1938.
Nagase became the company's first president,
and the company established a factory at 50 Funato-cho, Kisshōin, Minami-ku, Kyoto City
(京都市南区吉祥院船戸町50).
In 1939 the company received training from the Naval Aviation Technical Arsenal at Yokosuka,
at that time the most advanced group of engineers in Japan.
Shortly afterwards the company received orders for aircraft maintenance tools,
which soon became the company's main product line.
The tools included wrenches, adjustable wrenches, and screwdrivers
and were made from a special nickel-chrome alloy used for aircraft engine parts.
During the war Kyoto Kikai supplied tools to maintain military aircraft,
including the famous Zero fighter planes.
After the war the company resumed production of dyeing machinery and worked on reconditioning
military vehicles and passenger cars,
as well as the production of household goods.
The company had a large inventory of alloy steel leftover from the military contracts,
which was used for producing automotive tools.
By 1946 Toyota had restarted vehicle production,
and Kyoto Kikai landed a contract with Toyota to supply wrenches for vehicle tool kits.
The Formation of Kyoto Kikai Kōgu
In 1950 three key employees retired from Kyoto Kikai and left to establish
Kyoto Kikai Kōgu,
now generally known as KTC.
Shortly afterwards Toyota Motors transferred its contract for wrench production to KTC,
which helped to ensure the success of the new company.
The sudden loss of key employees and an important contract was a serious shock for the company's tool division.
JIS Certification
On October 21, 1954 the company received JIS certificate 3488 for class B4630
at the Funato-cho factory.
The record for this certification can be seen in the
1955 Factory Name List for Class B4630.
On September 6, 1960 the company received JIS certification 4246 for sockets (class B4636) and
extension bars (class B4637).
The record for this certification can be seen in the
1958 Factory Name List for Classes B4636, B4637, and B4639.
Discontinued Operations
In December of 1970 the company released its JIS certification and discontinued tool production,
but the dyeing machinery division of the company remained in operation.
The CWC site has a page on the
History of Kyoto Kikai
based on a company publication,
and the article includes many examples of their tools from the wartime era.
Our brief history was adapted from the CWC site.
Tool Identification
Tools from Kyoto Kikai were typically stamped with a logo consisting of the kanji 京 ("kyo") in a circle.
This logo is not known to have been registered as a trademark,
and appears to have been first used on the tools for the Zero airplanes.
Kyo-Circle Logo
Fig. 18 shows
the Kyo-Circle logo as it was printed for a business dirctory.
Kyoto Kikai Kōgu (KTC)
Kyoto Kikai Kōgu (京都機械工具),
generally known as KTC for its English name Kyoto Tool Company,
is probably the best known and most celebrated Japanese toolmaker.
The company offers high quality tools for professional use under the KTC and Nepros brands.
The company was founded in 1950 by Kiichi Saitō (斉藤喜一), Sojiro Yamazaki (山崎宋次郎),
and Masayuki Uki (宇城正行),
all of whom had previously been key employees of the tool division of
Kyoto Kikai.
The company's initial business contract was with Toyota Motors to supply tools for vehicle tool kits,
and the company's early factory was at 38 Hinagajo-cho, Minami-ku in Kyoto City.
The Toyota contract had previously been held by Kyoto Kikai,
but followed the founders to their new company.
We were quite interested to learn of the formation of KTC by ex-employees of Kyoto Kikai,
rather than as a business succession via spinoff or as a newly independent subsidiary.
KTC's own history dwells at some length on the early history of Kyoto Kikai,
leaving an impression that KTC is the heir by succession of the earlier company's heritage.
In the U.S. and other Western countries it's fairly common for employees to leave one company
and set up a competing business,
but in Japan at that time it was probably unusual.
The Karasuma Factory at Higashikujo
In 1951 the company moved to a new factory at 36 Torimaru-cho, Higashikujo, Shimogyō-ku, Kyoto City
(京都市下京区東九条鳥丸町 36)
and began manufacturing commercial tools.
The company referred to this as the Karasuma (鳥丸) factory.
Early JIS Certification
On November 11, 1952 KTC received JIS certification 1977 for class B4630 (open-end wrenches) at the Karasuma factory.
The record for this certification can be seen in the section on the
Monthly Report 1952-11 for Class B4630.
The Oike Factory at Nakagocho
In 1952 the company built a new factory and moved to Nakagocho, Nakagyo-ku in Kyoto.
This factory was referred to as the Oike (御池) factory after a nearby famous area in Kyoto.
On October 21, 1954 the company received JIS certification 3487 for class B4614 (combination pliers)
at the Oike factory.
The record for this certification can be seen in the section on the
1955 JIS Summary for Class B4614.
On November 22, 1954 the company received JIS certification 3523 for class B4604 (adjustable wrenches)
at the Oike factory.
The record for this certification can be seen in the section on the
1955 JIS Summary for Class B4604.
(This certification was later upgraded to include both normal and strong grades,
but we don't know the exact timing.)
On September 6, 1955 the company received JIS certification 4247 for classes B4636 (socket wrenches)
and B4637 (extension bars) at the Oike factory.
The record for this certification can be seen in the section on the
1958 JIS Summary for Classes B4636, B4637, and B4639.
The 1962 Certified List
reports that the JIS 1977 certification for class B4630 had moved to the Oike factory,
but we haven't found a record documenting the move.
On August 10, 1959 the company received JIS certification 6853 for classes B4638, B4640, and B4641
at the Oike factory.
The record for this certification can be seen in the section on the
1962 JIS Summary for Classes B4638, B4640, and B4641.
[Editor's note: these JIS certifications are not mentioned in the company history.]
Kyoto Kōki Subsidiary
In 1960 KTC acquired Nakagawa Kōki and formed Kyoto Kōki as their first subsidiary.
Nakagawa Kōki had been founded by Eiji Nakagawa and made slip-joint pliers as its main product.
Contract Production for Fuller Tool
KTC's published history has an interesting story noting that in 1960 Bernard Fuller of the
Fuller Tool Company
came to visit the KTC factory,
and afterwards took sample wrenches back to the United States.
The result was a 1961 export contract between KTC and Fuller Tool,
which is known to have included adjustable wrenches, open-end wrenches, and combination wrenches.
KTC continued to supply tools to Fuller for many years.
A further anecdote from the 1960 visit is that after returning home,
Fuller sent some of the sample wrenches to Sears to be tested,
and this set in motion events that would lead to the Sears "BF" line of Japanese import tools.
The Fuller tools supplied by KTC were of very high quality,
much better than the "hardware store" grade that might have been expected.
The early open-end wrenches were similar to KTC's own JIS-certified wrenches,
with a recessed panel design and crisp forged-in markings noting chrome vanadium steel.
In addition, the wrenches were marked with the KTC-Oval trademark rather than passing as generic production.
Although the Fuller wrenches would have been expensive to produce due to the need for custom dies,
the Fuller production could be regarded as a calculated investment on KTC's part,
with each wrench advertising the capabilities of the producer.
The 1961 Fuller export contract was important enough that KTC specifically mentions it
in the history timeline of their website.
New Factory in Fushimi-ku
In 1964 the company relocated to a new factory at 40 Shimo toba, Nagatamachi, Fushimi-ku, Kyoto,
and the new facility became designated as a "model factory".
JIS certificate 3523 was transferred from the Oike factory to Fushimi-ku on December 16, 1964.
Contract Production for Sears Roebuck
By 1964 KTC had begun supplying tools to Sears Roebuck under the "BF" manufacturer's code,
initially with carbon steel drop forged wrenches designed as copies of the Sears "Dunlap" brand wrenches
of the late 1950s.
In 1966 the company began a project to develop pipe wrenches for the export market
at the request of the Fuller Tool Company.
The result was a heavy-duty (Ridgid pattern) pipe wrench constructed with a ductile cast iron body,
rather than the more common malleable iron casting.
The pipe wrenches are estimated to have been in production by late 1966,
based on the known sales to Sears.
In 1968 KTC began supplying "Sears" brand pipe wrenches,
which have been observed marked with the KTC logo and a "BF" code.
(See the Sears 30852 "BF" 14 Inch Pipe Wrench in a figure below.)
By 1969 KTC was supplying "Craftsman" brand combination wrenches.
This is an area of active research and we hope to be able to document more examples
of KTC's production for Sears.
The Hokuriku KTC Tool Company
In 1970 the company established the Hokuriku KTC Tool Company in Hakui City, Ishikawa Prefecture,
which provided additional production capacity.
The Hokuriku KTC factory was located at 150-1, Yanagida-cho 70, Hakui City.
Hokuriku KTC was a quasi-independent company and received JIS certifications under its own name,
but since it provided production for KTC,
we are treating it as a factory for KTC.
Pipe Wrench Certification
Sometime between 1967 and 1972 class B4606 (pipe wrenches) was added to KTC's JIS 3523 certification,
but without changing the date,
so that we don't know the exact date of the pipe wrench certification.
The record for this certification can be seen in the
1972 JIS Summary for Classes B4604 and B4606.
New Factory at Kumiyama
In 1979 the company started relocating production to a new factory in Kumiyama-cho, Kuse-gun, Kyoto Prefecture.
The factory at Fushimi-ku continued production of certain tools for some years afterwards,
but eventually was closed.
JIS 3523 for class B4604 and JIS 4247 for class B4636 were transferred to Kumiyama on June 26, 1979.
On June 26, 1979 the Kyoto Kōki factory received JIS 579037 for class B4614 (combination pliers).
The record for this certification can be seen in the
1982 Summary for Class B4614.
After Kyoto Kōki received JIS certification,
KTC transferred production of combination pliers to its subsidiary.
Kyoto Kōki used a K-Circle mark as its JIS ID code.
Mirror Tools
In 1984 the company released its line of Mirror tools with a highly polished finish.
In 1985 Hokuriku KTC received JIS certificate 474026 for combination wrenches (class B4651).
Documentation for this certification can be found in the
1999 Summary for Super-Class B027.
In 1988 the head office moved to Kumiyama-cho.
In 1988 Hokuriku KTC
received JIS certificate 488006 in classes B6404 (adjustable wrenches) and B4606 (pipe wrenches).
Documentation for this certification can be found in the
1999 Summary for Super-Class B013.
The Nepros Line
In 1995 the company released the Nepros line of "Mirror" tools.
In 2003 the KTC Manufacturing Technology Museum was opened to the public.
Continuing Operations
KTC continues in operation today at Kumiyama-cho,
and the company maintains a website (in Japanese and English) at
KTC Kyoto Tool [External Link].
Our history was adapted from the historical timeline on the Japanese site.
JIS Certification History
KTC received JIS certifications for classes B4604 (adjustable wrenches), B4614 (combination pliers),
B4630 (open-end wrenches), B4632 (box-end wrenches), B4636 (socket wrenches),
B4643 (bolt cutters), and B4651 (combination wrenches).
Factory locations were in Higashikujo (Karasuma), Nakagocho (Oike), Yanadiga-cho, and Kumiyama-cho.
View Company History with Factories for KTC.
View JIS Certification Events for KTC.
Kyoto Kōki received a JIS certification for class B4614 (combination pliers).
The factory location was Oyamazaki-chō.
View Company History with Factories for Kyoto Kōki.
View JIS Certification Events for Kyoto Kōki.
Kyoto Kikai Kōgu (KTC): US Registered Trademarks
Text Mark or Logo |
Reg. No. |
First Use | Date Filed | Date Issued |
Notes and Examples |
|
1,663,191 |
01/01/1970 | 03/05/1990 | 11/05/1991 |
"KTC" in an oval.
Published 8-13-1991.
|
Nepros |
2,178,828 |
11/01/1994 | 06/26/1995 | 08/04/1998 |
"Nepros" in stylized text.
Serial 74-694,179. Published 7-9-1996.
|
KTC |
5,567,556 |
01/01/1970 | 08/16/2016 | 09/25/2018 |
"KTC" in a stylized form.
Serial 79,204,588. Published 7-10-2018.
|
Tool Identification
Tools from Kyoto Tool are typically marked with the
KTC-Oval symbol consisting of "KTC" inside an oval.
This symbol was registered as a US trademark in 1991.
In addition to selling its own brands,
the company also provides extensive contract manufacturing services for a number of customers,
and KTC-made tools can be found under many other brands.
KTC-Oval Logo
Fig. 19 shows
the KTC-Oval logo as it was presented for trademark #1,663,191.
Fig. 20 shows
the KTC-Oval logo,
as stamped on a Fuller 3/4 combination wrench shown in a later figure.
KTC Standard Forged Markings
KTC provided extensive contract production for the Sears "BF" series tools,
which included a line of carbon steel drop-forged wrenches with forged-in markings.
The next set of figures show the standard marking style on these wrenches,
which included several variations.
These markings should serve as a reliable means to identify KTC production.
Based on the observed examples,
the "standard" markings underwent some evolution,
and these changes may assist with estimating the production date for a tool.
Fig. 21 shows
the KTC Standard Forged Markings in an early version,
as observed on a
Sears "BF" 13/16x7/8 Open-End Wrench.
In this example the "BF" and "JAPAN" markings have been split by "DROP FORGED",
and the panel does not repeat the size markings from the other side.
Some further variations include "B.F" at the left.
This version of the standard markings has been observed on open-end wrenches and combination wrenches.
Fig. 22 shows
the KTC Standard Forged Markings in a somewhat later version,
as observed on a
Sears "BF" 5/8 Combination Wrench.
In this example "DROP FORGED" is in the center with size markings at both ends of the panel,
and the "BF" and "JAPAN" markings have been joined at the right.
This version of the standard markings has been observed on combination and box-end wrenches.
Fig. 23 shows
the KTC Standard Forged Markings in a later version,
as observed on a
Sears "BF" 9/16x5/8 Offset Box-End Wrench.
In this example "DROP FORGED" has been replaced by "FORGED" in the center of the panel,
with "BF JAPAN" in smaller letters to the right,
and size markings at both ends.
This version of the standard markings has been observed on open-end, combination, and box-end wrenches.
Catalog Resources
Kyoto Tool Company: Catalog Resources
Catalog |
Year |
Notes |
|
|
Hand Tools (1955): |
Hand Tool |
1955 |
Price list in Japanese. 27 pages.
Available for Download
[External Link] from ITCL.
|
|
|
Catalog No. 8 (1966): |
Catalog No. 8 |
1966 |
Catalog in English. 20 pages.
Address listed as Shimotoba, Fushimi-ku, Kyoto, Japan.
Available for Download
[External Link] from ITCL.
Illustrates open-end wrenches with recessed oval panels and forged-in markings.
Illustrates combination wrenches with parallelogram panels.
|
|
|
KTC Hand Tools (1977): |
KTC Hand Tools |
1977 |
Catalog in English. Dated 77.9 on back cover. 32 pages.
Available for Download
[External Link] from ITCL.
Illustrates adjustable wrenches with angled inside corner, ridge around hanging hole.
|
|
|
Catalog No. 20 (1983): |
Catalog No. 20 |
1983 |
Catalog in Japanese. 69 pages.
Available for Download
[External Link] from ITCL.
|
Selected Tools
Currently all of our examples of KTC's tools are contract production for other brands,
in particular the Fuller Tool Company and its Award subsidiary.
These tools are shown in the sections below.
KTC offers an extensive selection of tools under its own brands,
and we will add examples as they become available.
Adjustable Wrenches
Currently we don't have any KTC-branded adjustable wrenches to display,
but we're adding this section to discuss some puzzling questions about whether KTC used in-house
or contract production for these tools during the mid 1950s to 1980s time frame.
In 1954 KTC received JIS certificate 3523 for adjustable wrenches at its Nakagocho factory,
and in late 1964 JIS 3523 was transferred to the new factory at Fushimi-ku.
After receiving certification,
most companies would add JIS markings to their adjustable wrench production.
In Japan of the mid 1950s and later,
JIS certification was generally required for sales to commercial, government, and military customers,
and since KTC is a major tool company,
we would expect to find numerous examples of KTC adjustable wrenches marked with its JIS certification.
However, the CWC site reports that KTC adjustable wrenches with KTC's own JIS certification are quite rare,
at least until 1988 when the Hokuriku KTC subsidiary received JIS certification for adjustable wrenches.
After that point KTC JIS-marked wrenches appear to be fairly common,
but always with marks indicating production by Hokuriku KTC.
Prior to the late 1980s we find that adjustable wrenches marked with KTC's brand
are frequently marked with another company's JIS certification,
indicating contract production for KTC.
(Recall that JIS marked tools must be traceable to the actual maker.)
The most frequently observed contract maker is
Hokuyo Sangyo ("Sanki"),
and production by
Yamaco
has also been seen.
A Mercari Search
To investigate this issue further,
we decided to do some research using Mercari,
a popular Japanese online marketplace for tools and other products.
A recent search (October 2024) for "KTC monkey wrench" turned up many examples of adjustable wrenches.
We restricted our attention to the "classic" style of adjustable wrench of the 1950s to 1980s
and ignored the many modern wrenches with cut-away shanks and super-wide openings.
The wrenches we examined were all marked for KTC's name and logo,
but (as expected) most had forged-in markings indicating production by Sanki.
Fortunately we were able to spot some examples with direct relevance to our question.
An Early Nissan OEM Wrench
One example that stood out from the rest was marked with the Nissan logo and a JIS symbol,
along with KTC's early "nijumarukyo" logo and the company name.
The construction of the wrench closely matched the illustration on
page 11
[External Link] of the 1966 KTC catalog,
which shows some very distinctive production characteristics.
Note in particular the rounded inside corner of the fixed jaw,
the inset convex cutaway of the moveable jaw,
the wide tailpiece of the moveable jaw,
and the hanging hole without a ridge.
A photograph of a similar wrench can be found on the CWC site as the
KTC "Nijumarukyo" OEM for Nissan
[External Link].
The CWC site actually shows two Nissan OEM wrenches,
the first of which was made by Yamaco as contract production for KTC,
with the second example made by KTC itself.
These wrenches allow us to understand the origin of KTC's style for adjustable wrenches.
In the early 1950s KTC had a production contract with Nissan,
and Nissan apparently requested JIS-certified adjustable wrenches as part of the contract.
At that time KTC was not yet certified for adjustable wrenches,
so it subcontracted with Yamaco to produce the first generation of the Nissan OEM JIS wrenches,
which were marked with Yamaco's "YK" identification mark.
(Yamaco had received JIS 2356 on June 20, 1953.)
Since the tools produced for Nissan were supposed to be marked with KTC's name and logo,
Yamaco made the wrenches with markings for KTC,
plus the small "YK" code required for JIS traceability.
The first wrench displayed by the CWC link above shows an example of Yamaco's production,
with a "YK" code visible to the right of the JIS symbol.
On November 22, 1954 KTC received JIS certificate 3523 for adjustable wrenches,
and presumably shortly afterwards began its own production of Nissan OEM wrenches.
Since the wrenches made up to this point had been made by Yamaco,
KTC copied Yamaco's style for its own wrenches.
The second wrench in the CWC link above shows KTC's own production,
in the same style as Yamaco but without any additional marks near the JIS symbol.
We can accept the Nissan OEM wrench as proof that KTC made JIS-certified wrenches in this style.
JIS 9786
The next significant observation on Mercari was a wrench marked with KTC's name and logo
along with a JIS symbol and "9786" forged into the front,
with "KTC, FORGED ALLOY" plus a small "SA" marking forged into the back.
JIS 9786 was registered to Hokuyo Sangyō,
so this wrench was definitely produced by Sanki,
and it shows that the "SA" marking indicates Sanki production.
The wrench construction closely matched the KTC catalog illustration in the jaw details
and the absence of a ridge around the hanging hole,
which proves that Sanki was able to replicate the "KTC Style" in adjustable wrenches.
The Remaining Examples
After examining these first two examples from Mercari,
we now know what a KTC JIS-marked wrench looks like,
but we also know that looks alone won't distinguish a wrench from a close copy.
Most of the other listings we examined were very similar to the Sanki example,
with a forged-in "SA" on the back and in some cases marked with the full JIS number.
However, we did find two listings that appeared to not have the "SA" marking,
but were otherwise similar in construction to the other wrenches.
(We say "appeared" because the photos were not completely clear.)
Our hypothesis is that these two wrenches were actual KTC production,
and that distinguishing KTC production from contract production must be based on the absence
of the seemingly insignificant "SA" mark.
Conclusions
From this exercise it is immediately clear that KTC wrenches produced by Sanki represent a substantial majority
of the used wrenches available for sale now.
To draw further conclusions,
we have to start with the assumption that the relative abundance of products in the online marketplace
is proportional to their original sales.
With this assumption we can make a rough estimate of the proportion of sales by noting that
after examining at least ten listings,
only two represented possible KTC production.
This leads to an estimated 80% market share for Sanki.
This might seem to be a surprising result,
but by the mid 1960s KTC is known to have had at least four major contracts requiring adjustable wrenches,
for customers including Toyota Motor, Nissan, Fuller Tool, and Sears Roebuck.
The excess demand from these contracts,
in addition to the normal sales volume to other customers,
may have greatly exceeded the production capacity of KTC's factory.
Based on the evidence here,
we will assume that KTC made extensive use of contract production for adjustable wrenches,
with Hokuyo Sangyō as the primary outside producer,
but possibly with others as well.
We will plan to update this section as new information becomes available.
Production for Toyota Motors
KTC had a production contract with Toyota Motors at the start of its operations in 1950,
and Toyota remained an important customer for many years.
KTC's production for Toyota initially included adjustable wrenches,
but at some point adjustable wrench production appears to have been transferred to Toho Kōki.
We previously listed a "Toyota Motor" adjustable wrench in this section,
but it has been moved to the
[Toho Kōki] Toyota Motor 250mm Adjustable Wrench.
Toyota Motor 14x17mm Open-End Wrench
Fig. 24 shows
a Toyota Motor 14x17mm open-end wrench with recessed oval panels,
marked with "Toyota Motor" and the metric sizes forged into the front,
with "Nickel-Chrome-Vanadium" and "Japan" forged into the back side.
The overall length is 6.4 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.
The recessed oval panels of this wrench closely resemble the illustration on
page 8
[External Link] of the 1966 KTC catalog,
which shows the company's line of JIS-certified open-end wrenches.
The catalog description notes that the wrenches were made of nickel chrome vanadium alloy steel,
the company's preferred alloy steel in the 1950s and 1960s.
The catalog reference provides a production estimate in the 1960s for this wrench.
Contract production for Fuller and Award also used this design with recessed oval panels and forged-in markings,
and it's possible that the wrenches made for Fuller and Award might have been made of the same steel,
as it would be valid to mark it as "Chrome Vanadium".
Production for Fuller and Award Brands
The figures in this section show examples of KTC's wrench production for the
Fuller Tool Company
and its Award subsidiary.
Award Tool was founded in 1963 as a reseller of hand tools,
and from 1965 onward operated as a subsidiary of Fuller.
(It's possible that KTC might have provided production for Award while it was still independent,
but we do not have any specific evidence.)
Wrenches made for Fuller and Award have been observed in three styles:
- Recessed oval panels;
- Raised oval panels;
- Raised parallelogram panels.
The sections below will offer production date estimates partly based on catalog references,
but with a large degree of uncertanty 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 in the 1960s.
Wrenches in this style were made with forged-in markings,
and the known examples were marked for chrome vanadium steel.
The open-end wrenches of this generation closely resemble KTC's own production,
as illustrated on
page 8
[External Link] of the 1966 KTC catalog.
Raised Oval Panels
The second style was characterized by raised oval panels and stamped markings.
Production of this style probably began in the late 1960s and continued through the 1970s,
and possibly beyond.
The earliest known catalog reference is from 1976.
Wrenches in this style were marked either as "Drop Forged" of "Forged Alloy",
but no specific alloy references are known.
The less specific alloy references may indicate that this style was intended for less expensive wrenches.
Another characteristic of this style is a forged-in "Fx" manufacturing code,
with the "F" prefix believed to indicate a Fuller-specific forging die.
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,
which can be seen as the
Catalog Listing of Fuller Parallelogram Wrenches.
Wrenches in this style were marked with a specific alloy as either "Chrome Vanadium" or "Chrome Molybdenum".
This style has a forged-in manufacturing code of the form "Ux".
Other Tools
In addition to the wrenches shown here,
KTC is known to have supplied Fuller with adjustable wrenches and bolt cutters.
We'll add additional examples as they become available.
[KTC] Fuller 3/4x7/8 Open-End Wrench, Recessed Panels
Fig. 26 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.
This wrench closely resembles the illustration on
page 8
[External Link] of the 1966 KTC catalog,
which is consistent with our estimate of production in the 1960s.
[KTC] Award 15/16x1 Open-End Wrench, Recessed Panels
Fig. 27 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.
[KTC] Fuller 11/16x3/4 Open-End Wrench, Oval Panels
Fig. 28 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.
[KTC] Fuller 13x15mm Open-End Wrench, Oval Panels
Fig. 29 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.
[KTC] Fuller 17x19mm Open-End Wrench, Oval Panels
Fig. 30 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.
[KTC] Fuller 15/16x1 Inch Open-End Wrench, Parallelogram Panels
Fig. 31 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.
[KTC] Award 3/8 Combination Wrench, Recessed Panels
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.
[KTC] Fuller 7/16 Combination Wrench, Oval Panels
Fig. 33 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.
[KTC] Fuller 1/2 Combination Wrench, Oval Panels
Fig. 34 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.
[KTC] Fuller 5/8 Combination Wrench, Oval Panels
Fig. 35 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.
[KTC] Fuller 5/8 Combination Wrench, Parallelogram Panels
Fig. 36 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.
[KTC] Fuller 11/16 Combination Wrench, Parallelogram Panels
Fig. 37 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.
[KTC] Fuller 3/4 Combination Wrench, Parallelogram Panels
Fig. 37B 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.
Production for Sears Roebuck
KTC supplied tools to Sears Roebuck for several of its brands,
including "Sears", "Companion", and "Craftsman".
Contract production for Sears was marked with a "BF" manufacturer's code.
Production for the "BF" code began in 1964 and KTC was involved from the beginning
with production of carbon-steel forged wrenches,
which were made as copies of Dunlap wrenches from the mid to late 1950s.
A more extensive discussion of the development of the "BF" series can be found in our article on
Distributor "BF".
Sears "BF" 5/8 Combination Wrenches
The next figures show two generations of the Sears "BF" 5/8 combination wrench,
with minor differences in the markings.
Fig. 38A shows
an early Sears 5/8 combination wrench with depressed panels,
marked with "Sears" and the fractional size forged into the front panel,
with "Drop Forged" between "B.F" and Japan" forged into the back side.
The top inset shows a side view of the wrench.
Note that the edge of the shank has been ground smooth,
but a few traces of the trimming process still remain.
The overall length is 7.0 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.
This wrench has an early variation of the
KTC Standard Forged Markings
with "B.F" and "Japan" on opposite ends of the back panel.
Fig. 38B shows
a somewhat later Sears 5/8 combination wrench with depressed panels,
marked with "Sears" and the fractional size forged into the front panel,
with "Drop Forged" and "BF Japan" plus the fractional size forged into the back side.
The top inset shows a side view of the wrench.
Note that the edge of the shank has been ground smooth,
and the edges of the open-end are rounded and polished.
The overall length is 7.0 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.
The
KTC Standard Forged Markings
identify this wrench as production by KTC for the Sears "BF" contract.
These wrenches closely resemble the
Dunlap "LC" 5/8 Combination Wrench
shown in another article,
strongly suggesting that the Sears "BF" wrenches were made as intentional copies.
[KTC] Sears "BF" 9/16x5/8 Offset Box-End Wrench
Fig. 39 shows
a Sears 9/16x5/8 offset box-end wrench with depressed panels,
marked with "Sears" and the fractional sizes forged into the front panel,
with "Forged" and "BF Japan" plus the fractional sizes forged into the back panel.
The overall length is 9.4 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating,
with losses due to wear and rust.
This wrench can be identified as production by KTC based on a display in KTC's tool museum,
which shows a wrench closely resembling this example identifed as contract ("OEM") production for Sears.
The wrench in the exhibit has the same distinctive production characteristics,
including the short horizontal sections joining the box ends.
This wrench was designed as an intentional copy of Dunlap offset box wrenches made by Lectrolite,
an example of which can be seen as the
Dunlap "LC" 3/8x7/16 Offset Box-End Wrench.
Note the precisely formed depressed panels with crisp forged-in markings,
a hallmark of KTC's production.
The marking for "BF Japan" is made with a smaller font and placed to the right of the "Forged" marking.
We will refer to the marking style of this wrench as the "KTC Standard Forged Markings"
and will use this to identify other examples of KTC's production.
[KTC] Sears 30852 "BF" 14 Inch Heavy-Duty Pipe Wrench
In 1968 Sears offered Japanese heavy-duty pipe wrenches in models 30851 and 30852,
with sizes 10 and 14 inches respectively.
This next figure shows an example of the larger model.
Fig. 40 shows
a Sears 30852 14 inch heavy-duty (Ridgid pattern) pipe wrench,
marked with "Sears" and "Heavy Duty" plus the model number cast into the shank,
with the same markings plus "14" and "Japan" cast into the back side.
The jaw is marked "Drop Forged" (partly obscured) with the
KTC-Oval logo and "BF"
forged into the recessed panel,
as shown in the small inset.
The overall length is 12.8 inches closed and approximately 15.3 inches fully extended.
The finish is plain steel and red paint.
For this wrench we don't have to guess the manufacturer,
as KTC was thoughtful enough to place their well-known logo on the moveable jaw.
By 1978 Sears was offering Japanese heavy-duty pipe wrenches under its "Craftsman" brand,
and although we don't have an example available,
we strongly suspect that KTC was the maker of the Craftsman pipe wrenches as well.
[KTC] Craftsman "BF" 5/8 Combination Wrench
The next figure shows an early example of KTC's production for the Craftsman brand.
Fig. 41 shows
a Craftsman "BF" 5/8 combination wrench with raised panels,
stamped with the "=Craftsman=" logo and fractional size on the front panel,
with "Chrome Molybdenum" and "BF Japan" plus the fractional size on the back panel.
The shank is also marked with a forged-in "C0" code,
as seen in the lower inset.
The top inset shows a side view of the wrench.
Note the rounded and polished side of the open end,
an extra finishing touch provided by this maker.
The overall length is 7.8 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating.
The forged-in "C0" code indicates that this wrench was produced by KTC for the Sears Craftsman brand.
The absence of a model number on this wrench suggests production before 1970.
KTC's published history states that production of Craftsman combination wrenches began in 1969,
suggesting that this is an early example.
Lobtex Company (Lobster)
The Lobtex Company (formerly Nippon Riki) began in 1888 with the invention of a two-handed hair clipper,
making it one of the oldest tool companies in Japan.
Itō Iron Works
The company was founded in 1888 as the Itō Iron Works in Hiraoka, Osaka by Kanekichi Itō (伊藤兼吉).
The company manufactured a two-handed hair clipper,
which was then sold in a private shop run by the founder.
The Formation of Nippon Riki
In 1923 the Nippon Riki Company, Ltd. (日本理器) was established by the merger of
the Itō Iron Works and Jibiki Iron Works.
The company operated in Hiraoka, Osaka as the maker of barber tools.
Adjustable Wrench Production
By 1928 the company had begun production of adjustable wrenches and pliers.
The wrenches were initially produced as malleable iron castings,
but then progressed to a partial forging.
The first wrenches were sold under the "RK" brand,
but by 1929 the company was selling the partially forged wrenches under the "Lobster" brand,
marking the beginning of a long association with crustaceans.
By 1932 the company was making fully-forged adjustable wrenches.
This was a major milestone for the Japanese tool industry,
and within a few years
Toho Kōki also succeeded in
making fully forged adjustable wrenches.
First JIS Certification
On June 28, 1951 the company received JIS certificate 658 for adjustable wrenches (class B4604),
with the factory address listed as 516 Shijo-cho, Hiraoka City in Osaka Prefecture.
The record for this certification can be seen in the section on the
Monthly Report 1952-01 for Classes B4604 and B4605.
Nippon Riki was one of the first five companies to pass the certification test for this class.
JIS Certification for Combination Pliers
On November 16, 1953 the company received JIS certificate 2720 for combination pliers (class B4614)
at the Shijo-cho factory.
The record for this certification can be seen in the section on the
1955 JIS Summary Class B4614.
"New Lobster" Trademark
In 1954 the company registered "New Lobster" as Japanese trademark 29-18150.
The "New Lobster" adjustable wrenches were made of chrome-moly steel and were certified for JIS-H "Heavy" class.
JIS Certification for Pipe Wrenches
By 1958 the company had received JIS certification for pipe wrenches (class B4606) in both normal and heavy grades
at the Shijo-cho factory.
(The B4606 certification was added to JIS 658 without changing the date,
so we don't have an exact date for the pipe wrench certification.)
The record for this certification can be seen in the section on the
1958 JIS Summary for Classes B4604 and B4605.
JIS Certification for Open-End Wrenches
On October 26, 1963 the company received JIS certificate 9671 for open-end wrenches (class B4630)
at the Shijo-cho factory.
The record for this certification can be seen in the section on the
1964 JIS Summary for Class B4630.
US Trademark for "LOBSTER"
In 1964 the company filed a U.S. trademark application for "LOBSTER" with a crustacean symbol.
In 1966 the company discontinued making hair clippers to specialize in making tools.
Civic Reorganization
In 1967 a civic reorganization combined Hiraoka with two other cities to form Higashi Osaka,
and the address for the company's factory changed to 1218 Shijo-cho in Higashi Osaka.
New Forging Factory at Yao
In 1971 a new forging factory in Yao was completed.
100th Anniversary
In 1988 the company celebrated its 100th anniversary.
The Tottori Lobster Tools Company
In December of 1990 the forging division became an independent company as Tottori Lobster Tools (鳥取ロブスターツール).
Tottori Lobster continued to provide production for Nippon Riki,
but also made tools for other companies.
[Editor's note: when was the Tottori factory built?]
Name Change to Lobtex
In 1992 the company changed its name to the Lobtex Company, Ltd.
In 1998 production of adjustable wrenches was transferred to Tottori Lobster Tools.
[Editor's note: JIS 658 revoked? No record of B4604 certification for Tottori.]
"Fabless" Operation
By 2004 all production had been transferred to Tottori Lobster and the company transitioned to a
"fabless" design and marketing operation.
In 2006 the head office factory was renovated to serve as a design, marketing, and logistics center.
Continuing Operations
The company continues in business today as the producer of a wide variety of tools,
including adjustable wrenches, pipe wrenches, combination wrenches, pliers,
power tools such as cordless river setters, diamond saw blades, and many other items.
The company's head office is at 2-8 Shijo-cho, Higashi-Osaka City in Osaka Prefecture.
The company's website is at
www.lobtex.co.jp [External Link],
and an outline of the company's history in English can be found on the
Company History [External Link] page.
JIS Certification History
Lobtex is known to have received JIS certifications in classes B4604 (adjustable wrenches),
B4606 (pipe wrenches), B4614 (combination pliers), B4630 (open-end-wrenches), and B4632 (box-end wrenches).
The company's factory operated from 1923 until 2004 at 516 Shijo-cho in Hiraoka, Osaka Prefecture.
(The later address was 1218 Shijo-cho in Higashi Osaka.)
View Company History with Factories for LOBTEX.
View JIS Certification Events for LOBTEX.
View Company History with Factories for Tottori Lobster.
View JIS Certification Events for Tottori Lobster.
Trademarks
Nippon Riki received Japanese trademark #294,522 on October 4, 1937.
Lobtex Company: US Registered Trademarks
Text Mark or Logo |
Reg. No. |
First Use | Date Filed | Date Issued |
Notes and Examples |
|
776,138 |
| 01/29/1964 | 09/01/1964 |
"LOBSTER" with design
Filed by Nippon Riki Company.
Serial 185,616. Published June 16, 1964.
|
|
943,591 |
08/01/1967 | 05/18/1971 | 09/26/1972 |
"LOBSTER" with design
Filed by Nippon Riki Company.
Used for pneumatic riveters.
Serial 392,419. Published July 11, 1972.
Renewed October 6, 1992.
|
LOBSTER TOOLS |
1,502,786 |
| 11/27/1987 | 09/06/1988 |
Filed by the Nippon Riki Company.
Serial 698,072. Published June 14, 1988.
|
LOBSTER [logo] |
1,924,432 |
12/01/1983 | 11/12/1993 | 10/03/1995 |
"LOBSTER" with design
Filed by the Lobtex Company.
Serial 74-462,041. Published 9-20-1994.
|
Tool Identification
Tools made by Lobtex are frequently marked with a distinctive Lobster-Logo,
as seen below.
Lobster-Logo
Fig. 42 shows
the Lobster-Logo as it appears forged into the shank of the
New Lobster 200mm Adjustable Wrench in the next figure.
Selected Tools
In addition to producing tools for its own brands,
Lobtex provided extensive contract production for other brands,
including Globemaster and Sears.
We plan to show examples of contract production as the tools become available.
New Lobster 200mm Adjustable Wrenches
The next figures show two examples of 200mm adjustable wrenches,
with minor differences in the markings.
Fig. 43 shows
a New Lobster 200mm (8 inch) adjustable wrench,
marked with "New Lobster" and the
Lobster-Logo forged into the shank,
with "Drop Forged Alloy Steel" and the
JIS-Circle+H logo forged into the back side.
The front side has a forged-in code "YT" at the right,
and the back side is stamped with "Japan" near the hanging hole,
as seen in the lower inset.
The overall length is 8.1 inches,
and the maximum opening is 1.0 inches.
The finish is chrome plating,
with losses due to wear and rust.
The stamped "Japan" marking suggests the wrench was made initially for domestic use.
Fig. 44 shows
another New Lobster 200mm (8 inch) adjustable wrench,
marked with "New Lobster" and "Made in Japan" plus the
Lobster-Logo forged into the shank,
with "Forged Alloy Steel" and the
JIS-Circle+H logo forged into the back side.
The overall length is 8.1 inches,
and the maximum opening is 1.0 inches.
The head thickness was measured at 0.47 inches.
The finish is chrome plating.
One production characteristic noted for these wrenches is that the stud securing the worm gear is
threaded on the outside (slotted) end.
We checked two other examples of Lobster wrenches and found the same construction,
so this characteristic may help to identify Nippon Riki production.
Production for Globemaster
Nippon Riki was a supplier to
Globemaster,
an American distributor of mostly imported tools.
[Nippon Riki] Globemaster 60140 6 Inch Adjustable Wrench
Fig. 45A shows
a Globemaster 60140 6 inch adjustable wrench,
marked with "Globemaster" and "Drop Forged 60140" forged into the front,
with "Chrome Alloy Steel" and "Japan" plus the
Lobster-Logo
forged into the back.
The lower inset shows a close-up of the jaw construction.
Note the angled transition to the fixed jaw and the angled cutaway on the moveable jaw.
The overall length is 6.1 inches,
and the maximum opening is 0.8 inches.
The finish is chrome plating,
with extensive losses due to wear.
One construction characteristic noted for this wrench is that the stud securing the worm gear is
threaded on the outside (slotted) end.
[Nippon Riki] Globemaster 60820-R 16 Ounce Ripping Hammer
Fig. 45 shows
a Globemaster 60820-R 16 ounce ripping hammer,
stamped with "Globemaster" and "No. 60820 R" on the head,
with "Drop Forged" and "Japan" on the back.
The head is also stamped with a distinctive
Lobster-Logo,
a registered trademark of
Nippon Riki,
now known as Lobtex.
The overall length is 12.4 inches,
and the finish is plain steel,
with traces of chrome plating on the tubular handle.
The Lobster logo indicates that the hammer was made by Nippon Riki,
one of Japan's oldest tool makers.
Globemaster also offered a very similar claw hammer with model 60820-TC.
This hammer is characterized by its forged head, tubular steel handle, and rubber handle grip.
Based on the very similar construction,
Nippon Riki is known to have supplied this type of hammer to the Fuller, Companion (Sears),
and Truecraft brands.
Production for Sears Roebuck
Nippon Riki is known to have supplied tools to Sears Roebuck for the "Sears" and "Companion" brands.
Contract production for Sears was marked with a "BF" manufacturer's code.
[Nippon Riki] Companion 3812 "BF" Claw Hammer
Fig. 46 shows
a Companion 3812 claw hammer,
stamped with "Companion" and "Forged" plus the model number on the head,
with "Japan-BF" on the back.
The overall length is 12.9 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating.
The tubular steel handle is fitted with a rubber cushion grip
that makes the hammer comfortable to hold.
The "BF" code indicates that the tool was supplied through a distributor representing
a number of Japanese manufacturers.
The model 3812 hammer was listed in the Craftsman catalogs from 1966 through 1981.
The earlier catalogs did not mention a brand,
but we've seen photographs of this model marked with "Sears" and "Chrome Alloy".
By 1972 the 3812 hammer was listed under the Companion brand.
The manufacturer of this hammer was identified as Nippon Riki based on the close similarity in construction between
this hammer and a Globemaster No. 60820-R ripping hammer,
which was stamped with Nippon Riki's trademark
Lobster-Logo.
This type of hammer was also made for the Fuller and Truecraft brands.
Maeda Kinzoku Kōgyō: Tone Company
The Tone Company is a maker of wrenches and socket tools operating in Osaka, Japan.
The company was founded in 1925 as the Maeda Gunji Shoten (前田軍治商店)
and operated as a dealer of machine tools in Fukushima Ward, Osaka City (大阪/福島区).
One of their initial products were "Merry" brand pliers made by
Muromoto Iron Works.
In August of 1932 the company moved to the Tatsumichibori section of Osaka (大阪/立売堀),
an area with many metal industries.
New Factory in Fukae
In 1938 the tool manufacturing division became independent and Maeda Kinzoku Kōgyō was established
in Fukae, Higashinari-ku, Osaka (大阪/東成区深江).
The Fukae location would remain their main factory until 1982.
TONE Trademark
In 1941 the company registered "TONE" and "Tone" as Japanese trademarks.
In the post-war era Maeda Kinzoku Kōgyō was re-established with Gunji Maeda (前田軍治)
as president.
JIS Certifications
On September 6, 1955 the company received JIS certification 4248 for socket wrenches (class B4636).
The record for this certification can be seen in the
1955-09 Monthly Report for JIS 4248.
On April 8, 1958 the company received JIS certification 5900 for socket tools in classes B4638 (spinner handles),
B4640 (sliding Tee handles), and B4641 (ratchet handles).
The record for this certification can be seen in the
1958 Certified List for Classes B4638, B4640, and B4641.
An additional JIS certification 9181 was received on January 29, 1963 for box-end wrenches (class B4632).
The record for this certification can be seen in the
1963-01 Monthly Report for JIS 9181.
The company received JIS 9883 on February 18, 1964 for open-end wrenches (class B4630),
with suffixes "N", "H", and "S".
The record for this certification can be seen in the
1964-02 Monthly Report for JIS 9883.
Civic Reorganization for Fukae
In 1970 Fukae-higashi and Fukae-kita merged in a civic reorganization,
and as a result the address of the Fukae factory changed to 3-14-3 Fukae-kita (大阪市東成区深江北3丁目14番3号).
New Factory in Tondabayashi
In 1982 the company opened a new factory at 3-3-6 Wakamatsucho Higashi, Tondabayashi City in Osaka Prefecture.
The older factory at Fukae remained in operation after Tondabayashi opened.
JIS Certification at Tondabayashi
On June 15, 1984 the company received JIS certification 584030 for class B4636 (sockets)
at the Tondabayashi factory.
The record for this certification can be seen in the
Aggregate Monthly Report for Maeda B4636.
JIS Cancellation at Fukae
After the company received JIS certification for sockets at Tondabayashi,
on June 17, 1985 the earlier certification for class B4636 at Fukae was cancelled.
The record for the cancellation can be seen in the
1985-10 Monthly Report for JIS 4248.
Fukae continued to produce tools in classes B4637 (extensions) and B4639 (universal joints).
50th Anniversary
In 1988 the company celebrated its 50th anniversary,
and Eiji Maeda (前田英治) was appointed as president.
In 2003 the company began offering a full line of stainless steel tools.
New Factory in Kawachinagano
In 2012 the company opened a new factory in Kawachinagano City, Osaka Prefecture (大阪府河内長野市).
After the factory at Kawachinagano opened,
the old factory at Fukae was closed.
Name Change to Tone Company
In 2013 Maeda Kinzoku Kōgyō changed its name to the Tone Company,
and the head office and factory relocated to Kawachinagano City,
the company's present location.
The company maintains a website (in Japanese) at
Tone Tool [External Link].
JIS Certification History
TONE is known to have received JIS certifications in classes
B4630 (open-end wrenches), B4632 (box-end wrenches), and B4636 (socket wrenches).
The factory locations were in Fukae and Tondabayashi.
View Company History with Factories for TONE Company.
View JIS Certification Events for TONE Company.
Tool Identification
The company uses "TONE" or "TONE TOOL" as its primary brand,
with "TITAN TOOL" and "SUS TOOL" as additional brands.
Catalog Resources
Tone Company: Catalog Resources
Catalog |
Year |
Notes |
|
|
TONE No. 103S (1954): |
TONE No. 103S |
1954 |
Catalog in Japanese. 20 pages.
Available for Download
[External Link] from ITCL.
|
|
|
TONE No. 106S (1956): |
TONE No. 103S |
1956 |
Catalog in Japanese. 20 pages.
Available for Download
[External Link] from ITCL.
|
|
|
TONE No. 300 (1968): |
TONE No. 300 |
1968 |
Catalog in Japanese. 36 pages.
Available for Download
[External Link] from ITCL.
|
|
|
TONE No. 1000 (1976): |
TONE No. 1000 |
1976 |
Catalog in Japanese. Dated 1976-7 on back. 32 pages.
Available for Download
[External Link] from ITCL.
|
|
|
TONE No. 8509 (1985): |
TONE No. 8509 |
1985 |
Catalog in Japanese. 32 pages.
Available for Download
[External Link] from ITCL.
|
Selected Tools
Tone Tool 22x24mm Offset Box-End Wrench
Fig. 47 shows
a Tone Tool 22x24mm offset box-end wrench,
marked with "Tone Tool" and the metric sizes forged into the shank,
with "M45 Cr-V" and "Japan" plus the
JIS-Circle logo forged into the back side.
The overall length is 13.1 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating.
Note that the markings on the back side have been rotated for readability.
(The size markings are repeated on the back,
but were omitted from the photograph to avoid confusion after the rotation.)
Tone Tool 24x27mm Offset Box-End Wrench
Fig. 48 shows
a Tone Tool 24x27mm offset box-end wrench,
marked with "Tone Tool" and the metric sizes forged into the shank,
with "M45 Cr-V" and "Japan" plus the
JIS-Circle logo forged into the back side.
The overall length is 14.1 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating.
Note that the markings on the back side have been rotated for readability.
(The size markings are repeated on the back,
but were omitted from the photograph to avoid confusion after the rotation.)
Maruto Hasegawa Kōsakujō
The company was founded in 1924 by Tozaburo Hasegawa (長谷川藤三郎) in Sanjo City, Niigata Prefecture
and initially operated as a maker of carpentry tools.
[Editor's note: what was the first location?]
New Factory at Shimada
In May of 1936 the company moved to a new factory at 177 Shimada in Sanjo City.
Name Change
In May of 1943 the company incorporated as the Maruto Hasegawa Kōsakujō (マルト長谷川工作所)
and began producing pliers for the military.
The KEIBA Brand
Maruto Hasegawa uses "KEIBA" as its main brand for tools,
with a horse's head as a logo.
JIS Certification
On October 31, 1951 the company received JIS certificate 1018 for class B4623 (side-cutting pliers)
at the Shimada factory.
The record for this certification can be seen in the section on the
1955 JIS Summary for Classes B4623-B4625.
New Head Office at Higashi Honjoji
In December of 1969 the company moved its head office to 1911 Higashi Honjoji in Sanjo City
(三条市東本成寺1911),
with the factory at 16-1 Doba in Sanjo City (三条市土場16番1号).
On August 14, 1970 the company received JIS certificate 370217 for diagonal cutters (class B4635)
in normal and heavy grades at the Doba (土場) factory.
The record for this certification can be seen in the
1972 JIS Summary for Class B4635.
On November 12, 1970 the company received JIS certificate 1018 for side-cutting pliers (class B4623)
in normal and heavy grades at the Doba (土場) factory.
The record for this certification can be seen in the
1972 JIS Summary for Classes B4623-B4625.
On November 12, 1970 the company received JIS certificate 370202 for needlenose pliers (class B4631)
at the Doba (土場) factory.
The record for this certification can be seen in the
1972 JIS Summary for Class B4631.
By December of 1982 annual production had reached 4.1 million units.
Consolidation of JIS Certifications
By 1999 the company's JIS certificates for pliers in classes B4623, B4625, B4631, and B4635
had all been consolidated into JIS 1018 at the Doba (土場) factory.
The records for these certifications can be seen in the
1999 JIS Summary for Super-Class B010.
The LIGHTOOL Line
Continuing Operations
On May 16, 2024 the company celebrated the 100th anniversary of its founding with a festival
at their headquarters in Sanjo City.
The company's website is at
keiba-tool.com
[External Link].
Trademarks
Fig. 49 shows
Japanese trademark 4304844 for "LIGHTOOL",
issued to Maruto Hasegawa Kōsakujō on August 13, 1999.
Contract Production for Fuller Tool
Maruto Hasegawa is known to have supplied tools to the
Fuller Tool Company
based on a stamped "Maruto" marking observed on tools and sometimes even included in catalog illustrations.
Fuller [192] "Maruto" 6 Inch Needlenose Pliers with Side-Cutters
Fig. 50A 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.
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.
[Maruto] Fuller 7 Inch Heavy-Duty Diagonal Cutters
Fig. 50 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.
Matsudo Kōgu
The company was founded in 1933 by Takejiro Inoue as the Matsudo Riki Seisakusho and
operated in Matsudo, Chiba prefecture.
Inoue had previously established the Kikuhide Cutlery Shop,
and the new company made knives to be sold at the cutlery shop.
In May of 1934 the company filed a trademark application for a logo with four triangles,
and in July of 1935 applied for "MRS",
an abbreviation of the company's name.
Name Change to Matsudo Seisakusho
In 1939 the company changed its name to Matsudo Seisakusho and converted to manufacturing tools.
Tools were being advertised as early as 1941.
JIS Certification
In 1952 the company received JIS certificate 1975 in class B4630 (open-end wrenches),
and was one of the first seven companies to receive certification in this class.
The record for this certification can be seen in the section on the
Monthly Report 1952-11 for Class B4630.
Name Change to Matsudo Kōgu
In July of 1955 the company was renamed to Matsudo Kōgo.
On October 23, 1959 the company received JIS certificate 7001 for class B4630 (open-end wrenches).
The record for this registration can be seen in the
1962 Certified List for Class B4630.
On October 22, 1959 the company received JIS 7002 for class B4614 (combination plers).
The record for this registration can be seen in the
1962 Certified List for Class B4614.
Discontinued Operations
The company is believed to have closed between 1962 and 1964,
since the company's JIS certifications were still listed in the 1962 Certified List,
but were missing from the 1964 list.
For now we'll use 1963 as the closing date until better information is found.
JIS Certification History
Matsudo Kōgu was one of the first companies to receive JIS certification for class B4630 (open-end wrenches).
View Company History with Factories for Matsudo Kōgu.
View JIS Certification Events for Matsudo Kōgu.
Matsusaka Iron Works
The company was established as the Anzai Foundry in 1916 by Tomoyoshi Anzai
and operated in Mie prefecture.
Matsusaka Cast-Steel Company
In 1926 the company was renamed as the Matsusaka Cast-Steel Company,
and in 1928 the company began production of pipe wrenches and bolt cutters.
In 1931 the company started using "MCC" as a trademark,
using the initial letters of its name in English.
In 1948 the company registered Japanese trademarks (on Showa 23.12.3) for "MCC" (#23-6365),
"M.C.C." (#23-6367), and "MCC" in a cloud design (#23-6368).
Matsusaka Iron Works Company, Ltd.
In 1952 the company was reorganized as the Matsusaka Iron Works Co., Ltd.
JIS Certification
On May 13, 1952 the company received JIS certification 1450 at its Kaiba factory,
with the address listed as 200 Daigakukakibana in Matsusaka City, Mie prefecture.
Unfortunately the JIS records don't indicate the class,
but we think it was probably for B4606 (pipe wrenches).
(See the section on the
Monthly Report 1952-09 For Class B4604
for more details.)
New Factory at Minami
By mid 1954 the company had moved its wrench production to the Minami factory in Matsusaka City
and received JIS certification 3064 for class B4606.
(Somewhat oddly, the address of the Minami factory had the same "200" street number.)
The record for this certification can be seen in the
1955 JIS Summary for Class B4604.
In April of 1958 the company received JIS certification 5901 for bolt cutters (B4643) at the
Minami factory.
The record for this certification can be seen in the
1958 JIS Summary for Class B4643.
Adjustable Wrench Production
By 1962 the company had received JIS certification in class B4604 for partially-forged adjustable wrenches,
meaning a forged moveable jaw with a malleable cast iron body.
The record for this certification can be seen in the
1962 JIS Summary for Classes B4604 and B4606.
The B4604 JIS certification was reported again in the 1964 Certified List.
New Factory at Tsu City
By 1964 the company had opened a new factory at 1814 Takachaya Komoricho in Tsu City, Mie prefecture.
On December 16, 1964 the company received JIS certification for pipe wrenches (B4606)
at its Tsu factory in Mie prefecture.
The record for this certification can be seen in the
1967 JIS Summary for Classes B4604 and B4606.
The status of JIS certification for adjustable wrenches (B4604) at the Tsu factory is uncertain,
as the 1967 Certified List shows only class B4606.
In April of 1967 the company received JIS certification for bolt cutters (B4643) at the Tsu factory,
with the same number (5901) as the 1958 certification.
Also, in December of that year the company began offering rebar cutters.
In April of 1979 the company established a US subsidiary MCC USA Inc. in Los Angeles.
In August of 1980 the forging operations were relocated to the Kumoide factory at 1349 Kumoide Nagatsune-cho, Tsu City.
[Editor's note: JIS certification needed?]
In May of 2008 the company obtained ISO9001 certification.
Continuing Operations
The company's current head office and factory is at 1814 Takachaya Komori-cho, Tsu City, Mie prefecture.
Additional information can be found at the
MCC [External Link] website.
JIS Certification History
Matsusaka Iron Works is known to have received JIS certifications for several classes,
including B4604 (adjustable wrenches), B4606 (pipe wrenches), and B4643 (bolt cutters).
Factory locations were in Kaiba, Minami, and Tsu City, all in Mie prefecture.
View Company History with Factories for Matsusaka Iron Works.
View JIS Certification Events for Matsusaka Iron Works.
Matsusaka Iron Works: JIS Certifications
Certificate | Date | JIS Class |
Factory Location |
Notes and Examples |
1450? | 05/13/1952 | B4604 |
Kaiba |
Adjustable wrenches
|
1450? | 05/13/1952 | B4606 |
Kaiba |
Pipe wrenches
|
3064 | 06/20/1954 | B4604 |
Minami |
Adjustable wrenches
Re-certification for move to Minami factory.
JIS number observed on adjustable wrench
|
3064 | 06/20/1954 | B4606 |
Minami |
Pipe wrenches
Re-certification for move to Minami factory.
|
5901 | April 1958 | B4643 |
Minami |
Bolt Cutters
First certification for bolt cutters.
Noted in company history.
|
3064 | 12/16/1964 | B4604 |
Tsu |
Adjustable wrenches
Re-certification for move to Tsu factory.
Same JIS number as 1954 certification.
|
| ? | B4606 |
Tsu |
Pipe wrenches
Pipe wrench re-certification delayed until 1967?
|
5901 | 04/20/1967 | B4643 |
Tsu |
Bolt cutters
Re-certification for move to Tsu factory.
Same JIS number as 1958 certification.
|
Selected Tools
Currently we don't have any MCC tools available for display,
but have observed a number of examples in online photographs.
One of our readers sent a photo of a heavy-duty (Ridgid-pattern) pipe wrench made for the "Globemaster" brand
with a forged-in "MCC" marking.
We observed a photo on an online site showing a heavy-duty (Ridgid-pattern) pipe wrench with the "MCC" oval logo
forged into the head,
and with the handle marked with the JIS symbol and "3064".
Meisei Tsushō is the parent company of the Daido Corporation U.S.A.,
whose "Truecraft" brand became the best known Japanese tool brand in America.
Meisei Tsushō was established in August of 1949 in Chiyoda, Tokyo as an exporter of machinery
and fabricated metal products.
The Japanese word "tsushō" is commonly translated as "trading company",
but as an exporter the company's primary business would have been the marketing and distribution of
products from Japanese companies.
In October of 1951 Meisei established the
Daido Corporation U.S.A. as a subsidiary in New York City.
At that time Daido was only the sixth Japanese company to incorporate in New York in the post-war era.
The choice of the name "Daido" for the subsidiary probably reflects the sponsorship and financial investment
of Daido Kōgyō,
a Japanese industrial manufacturer of roller chains, chain conveyors, and other metal products.
Daido Kōgyō was established in May of 1933 as the Kokumitsu Chain Company
and became the Daido Kōgyō Company, Ltd. in 1938.
In 1960 Meisei Tsushō moved its head office to Chuo, Tokyo.
In 1962 Daido U.S.A. acquired the Truecraft Tool Company of Chicago,
a small company selling tools such as pliers, adjustable wrenches, and hammers.
In June of 1962 Daido announced the opening of the company's Truecraft Tool Division,
which over the next four decades would make "Truecraft" the best known brand for Japanese tools.
[Editor's note: this is not mentioned in the company's history.]
In April of 1966 Daido U.S.A. moved its headquarters from New York City to
a facility in New Jersey with expanded office and warehouse space.
In October of 1971 Meisei opened a subsidiary in Sao Paulo, Brazil as the
Daido Corporation Do Brazil Ltda.
In the fall of 1976 Daido U.S.A. acquired a factory in Newark, New Jersey
for the purpose of manufacturing screwdrivers,
and a trade journal stated that this was its first U.S. based manufacturing facility.
[Editor's note: this is not mentioned in the company's history.]
In October of 1977 Daido U.S.A. opened a liason office in Taipei, Taiwan.
Name Change to Daido Tsushō
In April of 1982 Meisei Tsushō changed its name to Daido Tsushō,
probably reflecting the growing importance of Daido Kōgyō as a shareholder and
production partner.
In August of 1986 Daido U.S.A.'s liason office in Taipei was upgraded to a branch office.
In July of 1995 the Taipei branch office opened a liason office in Taichung, Taiwan.
(Taichung is the center of hand tool development and manufacturing in Taiwan.
For further information see our article on
Lea Way Hand Tool.)
Sometime in the early 2000s Daido U.S.A. closed the Truecraft Tool Division.
[Editor's note: this is not mentioned in the company's history.]
In June of 2002 Daido U.S.A. changed its name to Advantech International, Inc.,
and the company remains in operation today as a provider of automobile, motorcycle,
and industrial products,
as well as market development services.
Further information can be found at the
Advantech International [External Link] web site.
(Note that from this point on,
references to Daido or the company will mean Daido Tsushō.)
In August of 2005 Daido Tsushō opened a liason office in Germany.
In October of 2005 Daido Tsushō established a subsidiary Daido Corporation China in Shanghai.
In June of 2013 the company acquired ISO 9001 certification.
In October of 2014 the company opened a liason office in Hanoi, Vietnam.
In October of 2017 the company opened a quality control center in Shanghai.
Daido Tsushō continues in operation today,
and additional information about the company can be found (in Japanese, English, and Chinese) at the
Daido Corporation [External Link] web site.
Our history of Meisei Tsushō and Daido Tsushō was developed with information from the
CWC Japanese web site and from the company's web site.
For further information on the U.S. operations of Meisei Tsushō,
please see our article on the Daido Corporation U.S.A.,
which has many examples of tools sold under "Truecraft" and other brands.
Trademarks
Most of the trademarks associated with Truecraft were registered in the United States,
but Daido Tsushō also registered Japanese trademarks for Truecraft and related brands.
Daido Tsushō: Japanese Registered Trademarks
Text Mark or Logo |
Reg. No. |
First Use | Date Filed | Date Issued |
Notes and Examples |
|
48-3425 |
| 11/08/1972 | 01/13/1973 |
Truecraft stylized
Registered by Meisei Tsushō
|
|
6-44826 |
| 07/15/1992 | 07/12/1994 |
Truecraft Hex logo
Registered by Daido Tsushō
|
Truecraft Tools [hex logo] |
7-69643 |
| 07/09/1992 | 06/09/1995 |
Truecraft Tools Hex logo
Registered by Daido Tsushō
Same as U.S. trademark #1,808,104
|
Miki Netsuren Company
Miki Netsuren (三木ネツレン) is a maker of wrenches, clamps,
and other forged products operating in Miki City, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan.
The company was founded in 1870 as Kiya Yoshibei (木屋吉兵衛),
a hardware specialty company making products including saws and planes.
By 1943 the company had become Miki Netsuren Kōgyōsho (三木熱錬工業所) and
began doing precision forging as a partner of Kobe Steel.
By 1947 the company was specializing in making open-end wrenches.
Early JIS Certification
In 1952 the company received JIS certificate 1976 for class B4630 (open-end wrenches),
with the factory address listed as 1683 Fukui in Miki City.
The record for this certification can be seen in the section on the
Monthly Report 1952-11 for Class B4630.
Bessho Factory Construction
In 1961 the company completed the first phase of construction of its Bessho factory.
[Editor's note: when did the factory begin operations?]
JIS Upgrade?
By the company's JIS 1976 registration had been upgraded to show both normal and strong grades
for round type and spear type wrenches.
However, we don't have the detail record showing when this occurred.
The certification can be seen in the
1964 Certified List for Class B4630.
Name Change to Miki Netsuren
In 1967 the company changed its name to Miki Netsuren (三木ネツレン).
On October 16, 1967 the company received JIS certificate 1976 for class B4630 (open-end wrenches),
with notes indicating both normal and strong grade (suffixes "N" and "H") and "Spear Type" for the JIS "S" suffix.
The certification can be seen in the
1967 Certified List for Class B4630.
Note though that this certification still lists the factory address as 1683 Fukui in Miki City,
not for the newer Bessho factory.
Contract Production
In addition to producing tools for its own brand,
Miki Netsuren also provided contract production for other companies.
One of those customers was
Osaka Tankō,
which outsourced production from 1982 onward after shutting down its own factory.
JIS Pipe Wrenches
On May 8, 1985 the company received JIS certificate 585007 for class B4606 pipe wrenches,
with the factory address listed as 638 Takagi, Bessho-cho, Miki City.
The record for this certification can be seen in the section on the
1999 JIS Summary for Super-Class B013.
In 1999 the company obtained ISO9002 certification.
JQA JIS Certification
On October 5, 2007 the company received JQA certificate JQ0507042 for class B4606 (pipe wrenches)
and JQA certificate JQ0507043 for class B4630 (open-end wrenches).
Note that since the JQA contract for pipe wrenches ended on July 29, 2022,
the JQA website no longer reports the JQ0507042 registration.
150th Anniversary
In 2020 the company celebrated its 150th anniversary.
Continuing Operations
The company's website (in Japanese) is available at
Miki Netsuren [External Link].
JIS Certification History
Miki Netsuren is known to have received JIS certifications for classes B4604 (adjustable wrenches)
and B4630 (open-end wrenches).
The factory locations were in Miki City and Bessho.
View Company History with Factories for Miki Netsuren.
View JIS Certification Events for Miki Netsuren.
Tool Identification
Miki Netsuren tools are usually marked with a forge mark resembling a horizontal block
with two vertical blocks above it,
referred to as the 3-Blocks in the text.
Miki Netsuren Company 3-Blocks-Logo
Fig. 51 shows
the 3-Blocks logo as displayed by the company.
3-Blocks Forge Mark
Fig. 52 shows
the 3-Blocks logo as found forged into an
Osaka Tanko 32mm Single-Open Wrench
produced by Miki Netsuren.
Selected Tools
An example of the company's contract production for Osaka Forging can be seen as the
OSAKA TANKO 32mm Single-Open Wrench.
Netsuren 19x22mm Open-End Wrench
Fig. 53 shows
a Netsuren 19x22mm open-end wrench with recessed panels,
marked with "Netsuren" and the
JIS-Circle+H logo forged into the front panel,
with "JIS B 4630" and "19x22" forged into the back panel.
The front is also marked with the metric sizes,
with "M14" and M12" on the back side.
The overall length is 8.2 inches,
and the finish is black oxide.
The "JIS B 4630" marking is a reference to the JIS standard for open-end wrenches.
Mito Kōki Company (Mitoloy)
Mito Kōki (水戸工機) is the maker of Mitoloy brand sockets, drive tools, and other tools,
and operates in Mito, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan.
The company was founded in 1940 by Bunichi Narita (成田文市氏) as the Mito Gokin Kōgu Seisakusho
(水戸合金工具製作所) in Akatsuka-cho, Mito City.
JIS Certification
On December 20, 1957 the company received JIS certificate 5676 and 5677 for socket tools
in classes B4636-B4641 at the Akatsuka-cho factory.
The records for these certifications can be seen in the
1958 Factory Name List for Classes B4636, B4637, and B4639
and
1958 Factory Name List for Classes B4638, B4640, and B4641.
Name Change
In 1961 the company changed its name to the Mito Kōki Company, Ltd.
In September of 1962 the company received JIS certificate 8977 for socket tools.
This is not noted in the company history,
but the certification can be inferred from a later summary.
[Editor's note: what was the JIS class and factory address?]
New Factory at Otsuka
In 1963 the company built a new factory at Otsuka-cho, Mito City.
On February 14, 1966 the company received JIS certificates 8977 and 8978 for classes B4636-B4641 at the Otsuka-cho factory.
The records for these certifications can be seen in the
1972 Certified List for Classes B4636, B4637, and B4639
and
1972 Certified List for Classes B4638, B4640, and B4641.
Box-End Wrenches
On December 28, 1968 the company received JIS certificate 368235 for class B4632 (box-end wrenches).
The record for this certification can be seen in the
1972 Certified List for Class B4632.
In 1972 Koichi Narita (成田弘市氏) was appointed president of the company.
Impact Socket Tools
By 1980 the company was producing impact sockets and drive tools,
and was an exhibitor at the Cologne Hardware Show in Germany.
In 1998 Hiroaki Narita (成田浩明氏) was appointed president of the company.
JQA JIS Certification
On May 27, 2010 the company received JQA certificate JQ0309004 for class B4636-1,
socket tools with 12.7mm drive.
This certification is currently (2024) active and can be searched on the JISC website.
Continuing Operations
The company's website (in Japanese) is available at
www.mitotool.com [External Link].
Our history was adapted from the timeline on the company's website.
JIS Certification History
Mito Kōki received JIS certifications in classes B4632 (box-end wrenches) and B4636 (socket wrenches).
Factory locations were in Akatsuka and Otsuka.
View Company History with Factories for Mito Kōki.
View JIS Certification Events for Mito Kōki.
[Editor's note: missing JIS cert 8977 for class 00225, around September 1962.]
Mitoloy 449 1/2-Drive Ratchet
Fig. 54 shows
a Mitoloy 449 1/2-drive ratchet,
stamped with "Mitoloy" and the model number plus the
JIS-Circle logo on the cover plate,
as seen in the middle inset.
The deeply paneled shank is marked with "Forged Alloy" and "Japan" forged into the front,
with "Quality Ratchet" forged into the back side.
The overall length is 9.9 inches,
and the finish is plain steel with traces of an iridescent metal coating.
One unusual feature of the ratchet is the 20mm double-hex opening on the top side,
suggesting that this tool was designed for a special application.
The ratchet mechanism uses a 20-tooth drive gear,
with dual pawls alternately disabled by a cam connected to the shift lever.
Mitoloy 1/2-Drive Flex-Head Handle
Fig. 55 shows
a Mitoloy 1/2-drive flex-head handle,
stamped "Mitoloy" and "Japan" with the
JIS-Circle logo on the shank.
The overall length is 11.9 inches.
The finish is plain steel,
possibly with traces of cadmium plating.
The handle piece is made of tubular steel with a knurled gripping surface.
The hollow handle would reduce the weight for normal service,
and would also allow the use of an extender bar for extra leverage if needed.
The handle also has a drilled cross-bar hole to allow use as a Tee-handle.
The construction of the tool reveals a design for a strong but light tool of minimal cost.
The tool consists of three simple parts —
a forked flex head, a bar shank, and a tubular handle —
all held together with two spring roll pins.
Muromoto Tekkō
Muromoto Tekkō (室本鉄工) is a maker of power tools, air tools, and pliers operating in Hirakata City, Osaka prefecture.
"Merry" Brand Pliers
The company was founded in 1927 (Showa 2) in Osaka and adopted the brand "Merry" for its pliers
from the beginning.
The initial factory was located at Osaka Joto-ku, Minami-cho, Nakahama.
The company's early pliers were heavily influenced by
Utica Drop Forge & Tool,
as the company adopted a logo very similar to Utica's 3-Diamonds logo,
and even offered lineman's pliers in a 1050 model similar to the
Utica 1050 Lineman's Pliers!
The scan in Fig. 56 shows
the Japanese trademark for "Merry" issued to Muromoto in 1929.
In the illustration the familiar linked diamonds of Utica's trademark
have been updated with women's heads instead of the "U-TI-CA" text.
The trademark even incorporates the model number from Utica's popular No. 1050 lineman's pliers.
Muromoto's "Merry" pliers were sold at the Maeda Gunji Shoten,
the starting point for the later
Tone Company.
New Factory at Higashi-Imazato
In 1937 the company built a new factory at Osaka Higashinari ku Higashi-Imazato town.
Early JIS Certification
On June 26, 1951 the company received JIS certification 653 for class B4623 (side-cutting pliers),
making it one of the first tool companies to receive certification.
The record for this certification can be seen in the
1955 Factory Name List for Class B4623.
[Editor's note: the company's English-language history says it was February of 1952.]
New Factory at Ishizuminami
In November of 1966 the company established a new head office factory at
Osaka Neyagawa Ishizuminami town.
In April of 1967 the company began producing "Nile" brand air tools.
New Factory at Shodai-Tachika
In 1989 the company moved its head office factory to 1-8-1 Shodai-Tachika in Hirakata City, Osaka prefecture.
JQA JIS Certification
On July 24, 2008 the company received JQA certification JQ0508066 for pliers and nippers
in classes B4623, B4631, and B4635.
Continuing Operations
The company continues in operation today with a head office factory at
1-8-1 Shodai Tachika in Hirakata City, Osaka Prefecture.
The company's website (in Japanese and English) is available at
muromoto.co.jp [External Link].
Surprisingly, the English version of the website has a more extensive section on the company's history,
and we adapted our history from the timeline on the English page.
JIS Certification History
Muromoto Tekkō received JIS certifications for pliers in classes B4623, B4631, and B4635,
beginning with JIS number 653 in 1951.
The JIS-certified factories were at Higashi-Imazato, Ishizuminami, and Shodai-Tachika.
View Company History with Factories for Muromoto Tekkō.
View JIS Certification Events for Muromoto Tekkō.
Nagaki Seiki (NGK)
The company was founded in April of 1946 as Nagaki Seiki Seisakusho in Osaka City.
The initial products were pipe vises, pipe cutting tools, ratchet wrenches, and other tools.
In June of 1971 the company relocated its head office and factory to Daito City in Osaka prefecture.
In August of 1990 the company completed its Rokkasho factory in Aomori prefecture.
In August of 1993 the company completed its factory in Onojo City, Fukuoka prefecture.
The company continues in business today as a maker of industrial products including wire pullers, wire strippers,
wire stretching machines, and ratchet wrenches.
More information for the company can be found at the
Nagaki Seiki [External Link] website.
N.G.K. 36mm Ratchet Wrench
Fig. 57 shows
an N.G.K. ratchet wrench with a 36mm hexagonal opening,
stamped with "N.G.K." and "PAT." on the front,
with "L" and a Kanji symbol plus the metric size on the back.
The overall length is 19.1 inches,
and the finish is black paint.
The patent for this tool is not yet known.