| Alloy Artifacts |
Osaka Tankō was a drop forge operator best known for its wrenches marked with a bold "OSAKA TANKO" forged into the shank. Despite the name however, the company operated in Nagoya City in Aichi prefecture, not in Osaka itself.
The company was established in 1939 with a factory in Moriyama ward of Nagoya City. Currently no information is available on what products were made in the pre-war and early post-war era.
By the early 1950s the company was producing open-end wrenches, and in November of 1952 the company received JIS certificate 1978 for class B4630 (open-end wrenches). The record for this certification can be seen in the section for the Monthly Report 1952-11 for Class B4630.
Osaka Tankō was one of the first companies to receive certification for class B4630 and its certification number 1978 is known to have been marked on some early wrenches.
By 1960 the company was supplying wrenches for OEM vehicle tool kits. (Vehicle tool kits may account for some of the tools found in the U.S. without a "Japan" marking.)
In November of 1981 Osaka Tankō released its JIS 1978 registration in class B4630 and discontinued manufacturing activities. The record for the JIS release can be seen in the section for the Monthly Report 1981-11 for Osaka Tankō.
After the manufacturing operations closed down, the associated distributor Maruti Company, Ltd. remained in operation, and production of the "OSAKA TANKO" brand was outsourced to other manufacturers. Outsourced production continued until 2007.
Outsourced production is known to have been done by Miki Netsuren and Showa Supana.
Our information for the company was found on the CWC Japanese web site. We'll add more information if it becomes available.
The company received JIS certificate 1978 for class B4630 (open-end wrenches) in November of 1952.
The factory location was in Moriyama ward of Nagoya City in Aichi prefecture.
Tools made by Osaka Tankō were usually marked "OSAKA TANKO" along with a T-Circle forge mark. The company also marked some tools with a "King" logo in a script font.
Contract production by Osaka Tankō can be identified by the T-Circle forge mark. (The graphic for the forge mark is entered as "T○" in the ID field of the JIS database.)
Tools made for Osaka Tankō as outsourced production will also be marked "OSAKA TANKO", but will have an additional forge mark identifying the production partner, as required for JIS compliance. (See our section on JIS Compliance for further details.)
One of the outsourcing partners is known to be Miki Netsuren, and we hope to identify others as well.
Fig. 67 shows an idealized T-Circle mark constructed using vector graphics.
![[T-Circle Forge Mark]](Photos/tools/osaka_tanko_t_circle_forge_mark.jpg)
Fig. 68 shows the T-Circle forge mark as found on a Osaka Tanko 32mm Single-Open Wrench.
![[Osaka Tanko 17x19mm Open-End Wrench]](Photos/tools/osaka_tanko_oe1719mm_wrench_alloy_jis_f_cropped_inset_w2048.jpg)
Fig. 69 shows an Osaka Tanko 17x19mm open-end wrench, marked "OSAKA TANKO" with the T-Circle logo forged into the shank, with the JIS-Circle+H logo and "ALLOY-STEEL" stamped on the back side.
The shank is also marked with the metric sizes forged into the front, with the "M10" and M12" metric bolt sizes stamped on the back.
The overall length is 7.0 inches, and the finish is a gray surface treatment.
The JIS symbol is a reference to JIS number 1978, first received by the company in November of 1952.
The absence of a "Japan" marking on this tool indicates that it was originally produced for the Japanese domestic market.
![[Osaka Tanko 17x19mm Open-End Wrench]](Photos/tools/osaka_tanko_oe1317mm_wrench_alloy_jis_ss_f_cropped_inset_w2048.jpg)
Fig. 70 shows an Osaka Tanko 13x17mm open-end wrench, marked "OSAKA TANKO" with the T-Circle logo forged into the shank, with the JIS-Circle+H logo and "ALLOY STEEL" forged into the back side.
The shank is also marked with the metric sizes forged into the front, with the "M8" and M10" metric bolt sizes forged into the back.
The back side also has a small forged-in code "SS1C" to the right of "STEEL".
The overall length is 6.3 inches, and the finish is black oxide.
The "SS" code on the back is the JIS ID code for Showa Supana, indicating that this wrench is contract production by Showa Supana after Osaka Tankō closed its factory in late 1981. Showa itself closed in 1987, which leads to a 1982-1987 production date estimate for the wrench.
The absence of a "Japan" marking on this tool indicates that it was originally produced for the Japanese domestic market.
![[Osaka Tanko 17mm Open-End Wrench]](Photos/tools/osaka_tanko_oe17mm_alloy_jis-h_3b_f_cropped_inset2.jpg)
Fig. 71 shows an Osaka Tanko 17mm single-open wrench, marked with "OSAKA TANKO" and the T-Circle logo forged into the shank, with the JIS-Circle+H logo and "ALLOY STEEL" forged into the back side.
The back side also has a small forge mark visible at the right, identified as the 3-Blocks logo of Miki Netsuren.
The overall length is 6.3 inches, and the finish appears to be a gray lacquer.
The forge mark for Miki Netsuren indicates that this wrench was made as contract production for Osaka Tankō sometime between 1982 and 2007.
The absence of a "Japan" marking on this tool indicates that it was originally produced for the Japanese domestic market.
![[Osaka Tanko 32mm Open-End Wrench]](Photos/tools/osaka_tanko_oe32mm_wrench_alloy_t_circle_jis_f_cropped_inset.jpg)
Fig. 72 shows an Osaka Tanko 32mm single-open wrench, marked with "OSAKA TANKO" and the metric size forged into the front, with "ALLOY STEEL" and the JIS-Circle+H logo forged into the back side.
The overall length is 10.7 inches, and the finish is black oxide.
The shank is also marked with the T-Circle forge mark between "OSAKA" and "TANKO".
The back side also has a small forge mark to the right of "STEEL", identified as the 3-Blocks logo of Miki Netsuren.
The forge mark for Miki Netsuren indicates that this wrench was made as contract production for Osaka Tankō sometime between 1982 and 2007.
The absence of a "Japan" marking on this tool indicates that it was originally produced for the Japanese domestic market.
Ouchi Tekkōjo (大内鉄工所) was a maker of wrenches and socket tools operating in Osaka Prefecture.
The company was founded in 1941 and operated at 2-6 Takaida Hondori, Fuse City (布施市高井田本通2 ノ6) in Osaka Prefecture.
The company used "LONG" as a brand, and on March 6, 1952 the company received Japanese trademark 26-11504 for "LONG" in an oval outline.
Sometime before 1965 Ouchi apparently established a new factory at Kawachi City, as this was the location noted on a later JIS certification.
The company received JIS certificate 565060 for class B4630 sometime between May 10 and August 14 of 1965, with the factory address listed as 838 Wakae Minami, Kawachi City in Osaka Prefecture. The record for this certification can be seen in the section for the 1967 Certified List for Class B4630. (For inexplicable reasons the official 1967 Certified List omits the date of the certification, and for this company the Monthly Report only shows a date range.)
The company's JIS certification was revoked sometime between April 1, 1968 and March 31, 1969, which likely indicates that the company had closed.
Ōyane Riki Seisakusho (大矢根利器製作所) is a maker of industrial cutting equipment operating in Kagawa Prefecture.
The company was founded in August of 1898 by the Ōyane brothers as the Ōyane Brothers & Company partnership. The company operated in Kagawa prefecture as a maker of tobacco knives. [Editor's note: what was the initial location?]
In May of 1912 the company merged with three other similar businesses.
In April of 1915 the company opened an office in Shanghai, China and began exporting tobacco knives.
In October of 1933 the company began producing hacksaws.
In March of 1944 the company changed its name to the Ōyane Riki Seisakusho.
In December of 1951 the company received JIS certification for hacksaws. [Editor's note: what number? what class? what date?]
In 1953 the company began making side-cutting pliers at a factory at 396 Nio-cho, Mitoyo-gun in Kagawa prefecture (香川県三豊郡仁尾町丁396).
On October 21, 1954 the company received JIS certificate 3489 in class B4623 (side-cutting pliers) at the Nio-cho factory. The record for this certification can be seen in the 1955 Factory Name List for Classes B4623-B4625.
On May 27, 1957 the company received JIS certificate 5394 in class B4623 at the Nio-cho factory, for both normal and strong grades. The record for this certification can be seen in the 1958 Factory Name List for Classes B4623-B4625.
In April of 1986 the company completed the Chichibu factory in Nio, and hacksaw production was relocated to the new factory.
The company continues in business today as a producer of industrial paper cutters, with the head office at 369 Nio-cho, Mitoyo City in Kagawa prefecture. The company maintains a website in Japanese and English, and additional information can be found at Ōyane Riki [External Link].
We adapted our history from the company's history page.
Riken Kaki Kōgyō (理研化機工業) is a tool maker well known as the supplier of tool kit wrenches for motorcycles, in particular for Honda Motors.
The company was founded in 1955 in Kita-ku, Tokyo to manufacture motorcyle parts and tools, and by 1956 was making auto parts and tools as well.
Information for the company can be found (in Japanese) at Riken Kaki [External Link].
Tools supplied by Riken Kaki were typically marked with the RK-Circle logo, which consists of the text "RK" with nested semi-circles above and below,
![[RK-Circle Logo]](Photos/tools/riken_kaki_rk_circle_logo.jpg){kind=logo}
Fig. 73 shows the RK-Circle logo, as found on a Honda Motors 10x14mm Open-End Wrench.
This next tool will probably be familiar to anyone who has owned a Honda motorcycle.
![[Honda Motors 10x14mm Open-End Wrench]](Photos/tools/honda_motors_oe1014mm_wrench_cad_rk_f_cropped_inset.jpg)
Fig. 74 shows a Honda Motors 10x14mm open-end wrench, marked with the Hm-Oval Honda logo and the metric sizes forged into the front, with the RK-Circle logo flanked by parallel lines forged into the back side.
The overall length is 5.5 inches, and the finish is cadmium plating.
This wrench is one of the tools supplied in the toolkit for Honda motorcycles, and the RK-Logo indicates that the wrench was supplied by Riken Kaki Kōgyō.
Shin Sanda Kōgyō (新サンダー工業) or "New Thunder Industry Company" was a maker of pipe wrenches and other pipe tools operating in Osaka City. The company is known to have been active in the 1950s.
Currently our only references to the company are for JIS certification 2722 for class B4606 (pipe wrenches), issued in 1953, plus a snippet from the late 1950s found during a Google search, as noted below.
｢サンダー工業((株))大阪市福島區大開町 4- 32 (電)此花( 46 ) 3963 (事業)サンダー印パイプレンチ・チェントング製造立昭和 27 年 11 月授權卡) 1 万株平加生野金子正信 27 年 9 月 4 億 2,451 万円 28 年 3 月 6 億 5,571 万円利盒發行棟資本金 5,000 株｣
The snippet notes the company as the maker of a "サンダー印" ("thunder seal") pipe wrench, and mentions an award in November of 1951.
The address is noted as 4-32 Daikai-cho, Fukushima-ku in Osaka City.
Based on observations of JIS certifications, it appears that Shin Sanda was initially established as the Daidō Kōki (大同工機) company and was in operation by the early 1950s.
Daidō Kōki received JIS certificate 1451 on May 13, 1952, probably for class B4604 (adjustable wrenches). The record for this certification can be seen in the Monthly Report 1952-09 for Classes B4604-B4606.
The address for the JIS certification was given as 4-33 Daikai in Osaka City, right next to the Shin Sanda factory, suggesting the business succession.
Daidō Kōki is not listed in the 1955 JIS summary, leading to our hypothesis that after the reorganization into Shin Sanda, the company discontinued making adjustable wrenches and released its JIS 1451 registration. [Editor's note: it would be good to find the release for 1451.]
Shin Sanda Kōgyō was listed as JIS 2722 in the 1955 JIS Factory Name List, which can be seen in the section for the 1955 Factory Name List Classes B4604 and B4606.
Shin Sanda was listed in the 1964 Certified List but not in the 1967 Certified List, suggesting that the company had closed by 1967.
Showa Supana (昭和スパナ) was a drop-forge operator and maker of wrenches operating in Edogawa, Tokyo.
The company was established in 1937 in Edogawa, and by 1940 was offering wrenches as Showa Tanzo Kōgyō (Showa Forging Industries).
In 1942 the company registered "SDF" for "Showa Drop Forge" as Japanese trademark #352,046.
In 1949 the company was incorporated as Showa Supana Seizo (Showa Spanner Manufacturing), with its head office at 4-2 Nihonbashi-Honcho, Chuuo and factory at 1-765 Nishi-Ichinoe, Edogawa.
The company received JIS certificate 1974 for wrenches under standard B4630 in 1952. The record for this certification can be seen in the section for the Monthly Report 1952-11 for Class B4630.
Showa Supana was one of the first seven companies to receive JIS certification in class B4630.
On November 10, 1987 Showa Supana relinquished its JIS certification, indicating that the company had closed, possibly due to bankruptcy. This was just one year before the end of the Showa era in Japan.
Our information for the company was found on the CWC Japanese web site. We'll add more information if it becomes available.
Only one JIS certification is known for Showa Supana, JIS 1974 for class B4630 (open-end wrenches) on November 10, 1952.
Tools made by Showa Supana were typically marked with "Showa" in an oval, or with a trademark consisting of an "S" with "D" and "F" enclosed. The trademark will be referred to as the SDF-Logo in the text.
Some tools may be marked with just "SDF".
![[SDF-Logo from Trademark]](Photos/tools/scans/trademark_352046_detail_showa_drop_forge_sdf_logo.jpg){kind=logo}
Fig. 75 shows the SDF-Logo as it was presented for Japanese trademark #352,046.
![[SDF-Logo Forge Mark]](Photos/tools/sdf_logo_forge_mark.jpg){kind=logo}
Fig. 76 shows the SDF-Logo forge mark, as found forged into an SDF 21x23mm Open-End Wrench.
![[Showa 5/8x3/4 Open-End Wrench]](Photos/tools/showa_oe2024_wrench_jtf_f_cropped_inset.jpg)
Fig. 77 shows a Showa 5/8x3/4 open-end wrench, marked with "Showa" in an oval logo and "JTF" forged into the shank, with "119" and "Japan" forged into the back side.
The overall length is 7.2 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.
![[SDF 21x23mm Open-End Wrench]](Photos/tools/sdf_oe2123mm_wrench_chrome_alloy_jis_f_cropped_inset2.jpg)
Fig. 78 shows an SDF 21x23mm open-end wrench with a paneled shank, marked with the SDF-Logo and the metric sizes forged into the front, with "Chrome Alloy" and the JIS-Circle+S logo forged into the back side.
The overall length is 8.7 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.
The small inset shows a close-up of the SDF-Logo forge mark.
The absence of a "Japan" marking on this tool indicates that it was originally produced for the Japanese domestic market.
Fig. 79 shows an Osaka Tanko 13x17mm open-end wrench, marked "OSAKA TANKO" with the T-Circle logo forged into the shank, with the JIS-Circle+H logo and "ALLOY STEEL" forged into the back side.
The shank is also marked with the metric sizes forged into the front, with the "M8" and M10" metric bolt sizes forged into the back.
The back side also has a small forged-in code "SS1C" to the right of "STEEL".
The overall length is 6.3 inches, and the finish is black oxide.
The "SS" code on the back is the JIS ID code for Showa Supana, indicating that this wrench is contract production by Showa after Osaka Tankō closed its factory in late 1981. Showa itself closed in 1987, which leads to a 1982-1987 production date estimate for the wrench.
The absence of a "Japan" marking on this tool indicates that it was originally produced for the Japanese domestic market.
Sugimoto Tankō (杉本鍛工) was established in 1958 as one of the makers of "Fuji Peace" brand tools and operated in Nishiodagawa-ku, Osaka City.
Sugimoto Tankō was the manufacturing division of Fuji Kikō (冨士機工), which had been established in 1949. In 1954 Fuji Kikō set up two factories to make wrenches, Ishihara Tankō (石原鍛工) and Fuji Netsuren Seisakusho (富士熱錬製作所), then in 1958 established Sugimoto Tankō and another company, Fuji Kōgu Seisakusho (富士工具製作所).
Tools sold under the "Fuji Peace" brand included open-end wrenches, box-end wrenches, and fixed socket wrenches. Production by Sugimoto Tankō was marked with "FJP" in a logo.
On September 17, 1963 the company received JIS certification number 9589 for class B4630 (open-end wrenches), with the factory address given as 3-1540 Himejimacho, Nishiyodogawa-ku, Osaka. The record for this certification can be seen in the Monthly Report 1963-09 for JIS 9589 and later in the 1964 Certified List for Class B4630.
The company is believed to have closed around 1970, although no revocation of the JIS certification has been found.
The Super Tool Company is a Japanese manufacturer of general hand tools, plumbing tools, and factory maintenance equipment, with operations in Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture.
The company was founded in 1918 in Kitahatago-cho, Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture, but the early company name and founder are unknown. Early products included pliers and other tools.
In 1942 the company was incorporated as the Nittan Kōki Company, Ltd. (日鍛工器) in Takasu-cho, Sakai City and began production of work tools and forgings.
At this time the main factory was at Takasu-cho, with a secondary factory at Kitashimizu-cho in Sakai City.
In 1952 the company received JIS certificate 1447 for class B4604 (adjustable wrenches) at the Takasu-cho factory. The record for this certification can be seen in the Monthly Report 1952-09 for Class B4604.
The 1447 JIS number can be found marked on some wrenches.
In 1954 the company released a "Super Head" combination wrench with a ratchet-action open-end, based on the same Wilder patent as the "Speed-Hed" wrenches sold in the US by Thorsen Tools and others.
In 1955 the company released a gear puller.
In January of 1957 the head office and factory moved to Minamishimizu-cho in Sakai City, and the secondary factory was closed after integrating the operations into the main factory. By this time the company's production system had integrated all functions including forging, machining, heat treating, and finishing. The record for the factory move can be seen in the 1958 Certified List for Class B4604/B4606.
On February 15, 1960 the company received JIS certificate 7254 for box-end wrenches (両口めがねレンチ, literally "double eyeglasses wrench") at the Minamishimizu-cho factory. The record for this certification can be seen in the 1962 Certified List for Class B4632.
On September 17, 1962 the company received JIS certificate 8976 for class B4630 (open-end wrenches). The record for this certification can be seen in the 1964 Certified List for Class B4630.
In 1963 the company began offering grip pliers and snap-ring pliers.
In 1964 the forging operations were moved to a new factory in Minoyama, Sakai City.
In March of 1965 the sales department was separated as the Super Tool Company.
In 1965 the main factory was relocated to 158 Minoyama in Sakai City.
On October 20, 1965 the company received JIS certificate 1447 for class B4604 in normal and heavy grades at the Minoyama factory. The record for this certification can be seen in the 1967 Certified List for Classes B4604/B4606.
In 1966 the company adopted a quality control system and a lifetime warranty for products with the "Super" mark.
Later product offerings included torque wrenches around 1970, gear pullers in 1974, and plumbing tools around 1975.
On June 25, 1976 the company received JIS certification 576033 for class B4643 (bolt cutters) at the Minoyama factory. The record for this certification can be seen in the 1982 Certified List for Class B4643.
On November 25, 1976 the company received JIS certificate 576130 for class B4636-1 (socket wrenches). The record for this certification can be seen in the 1999 JIS Summary for Super-Class B072. [Editor's note: why is this missing from the 1982 Certified List?]
In March of 1980 the sales department was merged back into the company, and the company name changed to Super Tool.
On May 18, 1989 Super Tool released its JIS certificate 1447 for class B4604 (adjustable wrenches). [Editor's note: were adjustable wrenches outsourced or discontinued?]
The company's website reports developing plumbing tools by 1975, and the company is known to have received JIS certification for class B4606, since Super Tool pipe wrenches have been observed marked for JIS 1447 "H" grade.
However, the JIS reports do not show a certification for B4606 until the 1999 JIS Summary for Super-Class B013, which lists Super Tool with JIS 1447 in class B4606. (The company's B4604 certification was released in 1989, as noted above.) In addition, a search of the JIS monthly reports did not find any record of a B4606 certification for Nittan Kōki.
This leaves us with a mystery as to when the company was first certified for B4606.
Further information can be found at the Super Tool [External Link] website.
Our history is based on the timeline provided on the company's Japanese website and on information found at the CWC site.
Super Tool (as Nittan Kōki) received its JIS certificate 1447 for adjustable wrenches in 1952, before the distinction between JIS-N "ordinary" and JIS-H "strong" classes had been formalized. The company is known to have used the JIS "H" marking on later wrenches, suggesting that there should have been a later certification for JIS-H.
Super Tool was extremely prolific in its use of Japanese trademarks, with many of them based on variations of "SUPER" in a diamond outline. The table below shows a few of the Japanese trademarks.
| Text Mark or Logo | Reg. No. | Date Issued | Notes and Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
![[Super-Diamond logo]](Photos/tools/scans/trademark_j24-7745_detail_super_tool_diamond.jpg)
|
24-7745 | 07/15/1949 | Early Super-Diamond logo |
| Super Head | 30-16687 | 11/29/1955 | Used for ratchet-action combination wrenches |
![[N-Gear Logo]](Photos/tools/scans/trademark_j35-7126_detail_super_tool_n_gear.jpg)
|
35-7126 | 04/11/1960 | N-Gear logo |
![[Super-Diamond logo]](Photos/tools/scans/trademark_j49-57835_detail_super_tool_diamond.jpg)
|
49-57835 | 10/17/1974 | Super-Diamond logo with sakura blossom |
![[SUPERTOOL Katakana]](Photos/tools/scans/trademark_j7-94309_detail_super_tool_katakana.jpg)
|
7-94309 | 08/11/1995 | SUPERTOOL in katakana |
| SUPERTOOL | 4,775,327 | 06/29/2004 | SUPERTOOL with stylized leading "S" |
In 1948 the company received a Japanese trademark for "Super" in a diamond logo, using a script font for "Super". In later years the trademark was generally presented using block letters and can be found forged into (or possibly stamped on) tools. We will refer to this as the Super-Diamond logo in the text.
![[Super-Diamond Logo]](Photos/tools/super_diamond_logo.jpg){kind=logo}
Fig. 80 shows the Super-Diamond logo, as forged into the shank of the Super 200mm Adjustable Wrench in the next figure.
![[Super Tool 200mm (8 Inch) Adjustable Wrench]](Photos/tools/super_adj_200mm_wrench_v_steel_jis_f_cropped_inset2.jpg)
Fig. 81 shows a Super Tool 200mm (8 inch) adjustable wrench, marked with "Vanadium Steel" and the Super-Diamond logo forged into the shank, with "Drop Forged" and "Japan" plus the JIS-Circle+H logo forged into the back.
The shank also has forged-in codes "1-02" and "1447" to the right of the JIS logo.
The finish is chrome plating.
The overall length is 8.2 inches, and the maximum opening is 1.0 inches. The maximum head thickness was measured at 0.53 inches.
The "1447" marking is the company's JIS certification number under the B4604 standard, first received in 1952.
Some design and construction differences were noted for this wrench, when compared with examples from other Japanese makers. In particular, note that the transition at the corner of the fixed jaw is rounded rather than angled, with a corresponding convex inset on the movable jaw.
Another difference is that the worm gear (adjusting knurl) is secured with a press-fit pin rather than a threaded rod. The hole for the pin is drilled through to the other side, allowing the pin to be removed with a drift punch in the event a replacement is necessary.
The Three Peaks Giken Company (スリーピークス技研) is a Japanese manufacturer specializing in nippers and pliers, with operations in Sanjo City, Niigata Prefecture.
The company was founded by Seishichi Koyama (小山清七) in April of 1940 as the Koyama Iron Works (小山鐵工所), with products including industrial machinery and machine tools. The company's first factory was at 2525 Tajima in Sanjo City, with about 115 square meters of space.
By 1947 the company had resumed operations after the war and was producing parts for machine tools and sewing machines.
In November of 1952 the company was reorganized as Koyama Iron Works Company, Ltd. with Tetsuro Koyama (小山鐵郎) as Representative Director.
In July of 1953 the company moved its factory to 204 Tajima, Sanjo City, with approximately 218 square meters of space.
In March of 1955 the company moved its head office to the factory location, and in April of 1955 began making parts for sock knitting machines.
In July of 1960 the company built a new factory at 121 Tajima in Sanjo City with approximately 525 square meters of space.
In July of 1963 the head office relocated to 121 Tajima.
In August of 1964 the company built a new two-story factory with a steel frame, with 440 square meters of space. The company history doesn't indicate a separate address, so this is presumed to be an addition to the 121 Tajima facility.
In November of 1965 the company established a tool manufacturing division and began production of heavy-duty side-cutting pliers, in sizes 150mm, 175mm, and 200mm. In May of 1966 the company increased its capital to expand the pliers manufacturing operations.
On December 22, 1967 the company received JIS certificate 367229 for class B4623 (side-cutting pliers) at the 121 Tajima factory. The record for this certification can be seen in the 1972 JIS Summary for Classes B4623-B4625. (The 1972 report omits the notes specifying the class, but the Monthly Report for December of 1967 lists class B4623.)
In March of 1969 a new pliers factory was built with an area of 345 square meters, presumably an addition to the 121 Tajima facility.
By the late 1960s or early 1970s the company was supplying pliers for the "Truecraft" brand managed by the Daido Corporation. An example of their production can be seen as the Truecraft K-358-G 8 Inch Lineman's Pliers, which are stamped with the company's 3-Peaks-Circle logo.
By 1970 the company was producing needlenose (radio) pliers, and the 1970 catalog offered RP-150 150mm radio pliers as well as the older CP-series of side-cutting pliers.
On January 18, 1972 the company received JIS certificate 371247 at 121 Tajima for class B4631 (radio or needlenose pliers). The record for this certification can be seen in the 1972 JIS Summary for Class B4631.
On the same date the company also received JIS 371248 for class B4635 (diagonal cutters), with notes indicating "Heavy" grade. The record for this certification can be seen in the 1972 JIS Summary for Class B4635.
In May of 1975 the company completed a new factory at 2171 Otsuki, Tsukanome, Sanjō City, in the Sanjō Metal Industrial Park. The head office was relocated to the new facilty, and the combined office and factory space was approximately 2670 square meters.
On December 5, 1975 the company received JIS certificate 367229 for class B4623 (side-cutting pliers). The record for this certification can be seen in the 1982 Summary for Classes B4623-B4625. (Note that due to a defect in the 1982 JIS report, the class isn't actually listed, but the 1999 Summary specifies the classes.)
On December 5, 1975 the company received JIS certificate 371247 for class B4631 (needlenose pliers). The record for this certification can be seen in the 1982 Summary for Class B4631,
On December 5, 1975 the company received JIS certificate 371248 for class B4635 (diagonal cutters). The record for this certification can be seen in the 1982 Summary for Class B4635.
In September of 1980 the company received JIS certification 367229 for B4625 (oblique nippers).
By 1999 these separate JIS certifications had been consolidated into JIS 367229, which can be seen in the 1999 Summary for Super-Class B010.
On March 27, 1991 (Heisei 3.3.27) two of the company's JIS certificates were canceled in what appears to be an administrative change, in order to group separate certifications into a single JIS number. The November 1991 Monthly Report listed the canceled JIS numbers as 371247 (class B4631) and 371248 (class B4635). These cancellations can be seen in the Aggregate Monthly Reports for Koyama (小山鐵工所).
The cancellations were made so that classes B4623, B4625, B4631, and B4635 could be grouped together as super-class B010, with a single JIS number for each company. For Koyama (Three Peaks Giken) the surviving JIS number was 367229, which can be seen in the 1999 Summary for Super-Class B010.
When we learned of these cancellations and subsequent considations into a single JIS number, we were surprised that there was no public explanation in the JIS Monthly Reports. However, the JIS administration did warn the affected companies of the impending changes. We heard from Three Peaks that the company received a letter in February of 1991 explaining the intended cancellations and noting that the surviving JIS number would be the older or earliest certification within a group of classes.
In April of 1993 the company changed its name to the Three Peaks Giken Company, Ltd (スリーピークス技研).
In May of 2007 the company received JIS certification JQ0307006 from the JQA, for JIS classes B4623 (side-cutting pliers), B4625 (oblique nippers), B4631 (needlenose pliers), and B4635 (diagonal cutters).
In February of 2019 Koichi Koyama (小山公一) was appointed as Representative Director.
Further information can be found on the 3.Peaks [External Link] website. Our history was adapted from the company's profile on their website.
The CWC site has an extensive article on Three Peaks [External Link] including many examples of their products.
The company began producing pliers in 1966 and the markings on the tools have gone through a number of changes over the years. The early marking styles allow the production date to be estimated with varying degrees of precision.
From mid 1990 onward the company has marked its pliers with a date code system, which allows the year and month of production to be determined.
The following guidelines may be helpful in estimating the production date for pliers made before mid 1990.
Initial Marking Style in 1966. In 1966 side-cutting pliers were marked with "T.P." and "Koyama" around the pivot, with the 3-Peaks-Circle logo in the center.
JIS Marking Style for 1967-1971. In 1967 Three Peaks received JIS certification in class B4623, and from 1967 to 1971 side-cutting pliers were marked with "Three Peaks" and the model number around the pivot, with the 3-Peaks-Circle logo in the center and the JIS-Circle logo below on the right handle.
T + Alphabet Style from 1972-1990. From around 1972 until May of 1990 side-cutting pliers were marked with "Three Peaks" and the model number plus the JIS-Circle+H logo around the pivot, with a "Tx" two-letter code and the 3-Peaks-Circle logo below on the right handle.
The two-letter code consisted of a "T" plus a letter from A-M, with the second letter indicating the month of production. (Unfortunately there is no way to estimate the production year within this period.)
Forging Generations for Side-Cutting Pliers. For side-cutting pliers (JIS B4623) the handle forgings can be grouped into four generations, which can be seen in a photograph of Four Generations of Side-Cutting Pliers [External Link] on the CWC site. The production date ranges for the forging generations may be useful for refining a date estimated by other means.
Other Types of Pliers. For other types of pliers not covered by the above guidelines, it may be possible to estimate the production date by referring to the Three Peaks catalogs for changes in model numbers and production styles.
In June of 1990 the company adopted a date code system, which went through two brief transitional periods before arriving at the present system.
The first date code was of the form "ymK", where "y" is the one digit year, "m" is the month coded as A-M, and "K" is for "Koyama". This coding was used until 1993.
The second date code was of the form "ymT", where "y" is the one digit year, "m" is the month coded as A-M, and the "T" is for "Three Peaks". This coding was used in 1994-1995.
From 1996 onward the date code is of the form "yymT", where "yy" is the two digit year, "m" is the month coded as A-M, and the "T" is for "Three Peaks".
Tools made for the company's own production will typically be marked "Three Peaks" or "3.Peaks".
Contract production will be stamped with the 3-Peaks-Circle logo.
![[3-Peaks-Circle Logo]](Photos/tools/three_peaks_giken_truecraft_logo.jpg){kind=logo}
Fig. 82 shows the 3-Peaks-Circle logo stamped on the Truecraft K-358-G Lineman's Pliers shown in a later figure.
| Catalog | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Three Peaks Pliers | 1970 | Catalog in Japanese. 4 pages.
Available for Download [External Link] from ITCL. Notes JIS 367229 for class B4623 (side-cutting pliers). Lists CP-series side-cutting pliers in sizes 150, 175, and 200mm. Lists RP-150 needlenose (radio) pliers in size 150mm. |
| Three Peaks Tool Guide | 1978 | Catalog in Japanese. 4 pages.
Available for Download [External Link] from ITCL. |
| Three Peaks Quality Tools | 1980 | Catalog in Japanese. 8 pages.
Available for Download [External Link] from ITCL. |
| Three Peaks Tool Guide | 1982 | Catalog in Japanese. 8 pages.
Available for Download [External Link] from ITCL. |
| Three Peaks Line-Up | 1983 | Catalog in English. 17 pages.
Available for Download [External Link] from ITCL. |
| Line Up Three Peaks Tools | 1986 | Catalog in Japanese. 24 pages.
Available for Download [External Link] from ITCL. |
| Work Box | 1991 | Catalog in Japanese. 44 pages.
Available for Download [External Link] from ITCL. |
| Clever Hand | 1993 | Catalog in Japanese. 42 pages.
Available for Download [External Link] from ITCL. |
| 3.Peaks Vol. 1 | 1999 | Catalog in Japanese. 59 pages.
Available for Download [External Link] from ITCL. |
| 3.Peaks Vol. 5 | 2009 | Catalog in Japanese. 72 pages.
Available for Download [External Link] from ITCL. |
![[Three Peaks CP-200 8 Inch Lineman's Side-Cutting Pliers]](Photos/tools/three_peaks_pliers_linemans_8in_jis_f_cropped_inset2.jpg)
Fig. 83 shows a pair of Three Peaks CP-200 8 inch side-cutting pliers, stamped with "Three Peaks" and the JIS-Circle+H logo around the pivot.
The face is also stamped with "TD" and the 3-Peaks-Circle logo, with "Japan" on the opposite side.
The overall length is 8.3 inches, and the finish is plain steel.
Note that the JIS symbol is followed by an "H", indicating "Strong" or "Heavy-Duty" grade.
The "TD" code above the logo indicates production from around 1972 until 1990.
The forgings for these pliers correspond to the second generation for side-cutting pliers at Three Peaks, as can be seen by comparison with the Four Generations of Side-Cutting Pliers [External Link] at the CWC site. For domestic production the second generation forgings were used until around 1970, but since these pliers were made for export, the forging generation may have been used somewhat longer.
The second-generation forging and "TD" marking suggest production around 1971-1972.
![[Three Peaks RP-150 150mm Needlenose Pliers with Side-Cutters]](Photos/tools/three_peaks_pliers_rp150_needlenose_jis_ti_f_cropped_inset3_w2048.jpg)
Fig. 84 shows a pair of Three Peaks RP-150 150mm needlenose pliers with side-cutters, stamped with "Three Peaks" and model number around the pivot, with the JIS-Circle logo at the bottom.
The face is also stamped with a "TI" code and the 3-Peaks-Circle logo in the lower right quadrant.
The overall length is 6.5 inches, and the finish is polished steel with red plastic hand grips.
The "TI" code above the logo indicates production from around 1972 until 1990.
The company received JIS certificate 371247 for needlenose pliers (class B4631) on January 18, 1972.
The absence of a "Japan" marking indicates that the pliers were intended for the domestic market. Note though that the package (see below) was marked for Japan.
![[Three Peaks RP-150 Pliers in Original Package]](Photos/tools/three_peaks_pliers_rp150_needlenose_jis_ti_pkg2_cropped_w2048.jpg)
Fig. 84B shows the pliers in their original package, marked with "Three Peaks" and "Koyama" at the top.
The package also notes the JIS 371247 certification in class B4631.
The next two figures show examples of pliers made by Three Peaks as contract production for Truecraft, a brand owned by the Daido Corporation. The Truecraft brand was active from 1963 through the early 2000s.
![[Truecraft K-358-G 8 Inch Lineman's Side-Cutting Pliers]](Photos/tools/truecraft_k358g_pliers_linemans_wv_f_cropped_inset3.jpg)
Fig. 85 shows a pair of Truecraft K-358-G 8 inch side-cutting pliers, stamped "Truecraft" with the model number on one side, with "Japan" and the 3-Peaks-Circle logo on the back side.
The overall length is 8.3 inches, and the finish is plain steel.
The lower inset shows a close-up of the 3-Peaks-Circle logo, a design showing three mountain peaks within a circle.
We were unfamiliar with this meaning of this logo, but one of our readers from Japan kindly sent an explanation with a link to the company's website.
The "G" suffix of the Truecraft model number indicates that the pliers were originally supplied with plastic hand grips.
The "K" prefix of the Truecraft model number indicates production up to around 1975, and the absence of a two-letter "Tx" code on the back above the logo suggests production before 1972. We think that Truecraft began using plastic hand grips around 1970, so our best estimate of the production date is 1970-1971.
These pliers are listed on page 3 of the 1973 Truecraft catalog, and with a close look at the illustration the 3-Peaks-Circle logo can be seen!
![[Truecraft K306 6.5 Inch Diagonal Cutters]](Photos/tools/truecraft_k306_pliers_diag_3p_japan_f_cropped_inset3_w2048.jpg)
Fig. 86 shows a pair of Truecraft K306 6.5 inch diagonal cutters, stamped with "Truecraft" and the model number around the pivot on the front, with "Japan" and "TD" above the 3-Peaks-Circle logo on the back side.
The overall length is 6.4 inches, and the finish is plain steel with plastic hand grips.
The "TD" code indicates production in 1972 or later, and the leading "K" of the Truecraft model number indicates production up to around 1975.
Tōa Tankōsho (東亜鍛工所) was a maker of wrenches operating in Ishikawa prefecture.
The company was founded in 1944. Its factory was located at 2 Iburihashi in Enuma-gun, Ishikawa prefecture, based on records from a later JIS certification.
The company used "TOA" and "TOATANKO" as brands for its wrenches, and production was sometimes marked with an I-diamond symbol.
On November 10, 1952 the company received JIS certification 1980 for class B4630 (open-end wrenches), and was one of the first seven companies to be certified in this class. The record for this certification can be seen in the Monthly Report 1952-11 for Class B4630.
The company sometimes marked its JIS number on wrenches as "No. 1980" or just "1980".
Toa was an OEM supplier for some vehicle manufacturers, in particular Daihatsu. The company was also a supplier to the Japan Self-Defence Force (SDF) and was noted in a 1959 SDF publication.
Based on bank records, the company probably closed around 1966. Our history is based on information on the CWC site.
The company was established in 1939 as the Hokuetsu Machine Works Company, with an initial location at 1-525 Oaza-Sanjo, Sanjo City, Niigata Prefecture, Japan. By 1943 the company was making forgings for aircraft parts for the Nakajima Aircraft Company.
In 1944 the company changed its name to the Nakajima Precision Forging Company, and by November of 1945 was manufacturing forged tools. By this time the company's factory was located at 2624 Tajima in Sanjo.
In 1949 the company adopted "TOP" as a brand for adjustable (monkey) wrenches.
In July of 1950 the company began an association with tool dealers from Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya. This association likely included Meisei Tsushō, an export marketing and distribution company which established the Daido Corporation U.S.A. in 1951. (See our notes on Meisei Tsushō for additional information.)
On June 28, 1951 Nakajima Precision Forging received JIS certificate 656 for adjustable wrenches (class B4604). The record for this certification can be seen in the 1952-01 Monthly Report for Classes B4604 and B4605. [Editor's note: this is not mentioned in the company's history, but should be.]
On November 16, 1953 the company received JIS certificate 2717 for class B4614 (combination pliers). The record for this certification can be seen in the 1955 JIS Summary for Class B4614.
During the 1950s Nakajima Precision Forging became an early production partner of Meisei Tsushō and began producing adjustable wrenches for the Truecraft Tool Company of Chicago, which were probably distributed through the Daido Corporation U.S.A. [Editor's note: this is not mentioned in the company's history.]
In 1961 the company built a forging factory to increase production. [Editor's note: where was the factory?]
In September of 1963 the company changed its name to the Top Kōgyō Company.
On September 15, 1964 the company received JIS certificate 364148 for class B4630 (open-end wrenches). The record for this certification can be seen in the 1967 Certified List for Class B4630.
On December 2, 1965 the company received JIS certificate 365198 for class B4631 (needlenose pliers), JIS 365199 for class B4635 (diagonal cutters), and JIS 365200 for class B4632 (box-end wrenches). The records for these certifications can be seen in the 1967 Certified List for Class B4631, 1967 Certified List for Class B4635, and 1967 Certified List for Class B4632.
During the 1960s and 1970s Top Kōgyō was a major production partner for the Truecraft brand of the Daido Corporation. The company supplied adjustable wrenches and several kinds of pliers, and possible other kinds of tools as well.
Top Kōgyō is also known to have supplied tools for the Westline brand of Western Auto Supply, in particular adjustable wrenches and pliers.
In August of 1981 the company moved its forge and die operations to the Tsukanome Kinzoku Kōgyō Industrial Park in Sanjo City, and by July of 1982 had fully relocated the forging operations to Tsukanome. In 1983 and 1984 the company transferred a number of its JIS certifications to the Tsukanome factory, which can be seen in the Aggregate Monthly Reports for Top Kōgyō (トップ工業).
By 1987 Tsukanome had become the company's main factory.
In 1987 the company signed a contract with Klein Tools for production of adjustable wrenches.
On March 27, 1991 (Heisei 3.3.27) some of the company's JIS certificates were canceled in what appears to be an administrative change, in order to group separate certifications into a single JIS number. The November 1991 Monthly Report listed the canceled JIS numbers as 365198 (class B4631) and 365199 (class B4635). These cancelations can be seen in the Aggregate Monthly Reports for Top Kōgyō (トップ工業).
However, if we look ahead to the 1999 Summary, Top Kōgyō is listed with certificate 365198 for classes B4623, B4625, B4631, and B4635. Why would 365198 be canceled if it was to be used later for all of the pliers?
Our interpretation is that the 1991 report was erroneous, and that instead of 365198 being canceled, the actual canceled certificate was 383105 (classes B4623 and B4625). This would leave 365198 as the remaining active certificate for the four classes of pliers, as reported in the 1999 Summary. We have corrected this error in the JIS database.
On January 11, 2002 the company received JIS certification for combination wrenches (class B4651), but the certification number isn't known yet.
The company's website (in Japanese) is at Top Kōgyō Company [External Link]. Our history was adapted from the company's historical timeline.
TOP Kōgyō is known to have received JIS certifications in classes B4604 (adjustable wrenches), B4630 (open-end wrenches), and B4651 (combination wrenches). Oddly though, the certification number for the B4651 class has not been found.
Factory locations were at 2624 Tajima in Sanjo City and 2190-5 Tsukanome, all in Niigata prefecture.
Top registered a number of Japanese trademarks plus at least one US trademark, for "TOP" in stylized text.
| Text Mark or Logo | Reg. No. | First Use | Date Filed | Date Issued | Notes and Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![[TOP-Oval Logo]](Photos/tools/scans/trademark_j42-11062_detail_top_kogyo_top_black.jpg) |
42-11062 | 02/10/1966 | 03/30/1967 | "TOP" as white text in a black oval. | |
| TOP [logo] | 42-11063 | 02/10/1966 | 03/30/1967 | "TOP" as black text in a white oval. | |
| TOP [stylized] | 64-20491 | 11/20/1986 | 03/24/1989 | "TOP" in stylized text. |
| Text Mark or Logo | Reg. No. | First Use | Date Filed | Date Issued | Notes and Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top [Stylized] | 1,543,236 | 1959 | 05/25/1988 | 06/13/1989 | "TOP" in stylized text.
For hammers, screwdrivers, wrenches Serial 73730637. Published March 21, 1989. |
![[Top 10x12mm Open-End Wrench]](Photos/tools/top_oe1012mm_wrench_depressed_cv_jis_f_cropped_inset.jpg)
Fig. 87 shows a Top 10x12mm open-end wrench with depressed oval panels, marked with the "Top" oval logo and the JIS-Circle+S logo forged into the front panel, with a code (possibly "8-AI") forged into the back panel.
The shank is also marked with the metric sizes forged into the front.
The overall length is 5.2 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with a matte surface.
The absence of a "Japan" marking on this tool indicates that it was originally produced for the Japanese domestic market.
![[Top 12x14mm Open-End Wrench]](Photos/tools/top_oe1214mm_wrench_cv_jis_f_cropped_inset.jpg)
Fig. 88 shows a Top 12x14mm open-end wrench with depressed oval panels, marked with "Top" and the JIS-Circle+S logo forged into the front panel, with "Chrome Vanadium" forged into the back panel.
The shank is also marked with the metric sizes forged into the front.
The overall length is 5.7 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.
The absence of a "Japan" marking on this tool indicates that it was originally produced for the Japanese domestic market.
Top Kōgyō offers a series of "Liner Spanners", but we're uncertain of their defining characteristics other than being open-end wrenches. The next two figures show examples of Liner wrenches.
![[Liner Top 17x19mm Open-End Wrench]](Photos/tools/liner_top_oe1719mm_wrench_jis_f_cropped_inset.jpg)
Fig. 89 shows a Liner Top 17x19mm open-end wrench with depressed oval panels, marked with "Liner Top" forged into the front panel, with a "7-JI" code and the JIS-Circle+S logo forged into the back panel.
The shank is also marked with the metric sizes forged into the front.
The overall length is 7.3 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with a matte surface.
The absence of a "Japan" marking on this tool indicates that it was originally produced for the Japanese domestic market.
![[Liner Top 21x23mm Open-End Wrench]](Photos/tools/liner_top_oe2123mm_wrench_depressed_jis_f_cropped_inset.jpg)
Fig. 90 shows a Liner Top 21x23mm open-end wrench with depressed oval panels, marked with "Liner Top" forged into the front panel, with a "7-HI" code and the JIS-Circle+S logo forged into the back panel.
The shank is also marked with the metric sizes forged into the front.
The overall length is 8.9 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with a matte surface.
The absence of a "Japan" marking on this tool indicates that it was originally produced for the Japanese domestic market.
![[Top 36x41mm Specialty Box-End Wrench]](Photos/tools/top_db3641mm_wrench_s_cv_f_cropped_inset.jpg)
Fig. 91 shows a Top 36x41mm specialty box-end wrench with laterally offset openings, somewhat similar to an S-shaped wrench.
The wrench is marked with "Top" and the metric sizes forged into the front, with "Chrome Vanadium" and the sizes forged into the back side.
The overall length is 18.3 inches, and the finish is chrome plating.
The absence of a "Japan" marking on this tool indicates that it was originally produced for the Japanese domestic market.
Top Kōgyō was a major supplier to the Truecraft brand managed by the Daido Corporation, and even supplied tools to the American Truecraft Tool Company before the Truecraft trademark was acquired by Daido.
Tools supplied by Top included adjustable wrenches, open-end and combination wrenches, and various types of pliers.
![[Top Truecraft Tool 6 Inch Adjustable Wrench]](Photos/tools/truecraft_tool_adj_6in_wrench_alloy_top_f_cropped_inset.jpg)
Fig. 92 shows shows a Truecraft Tool 6 inch adjustable wrench, marked with "Truecraft Tool Company" and "Japan" forged into the front, with "Drop Forged Alloy Steel" and "TOP" forged into the back.
The wrench is also marked with "N" and a "6 - 1" production code forged into the back.
The overall length is 6.0 inches, and the finish is plain steel.
The "TOP" marking indicates production by Top Kōgyō, which during the 1950s was still known as the Nakajima Precision Forging Company.
This wrench is a rare example of a tool made for the (American) Truecraft Tool Company prior to the acquisition of the "Truecraft" trademark by the Daido Corporation.
![[Top Truecraft F208 8 Inch Adjustable Wrench]](Photos/tools/truecraft_adj_f208_wrench_top_f_cropped_inset2.jpg)
Fig. 93 shows a [Top] Truecraft F208 8 inch adjustable wrench, marked with "Drop Forged Tool Steel" and "Top" forged into the shank, with "Truecraft Tool" and "Japan" forged into the back side.
The back side is also stamped with the "F208" model number on a small raised panel.
The overall length is 7.9 inches, and the maximum opening is 0.9 inches. The head thickness was measured at 0.47 inches.
The finish is chrome plating with polished faces.
The leading "F" of the model number indicates production up to around 1975.
The "Top" marking indicates production by the Top Kōgyō Company. The forged-in code "8-84" below the "Top" marking resembles a date, but the meaning is not known.
One construction characteristic to note is that the pin securing the worm gear is threaded on the inside end.
![[Top Truecraft K506 6 Inch Tongue-and-Groove Pliers]](Photos/tools/truecraft_k506_pliers_tg_top_f_cropped_inset2.jpg)
Fig. 94 shows a pair of [Top] Truecraft K506 6 inch tongue-and-groove pliers, stamped with "Truecraft" and the model number on the upper handle, with "Forged" and "Top Japan 71A" on the botton handle.
The overall length is 7.1 inches fully extended, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.
The leading "K" of the model number indicates production up to around 1975.
The "Top" marking indicates production by the Top Kōgyō Company, and a check of their web site found similar pliers were made in the past, although now discontinued.
![[Top Truecraft K406 6 Inch Needlenose Pliers]](Photos/tools/truecraft_k406_pliers_needlenose_top_japan_f_cropped_inset4_w2048.jpg)
Fig. 95 shows a pair of [Top] Truecraft K406 6 inch needlenose pliers with side cutters, stamped with "Truecraft" and the model number around the pivot, with "Japan" and "Top 70J" on the back side.
The overall length is 6.3 inches, and the finish is polished steel.
The leading "K" of the model number indicates production up to around 1975.
The "Top" marking indicates production by Top Kōgyō.
In the mid 1950s Top Kōgyō began supplying tools to the Westline brand managed by Western Auto Supply.
Top Kōgyō was a production partner of the Daido Corporation, and the Westline tools were likely imported and distributed by Daido.
Tools made by Top for the Westline brand include adjustable wrenches, combination pliers, and diagonal cutters. We will add examples as they become available.
![[TOP Westline H5052 8 Inch Adjustable Wrench]](Photos/tools/westline_adj_h5052_wrench_top_japan_f_cropped_inset3_w2048.jpg)
Fig. 96A shows a Westline H5052 8 inch adjustable wrench, marked with "Westline" and "Japan" forged into the front, with "Drop Forged Tool Steel" and "TOP" forged into the back.
The wrench is also marked with "N" and a "2 - 4" production code forged into the back.
The overall length is 8.0 inches and the maximum opening is 1.0 inches. The finish is nickel plating with polished faces.
The "TOP" marking indicates production by Top Kōgyō.
![[TOP Westline H5005 6 Inch Thin Combination Pliers]](Photos/tools/westline_pliers_h5005_combo_thin_top_f_cropped_inset4_w2048.jpg)
Fig. 96B shows a pair of Westline H5005 6 inch thin combination pliers, stamped with "Westline" and the model number along an oval arc.
The pliers are also marked with with "TOP Drop Forged Japan" forged into the undersides of the handles.
The top inset shows a side view of the pliers, illustrating the thin nose and the diamond-checkered gripping pattern on the handles.
The overall length is 6.1 inches, and the finish is polished chrome plating.
The "TOP" marking indicates production by Top Kōgyō, a tool company based in Niigata, Japan.
We disassembled the pliers for cleaning and observed an "827" code stamped on one handle near the pivot.
These pliers are very similar to the Fuller 191-6 6 Inch Thin Combination Pliers shown in our article on the Fuller Tool Company. In particular, the diamond-checkered gripping pattern on these pliers is very similar to the pattern used by Fuller, and the marking style with the brand name along a curved arc was also used by Fuller.
However, on close examination we found that there are some subtle differences. The diamond pattern on the Westline pliers has equal dimensions in the longitudinal and transverse directions, whereas Fuller's pattern is slighly elongated in the longitudinal direction. In addition, the forgings for the Westline pliers have a shallow depressed panel in the pivot area, but the Fuller pliers have flat surfaces in the pivot area.
We think this is a case of convergent design, with Top Kōgyō being ask to make pliers similar to the Fuller models. As a supplier to hardware stores, Fuller would have been a competitor to Western Auto Supply, so Western Auto would have wanted to offer comparable products.
The Tsunoda Company (株式会社 ツノダ) is a maker of pliers and other tools operating in Tsubame, Niigata prefecture.
The company was founded in 1964 as a maker of pliers. [Editor's note: what was the initial location? Who was the founder?]
In 1972 company was reorganized as the Tsunoda Kōgu Seisakusho Co., Ltd. (株式会社角田工具製作所).
In 1979 the head office factory moved to Yoshida-cho at 1535-5 Shimonakano, Yoshida-cho, Nishikanbara-gun, Niigata Prefecture.
On April 22, 1982 the company received JIS certificate 382015 for pliers at the Yoshida factory, probably for classes B4623 and B4625. (We don't have the exact record.)
On July 12, 1982 the company received JIS certificate 382081 for pliers in class B4635 (diagonal cutters) at the Yoshida factory, with notes indicating heavy grade. The record for this certification can be seen in the Aggregated Monthly Reports. [Editor's note: at some point a certification for B4631 was also received.]
In June of 1988 the company opened a second factory at 270 Suginayanagi, Tsubame City, Niigata Prefecture. The Tsubame factory produced pliers, wrenches, and other tools.
On September 5, 1989 the company received JIS certificate 389045 in class B4614 (combination pliers) at the Tsubame factory. The record for this certification can be seen in the 1999 JIS Summary for Super-Class B043.
On December 6, 1989 the company received JIS certificate 389067 in class B4626 (waterpump pliers) at the Tsubame factory. The record for this certification can be seen in the 1999 JIS Summary for Super-Class B070.
At some point (probably in the early 1990s) the JIS certifications in classes B4623, B4625, B4631, and B4635 were consolidated into JIS 382015. The record for these certifications can be seen in the 1999 JIS Summary for Super-Class B010.
In 2004 the company changed its name to the Tsunoda Company (株式会社 ツノダ).
On March 30, 2007 Tsunoda's Yoshida factory received JQA certificate JQ0306029 for classes B4623, B4625, B4631, and B4635, with class B4625 noted as strong grade.
On August 13, 2007 Tsunoda's Tsubame factory received JQA certificate JQ0307020 for classes B4614 and B4626.
The company maintains a website (in Japanese and English) at Tsunoda Company [External Link]. Our history was adapted from the historical timeline on the company's site.
The JIS-certified factory locations were in Yoshida and Tsubame.
| Text Mark or Logo | Pub. No. | Reg. No. | Date Issued | Notes and Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TTC | 1973-051182 | 1176757 | 12/22/1975 | Block text. |
| DENKO | 2000-086308 | 4664168 | 04/18/2003 | Block text.
Originally issued to Wakui Seisakusho. Transferred to Tsunoda in 2013. |
| KING | 2005-043487 | 4926488 | 02/03/2006 | Block text. |
| TSUNODA KING TTC [design] | 2007-090116 | 5126315 | 04/04/2008 | Text in circle design. |
| KING TTC | 2021-071195 | 6532238 | 03/23/2022 | Block text. |
![[King TTC CP-150 150mm Lineman's Side-Cutting Pliers]](Photos/tools/king_ttc_pliers_cp150_linemans_jish_yellow_f_cropped_inset4_w2048.jpg)
Fig. 97AA shows a pair of King TTC CP-150 150mm lineman's side-cutting pliers, stamped with "King TTC" and "CP-150" across the pivot, with the JIS-Circle+H logo below and to the right.
The pliers are also stamped with a "4F D" production code on the back, as seen in the small upper inset.
The top inset shows a side view of the pliers, illustrating the angled facets of the head and the plastic hand grips.
The overall length is 6.4 inches, and the finish is plain steel with yellow plastic hand grips.
The inseam between the handles is serrated to assist with crimping wire splices.
The King TTC brand is relatively recent, but the use of the older JIS-Circle logo indicates production before 2007.
Wakui Seisakusho (涌井製作所) was a maker of pliers operating in Sanjō City, Niigata Prefecture. Currently we don't have much information about the company, but it was definitely in business during the 1950s and probably closed in 2013.
In the early 1950s the company's factory was located at 2324 Higashi-Uradate in Sanjō City (三条市東裏館2324).
On November 16, 1953 the company received JIS certificate 2718 for class B4614 (combination pliers) at the 2324 Higashi-Uradate factory. The record for this certification can be seen in the 1955 Factory Name List for Class B4614.
On June 25, 1958 the company received JIS certificate 6037 for class B4623 (side-cutting pliers) at the 2324 Higashi-Uradate factory, with notes indicating heavy grade. The record for this certification can be seen in the 1962 Certified List for Classes B4623-B4625.
By the early 1980s the company was operating at 2171 Tsukanome in Sanjō City.
On January 29, 1981 (Showa 56.1.29) the company received JIS certificate 2718 for class B4614 (combination pliers) at the Tsukanome factory. The record for this certification can be seen in the 1982 Certified List for Class B4614.
On January 29, 1981 the company received JIS certificate 6037 for class B4623 (side-cutting pliers) at the Tsukanome factory. The record for this certification can be seen in the 1982 Certified List for Class B4623.
By 1999 JIS certificate 6037 applied to classes B4623, B4631, and B4635 at the Tsukanome factory. The record for this certification can be seen in the 1999 JIS Summary for Super-Class B010.
As a side note, the 2171 Tsukanome factory address is the same as that listed for Three Peaks Giken, whose factory is on an adjacent parcel of land. For unknown reasons the two parcels of land were not given separate addresses, but there was no connection between Wakui Seisakusho and Three Peaks Giken.
The company used "DENKO" as a brand for its pliers, and in 2000 filed a trademark application for "DENKO".
The company is known to have provided contract production, as side-cutting pliers marked with JIS 6037 (class B4623) have been observed with the Lobtex "Lobster" logo.
The CWC site reports that the company closed in 2013 due to bankruptcy. As evidence of the company closure, on December 13, 2013 the "DENKO" trademark was transferred to the Tsunoda Company.
The company filed trademark application 2000-086308 for "DENKO" on April 8, 2000, and the trademark was registered as #4664168 on April 18, 2003.
An application to transfer the trademark was filed on November 20, 2013, and the transfer was registered on December 13, 2013. The current owner is the Tsunoda Company.
![[Denko 7 Inch Lineman's Side-Cutting Pliers]](Photos/tools/denko_pliers_7in_linemans_jis_japan_f_cropped_inset5_w2048.jpg)
Fig. 97 shows a pair of Denko 7 inch lineman's side-cutting pliers, stamped with "DENKO" and "6037" plus the JIS-Circle+H logo on the front, with a "64" code on the back.
The pliers are also marked with "74 W.K.I" and "Japan" forged into the undersides of the handles.
The top inset shows a side view of the pliers, illustrating the diamond-checkered gripping pattern on the handles.
The overall length is 7.3 inches, and the finish is plain steel with a polished front face.
The inseam between the handles is not serrated, but could still be used for crimping wire splices.
The Yamaco Company operates in Kano, Higashi-Osaka, Osaka Prefecture as the maker of a wide variety of forged and machined products, including vehicle components, construction hardware, and hand tools.
The company was established in 1946 as the Yamamoto Kōgu Seisakusho by Toshiro Yamamoto (山本利郎), with operations in Hiraoka City, Osaka Prefecture.
In 1952 the company was incorporated as the Yamaco Company, Ltd. and moved the head office factory to Rokumanji-cho, Higashi-Osaka City.
On June 20, 1953 the company received JIS certificate 2356 for adjustable wrenches.
At one point our earliest record for JIS 2356 was the 1964 Certified List for Class B4604, and it reports a date of January 30, 1954, leaving us puzzled by the date discrepancy.
The explanation turns out to be that early JIS testing used separate classes depending on the jaw offset angle, with B4604 for 15 degree and B4605 for 23 degree offsets. Yamaco's adjustable wrenches were made with a 23 degree offset angle (optimized for square nuts) and so was assigned to class B4605. A record for Yamaco's JIS test can be seen in the 1953-09 Monthly Report for Class B4605, although the date and JIS number are not shown.
On January 30, 1954 the JIS administration folded class B4605 into class B4604, allowing notes to indicate the jaw angle. Since class B4605 was folded into B4604 in early 1954, Yamaco's certification appears under class B4604 in the 1955 Factory Name List, 1958 Factory Name List, and 1962 Certified List, and the 1962 list has the correct original certification date.
Then for unknown reasons, Yamaco's certification appears in the 1964 Certified List with the January 30, 1954 date when class B4605 registrations were moved into class B4604. And Yamaco's entry in the 1964 list didn't even include a note about the offset angle.
Yamaco provided extensive contract manufacturing services, and the CWC site has many examples of adjustable wrenches made for various customers.
Yamaco's adjustable wrenches include examples marked "Partially Forged" or "Semi Forged" with a JIS "P" suffix, which presumably have malleable iron bodies with a forged movable jaw.
One of Yamaco's most important production contracts was with KTC to assist with making JIS-marked adjustable wrenches for Nissan. Our hypothesis is that Yamaco actually made the first wrenches for this series, as Yamaco had received JIS certification more than a year before KTC's certification in late 1954. An example of Yamaco's production for KTC/Nissan can be seen as the KTC "Nissan" Adjustable Wrench.
In May of 1977 the company relocated its factory to the Kano Industrial Park (東大阪市加納工業団地) in Higashi-Osaka City.
In October of 1981 Yamaco was re-certified for class B4604 at the Kano factory. The records can be seen in the 1981-10 Monthly Report for JIS 2356 Revoke and Restore.
The restoration of JIS 2356 added a note for "strong grade" or JIS-H.
By 1999 Yamaco was no longer listed under class B4604 in the 1999 Summary Report, suggesting that the company had discontinued production of adjustable wrenches and released its JIS registration. However, no record of the release has been found, so the exact date and circumstances are not known.
In 2002 the company obtained ISO9001 certification.
The company continues in business today with their head office at 4-3-26 Kano, Higashiosaka City, Osaka Prefecture, and additional information can be found at the Yamaco Company [External Link] website. Our history was adapted from the historical timeline on the company's site.
Yamaco received JIS certification 2356 for 15 degree adjustable wrenches (class B4605) on June 20, 1953. Class B4605 was folded into B4604 on January 30, 1954.
The factory locations were in Rokumanji and Kano.
![[Yamaco No. 5000 150mm Adjustable Wrench]](Photos/tools/yamaco_adj_5000_6in_wrench_crmo_jish_japan_f_cropped_inset3_w2048.jpg)
Fig. 98A shows a Yamaco No. 5000 150mm adjustable wrench, marked with "Yamaco" and "Chrome Molybdenum" plus "Japan" forged into the front, with the model number and "Drop Forged" plus the JIS-Circle+H logo forged into the back.
The lower inset shows a close-up of the open jaws, illustrating the angled transition at the corner of the fixed jaw and the angled cutaway of the movable jaw.
The overall length is 6.1 inches and the maximum opening is 0.8 inches.
The finish is chrome plating, with some losses due to wear and rust.
We observed that the pin securing the worm gear is threaded on the inside end.
The angled transition at the fixed jaw and ridge around the hanging hole are characteristics of Yamaco's later production, probably from the mid 1960s onward.
This next figure shows a first-generation KTC adjustable wrench, made under the Nissan OEM contract but with production by Yamaco.
![[KTC Nissan 200mm Adjustable Wrench]](Photos/tools/ktc_adj_200mm_wrench_nissan_jis_yk_f_cropped_inset3_w2048.jpg)
Fig. 98 shows a KTC 200mm adjustable wrench, marked with the Nissan logo and "Boron Steel" forged into the front, with "KYOTO" and "K.T.C." plus the KTC-Double-Circle logo forged into the back.
The wrench is also marked with the JIS logo and "Y.K" forged into the back.
The lower inset shows a close-up of the open jaws, illustrating the rounded transition at the corner of the fixed jaw and the inset convex cutaway of the movable jaw. Note also the full width of the tailpiece of the movable jaw.
The overall length is 8.2 inches and the maximum opening is 1.0 inches.
The finish appears to be nickel plating, with minor losses due to rust.
We removed the pin securing the worm gear and verified that it is threaded on the inside end.
The small "Y.K" code to the right of the JIS mark is the ID code for Yamaco, indicating that this wrench was actually made by Yamaco.
Our hypothesis is that when KTC first signed the OEM contract with Nissan, KTC itself had not yet received JIS certification for adjustable wrenches, and as a result Yamaco was brought in as the contract producer. Yamaco received JIS certificate 2356 for adjustable wrenches in June of 1953, and presumably the Nissan production would have begun sometime after that.
KTC received JIS certificate 3523 in November of 1954 and presumably would have begun its own production of the Nissan OEM wrenches shortly afterwards. KTC's Nissan wrenches are nearly identical to the Yamaco example here except for the omission of the "Y.K" marking.
The Nissan OEM wrenches were produced in great quantities and are still quite common today (2024) 60 to 70 years later. Observations of online photographs show that the Yamaco and KTC variants are both common, suggesting that Yamaco continued as a production partner.
This next figure shows an example of the "Hi-Test" brand used by Hi-Test Premier Products, an importer and mail-order retailer in New York City.
![[Hi-Test 8 Inch Adjustable Wrench]](Photos/tools/hi_test_adj_8in_wrench_crmo_jis_f_cropped_inset.jpg)
Fig. 99 shows a Hi-Test 8 inch adjustable wrench, marked with "Hi-Test" and "Chrome Molybdenum" forged into the front, with "Fully Drop-Forged" and "Highest J.I.S. Indust. Stand." plus the JIS-Circle+H logo forged into the back side.
The shank is also marked with a forged-in "Y.K." code below the JIS-Circle mark.
The overall length is 8.0 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.
When we posted this wrench, we thought it would be a good test for the hypothesis that there are no anonymous JIS tools, and that presumably the "Y.K." marking below the JIS-Circle logo would identify the maker. That turned out to be the case, as "YK" is the identifying mark for the Yamaco Company.
One construction characteristic to note is that the pin securing the worm gear is threaded on the inside end.
Yamashita Kōgyōkenkyūjo (山下工業研究所) or "Yamashita Industrial Research Institute" is the maker of Ko-Ken socket tools.
The company was founded in September of 1940 by Soichiro Yamashita (山下宗一郎) in Miki City, Hyogo prefecture. Yamashita had worked for Ford in the U.S. for six years before returning to Japan to establish a tool factory, with the intent of producing tools for automotive maintenance.
The company filed an application for a trademark on "工研" ("KO-KEN") in the same month.
In September of 1944 the factory was relocated to Osaka and the Yamashita Kōgyō company was formed.
In December, 1946 Yamashita returned to his hometown in Shizuoka prefecture and established Yamashita Kōgyōkenkyūjo as a private company, with a factory located at 657 Onuki in Jōtō-mura, Shizuoka prefecture (静岡県小移郡城東村小貫 657).
By 1950 the company was selling "KO-KEN" brand box-end wrenches in a design with one end offset and the other at a 15° angle, but with different opening sizes.
On September 6, 1955 the company received JIS certificate 4249 in classes B4636 and B4637 at the Jōtō-mura Onuki factory. The record for this certification can be seen in the 1958 Factory Name List Classes B4636 and B4637.
In July of 1958 the company received JIS certificate 6055 in classes B4638, B4640, and B4641 at the Jōtō-mura Onuki factory. This was published in the JIS Monthly Report for September of 1958, but without the exact date. The record for this certification can be seen in the Aggregated Monthly Reports. [Editor's note: these certifications are not mentioned in the company's history.]
On February 2, 1962 the company received JIS certificate 8490 in classes B4636, B4637, and B4639 at the Jōtō-mura Onuki factory. The record for this certification can be seen in the 1964 Certified List for Classes B4636, B4637, and B4639.
On February 2, 1962 the company received JIS certificate 8489 in classes B4638, B4640, and B4641 at the Jōtō-mura Onuki factory. The record for this certification can be seen in the 1964 Certified List for Classes B4638, B4640, and B4641.
These were effectively re-certifications, but the reasons are not known, and for some reason the company was omitted from the 1962 Certified List.
In 1969 Yoneichiro Yamashita (山下米一郎), the son of the founder, became the company's second president.
In 1970 the company moved to a new factory at 656 Nakakata in Jōtō-mura.
On December 2, 1970 the company received JIS certificate 8490 in classes B4636, B4637, and B4639 at the Jōtō-mura Nakakata factory. The record for this certification can be seen in the 1972 Certified List for Classes B4636, B4637, and B4639.
On July 3, 1971 the company received JIS certificate 371059 in classes B4638, B4640, and B4641 at the Jōtō-mura Nakakata factory. The record for this certification can be seen in the 1972 Certified List for Classes B4638, B4640, and B4641.
In June of 1999 the company received ISO9001 certifiction.
In October of 2019 Takamichi Naito (内藤孝道) became the company's sixth president.
The company remains in operation today and more information can be found at the Ko-Ken [External Link] website.
Our history was adapted from the article on the CWC site.
The factory locations were at 657 Onuki and 656 Nakakata in Jōtō-mura, Shizuoka prefecture.
View Company History with Factories for Yamashita Kōgyōkenkyūjo.
| Text Mark or Logo | Pub. No. | Reg. No. | Date Issued | Notes and Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ko-Ken [stylized] | S44-18153 | 925417 | 08/23/1971 | Ko-Ken script |
![[KO-KEN Kanji Logo]](Photos/tools/scans/japan_trademark_1735607_image_ko-ken_cropped.jpg)
|
S57-58926 | 1735607 | 12/20/1984 | Kanji "工研" ("KO-KEN") |
This section will show examples of tools from other Japanese brands for which the manufacturer is not yet known.
If any of our readers have information on the companies that made these tools, please let us know via email.
This next example has an interesting "Asahi" script logo and "Rising Sun" logo not seen before, but the maker is currently unknown. ("Asahi" is very popular as a brand name in Japan.)
![[Asahi 17x19mm Open-End Wrench]](Photos/tools/asahi_oe1719mm_wrench_script_rising_sun_f_cropped_inset.jpg)
Fig. 100 shows an Asahi 17x19mm open-end wrench, marked with "Asahi" in a script logo forged into the front, with a "Rising Sun" logo and the metric sizes forged into the back side.
The overall length is 7.3 inches, and the finish is chrome plating.
This wrench is fairly roughly finished, suggesting that it might have been part of a vehicle tool kit.
The absence of a "Japan" marking on this tool indicates that it was originally produced for the Japanese domestic market.
![[Japanese 19/32x5/8 Open-End Wrench]](Photos/tools/mystery_oe1920_wrench_depressed_alloy_japan_f_cropped_inset.jpg)
Fig. 101 shows a 19/32x5/8 open-end wrench with depressed oval panels from an unknown Japanese maker.
The shank is marked with the fractional sizes forged into the front panel, with "Drop Forged Alloy Steel" and "Japan" forged into the back panel.
The overall length is 6.6 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.
This wrench is very well made, with precisely formed panels and crisply forged markings.
![[Japanese 11/16x3/4 Open-End Wrench]](Photos/tools/mystery_oe2224_wrench_depressed_alloy_japan_f_cropped_inset.jpg)
Fig. 102 shows an 11/16x3/4 open-end wrench with depressed oval panels from an unknown Japanese maker.
The shank is marked with the fractional sizes forged into the front panel, with "Drop Forged Alloy Steel" and "Japan" forged into the back panel.
The overall length is 7.9 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.
This wrench is very well made, with precisely formed panels and crisply forged markings.
![[Weil Adjustamatic 8 Inch Self-Adjusting Wrench]](Photos/tools/weil_adj_8in_wrench_adjustamatic_cv_japan_f_cropped_inset.jpg)
Fig. 103 shows a Weil 8 inch self-adjusting wrench, marked with "Weil" and "Adjustamatic" forged into the shank, with "Forged Chrome Vanadium" and "Japan" forged into the back.
The shank is also marked with a "T" code forged into the front, with a "77A" code forged into the back.
The overall length is 8.4 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.
The wrench is fitted with a flat spring to keep the jaw closed.
A notice for the "Adjustamatic" wrench appeared in a 1966 issue of Popular Mechanics, with the Weil Tool Company noted in Woodmere, New York. The company appears to have been active from the mid 1960s through the 1970s.
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