| 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. 44 shows an idealized T-Circle mark constructed using vector graphics.
![[T-Circle Forge Mark]](Photos/tools/osaka_tanko_t_circle_forge_mark.jpg)
Fig. 45 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. 46 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. 47 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. 48 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. 49 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.
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. 50 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. 51 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. 52 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. 53 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. 54 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. 55 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. 56 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. 57 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. 58 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 moveable 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. [Editor's note: where was this factory?]
In November of 1965 the company established a tool manufacturing division and began production of heavy-duty 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. [Editor's note: where was this factory?]
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.
On January 18, 1972 the company received JIS certificate 371247 at 121 Tajima for class B4631 (needle-nose 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, Sanjo City, in the Sanjo 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.
As a side note, while reviewing the JIS data we noticed that Wakui Seisakusho (涌井製作所), another maker of pliers, also listed 2171 Tsukanome as their factory address in a 1981 JIS certification. [Editor's note: was this company a subsidiary of Three Peaks, or were they just leasing space in the factory?]
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.
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.
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. 59 shows the 3-Peaks-Circle logo stamped on the Truecraft K-358-G Lineman's Pliers in the next figure.
In addition to offering contract production, Three Peaks also provides tools under their own name, as the next figure illustrates.
![[Three Peaks 200 8 Inch Lineman's Pliers]](Photos/tools/three_peaks_pliers_linemans_8in_jis_f_cropped_inset2.jpg)
Fig. 60 shows a pair of Three Peaks 200 8 inch lineman's pliers, stamped with "Three Peaks Cp" 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 next two figures show examples of pliers made by Three Peaks as contract production for Truecraft, a brand owned by the Daido Corporation.
![[Truecraft K-358-G 8 Inch Lineman's Pliers]](Photos/tools/truecraft_k358g_pliers_linemans_wv_f_cropped_inset3.jpg)
Fig. 61 shows a pair of Truecraft K-358-G 8 inch lineman's 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 leading "K" of the Truecraft model number indicates production up to around 1975.
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.
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. 62 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 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 Toho Kōki Company is a Japanese drop-forger and toolmaker best known for its "HIT" brand tools, including Crescent-style adjustable wrenches, pipe wrenches, and bolt cutters.
The company was established as the Kawakami Seisakusho by Seiichi Kawakami in 1926 and operated in Minato-ku, Osaka as a maker of machine parts.
By 1934 the company was making forged adjustable wrenches, pipe wrenches, and open-end wrenches.
In 1938 the company moved its head office and factory to Kami, Hirano-ku, and reorganized as the Toho Kōki Company, Ltd.
On June 28, 1951 the company received JIS certification 657 for class B4604 (adjustable wrenches), and in this same year began using chrome-molybdenum alloy steel for adjustable wrenches. The record for this certification can be seen in the Monthly Report 1952-01 for Classes B4604 and B4605.
On May 13, 1952 the company received JIS certification 1452 for class B4606 (pipe wrenches). This certification was noted first in a Monthly Report 1952-09 for Classes B4604-B4606 and then in a 1955 JIS Summary for Classes B4604 and B4606. The 1955 Summary noted that the certification was for JIS-H or "Strong" grade.
By around 1954 the company had passed the new JIS "Strong" class testing and added an "H" suffix on certain of its adjustable wrenches. [Editor's note: it seems that there should be a new JIS certificate from around this time.]
In 1958 the company received JIS certificate 6039 for class B4630 (open-end wrenches). The record for this certification can be seen in the 1962 Certified List for Class B4630. (Note that this early JIS report incorrectly reports JIS 6036 for this certificate.)
In 1961 the forging division became independent as Toho Forging Company, Ltd., with operations in Yamatokoriyama, Nara prefecture, Japan.
By 1962 Toho Kōki apparently had an export contract with the Fuller Tool Company, as the company received a $15,000 investment from the Fuller Orient Corporation. This was noted in a 1963 Annual Report on Foreign Capital from the Japanese Department of Trade and Industry.
The January 9, 1964 issue of "Weekly Japaense Economy" noted that Toho Kōki was exporting directly to the Fuller Orient Corporation, and that exports to the U.S., Asia, and Europe accounted for 20% of the company's sales.
Currently we are unsure of when the contract with Fuller began, but it's possible that it goes back to the late 1950s when Fuller first began importing tools from Japan.
In 1965 the company began a full-scale export program, and its "HIT" brand products became popular in 50 countries around the world.
On June 18, 1966 the company received JIS certificate 566036 for class B4632 (box-end wrenches). The record for this certification can be seen in the 1967 Certified List for Class B4632.
On the same date the company also received JIS certificate 566035 for class B4643 (bolt cutters).
In 1984 the company began relocating to a new factory in Yamatokoriyama, Nara Prefecture, and as a result all of its JIS certifications were temporarily revoked. The records for these JIS cancellations can be seen in the Monthly Report 1984-04 for Toho Kōki.
By 1985 the new factory was in operation, and on June 13, 1985 Toho Koki regained JIS certification for adjustable wrenches, retaining its original (657) number. The record for this JIS recertification can be seen in the Monthly Report 1985-06 for Toho Kōki.
By 2000 the company had decided not to continue production of adjustable wrenches, and on July 12, 2000 Toho Koki relinquished its JIS certification for this class. After this point adjustable wrench production was outsourced.
Toho Kōki continues in operation today and is located in Yamatokoriyama, Nara prefecture, Japan. The company maintains a website (in Japanese and English) at www.hittools.co.jp [External Link], which provides a page with extensive information on the Company History [External Link].
Toho Kōki has a very eventful JIS certification history, including multiple classes of tools, temporary revocations due to a factory move, and even a rare relinquishment.
Factory locations were in Minato-ku (港区) and Kami (加美) in Osaka prefecture, and in Yamatokoriyama (大和郡山) in Nara prefecture.
Toho Kōki has several trademarks registered in Japan, including "HITROI", "HITLOY", and a logo with "HIT" in the center of a gear, referred to as the HIT-Gear logo on this site.
The "HITROI" trademark has a curious story. Like most English speakers, when we first saw "HITROI" we were a bit puzzled about the meaning. (HITROI? Hit Roy? Who is Roy, and why would I want to hit him?) But after learning about the "HITLOY" trademark, it all became clear.
In the early 1950s Toho Kōki had started using chrome-molybdenum steel for their wrenches and wanted to get a trademark along the lines of "Bonaloy" or "Armaloy". They were thinking of "HITLOY", but since the Japanese language doesn't have distinct "L" and "R" sounds, when "HITLOY" was written in katakana it was then romanized to "HITROI".
Then after discovering that the "HITROI" trademark didn't evoke any connections with alloy for English speakers, Toho Kōki filed the "HITLOY" trademark shortly afterwards.
| Text Mark or Logo | Reg. No. | Date Issued | Notes and Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| HITROI | 27-12677 | 10/03/1952 | Indicates use of alloy steel
Based on romanization of "HITLOY" in katakana. |
| HITLOY | 29-8169 | 05/06/1954 | Indicates use of alloy steel |
| TOHO | 32-13161 | 09/07/1957 | |
 |
32-18669 | 11/28/1957 | Monkey head in a hexagon. |
 |
36-1667 | 04/20/1961 | "HIT" in a gear outline |
The company used "HIT" as a brand in the pre-war era, and in the early 1950s registered "HITROI" and "HITLOY" as trademarks.
Later adjustable wrenches were typically marked "Strong HIT", with "Strong" emphasizing the JIS-H ("Strong" class) certification.
Tools from Toho Kōki are frequently marked with the HIT-Gear logo.
Adjustable wrenches were an important product for Toho Kōki and at one point the company was Japan's largest maker of these wrenches.
![[Annotated Close-up of Jaw Detail for Strong HIT Adjustable Wrench]](Photos/tools/hit_adj_200mm_wrench_crmo_strong_jis_japan_close_annotated.jpg)
Toho Kōki's preferred style of construction for its own brands had a round ("maru") outline for the jaws, with an angled transition at the corner of the fixed jaw.
Fig. 64A shows an annotated close-up of the jaws of the "Strong HIT" 200mm Adjustable Wrench.
This is probably the most popular design for Japanese adjustable wrenches.
![[Close-up of Maru Jaw Design for Strong HIT Adjustable Wrench]](Photos/tools/hit_adj_200mm_wrench_crmo_strong_jis_japan_close_maru.jpg)
To explain further about the round or "maru" design of the jaws, we added a circle just outside the jaws of the wrench.
Fig. 64B shows the jaws of the "Strong HIT" 200mm Adjustable Wrench with a circumscribed circle.
Note that the red circle closely tracks the outline of the fixed jaw and then covers most of the wrench head.
This is the "classic" design for Japanese adjustable wrenches and was used almost universally until the mid 1960s, when KTC introduced "spear type" jaws for its adjustable wrenches.
Toho Kōki also made wrenches with a rounded transition if the customer requested it. Examples can be seen as the Toyota Motor 250mm Adjustable Wrench and Fuller "HIT" 8 Inch Adjustable Wrench.
Another important construction detail for Toho Kōki is that the pin securing the worm gear is threaded on the outside end. Only one other maker (Nippon Riki/Lobtex) is known to use outside threads, with most makers preferring inside threads.
Since the thread position is not usually visible to customers, there would be no reason for a manufacturer to change its threading style, making this a useful feature for determining the maker of a wrench.
We measured the size of the pin and found that the 10 and 12 inch wrenches use standard metric coarse threads of size M5 (5.0mm) and M6 (6.0mm) respectively. However, for the 8 inch wrench the pin has a 4.25mm diameter at the threads, a non-standard size.
![[Hit HITROI 150mm (6 Inch) Adjustable Wrench]](Photos/tools/hit_adj_150mm_wrench_alloy_roi_jis_f_cropped_inset2.jpg)
Fig. 64 shows a Hit "HITROI" 150mm (6 inch) adjustable wrench, marked with "HITROI" and "Alloy" plus the JIS-Circle+H logo forged into the shank, with "Toho Koki Co." and "Japan" plus the HIT-Gear logo forged into the back side.
The overall length is 6.2 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.
![[Strong HIT 200mm (8 Inch) Adjustable Wrench]](Photos/tools/hit_adj_200mm_wrench_crmo_strong_jis_japan_f_cropped_inset3_w2048.jpg)
Fig. 65 shows a "Strong HIT" 200mm (8 inch) adjustable wrench, marked with "Strong HIT" and the JIS-Circle+H logo forged into the shank, with "Cr-Mo Drop Forged" and "Japan" plus the HIT-Gear logo forged into the back side.
The shank also has a forged-in code "657" to the right of the JIS logo, which is Toho Koki's original JIS certification number for adjustable wrenches.
The lower inset illustrates the construction of the jaws. Note the angled transition at the corner of the fixed jaw and the corresponding angled cutaway on the moveable jaw.
The overall length is 8.2 inches, and the finish is chrome plating, with some losses due to rust.
One construction characteristic to note is that the pin securing the worm gear is threaded on the outside (slotted) end. The diameter of the pin was measured as 4.26mm at the threaded end and 3.94mm at the interior section.
This wrench illustrates Toho Kōki's preferred style of construction, with the angled transition of the fixed jaw, the relatively constant curvature ("maru" style) of the jaw outline, and the ridge around the hanging hole.
![[Close-up of Jaw Parts for Strong HIT 200mm Adjustable Wrench]](Photos/tools/hit_adj_200mm_wrench_crmo_strong_jis_japan_close2_cropped.jpg)
Fig. 65B shows a close-up of the disassembled jaw parts from the "Strong HIT" 200mm adjustable wrench. From top to bottom, the parts consist of the moveable jaw, the worm gear, a small spring, and a threaded pin.
Note that the pin is threaded on the outside (slotted) end.
![[Strong HIT 300mm (12 Inch) Adjustable Wrench]](Photos/tools/hit_adj_300mm_wrench_strong_crmo_jis_f_cropped_inset2.jpg)
Fig. 66 shows a "Strong HIT" 300mm (12 inch) adjustable wrench, marked with "Strong HIT" and the JIS-Circle+H logo forged into the shank, with "Cr-Mo Drop Forged" and "Japan" plus the HIT-Gear logo forged into the back side.
The shank also has a forged-in code "657" to the right of the JIS logo.
The overall length is 12.3 inches, and the finish is chrome plating, with some losses due to rust.
The "657" code is Toho Koki's original JIS certification number for adjustable wrenches, first received in 1951.
One construction characteristic to note is that the pin securing the worm gear is threaded on the outside (slotted) end. This detail has also been noted on adjustable wrenches made by Nippon Riki (Lobtex).
On June 18, 1966 Toho Kōki received JIS certificate 566035 for bolt cutters in class B4643.
![[HIT 300mm (12 Inch) Bolt Cutters]](Photos/tools/hit_300_bolt_cutters_jis_japan_f_cropped.jpg)
Fig. 67 shows a pair of HIT 300mm (12 inch) bolt cutters, marked with "HIT" and "12 Forged Steel" plus the JIS-Circle logo forged into the upper handle, with "300" and "CAP. 5MM 3/16" forged into the lower handle.
The jaw cross-piece is stamped with "HIT" and the JIS-Circle logo on the front, with "Japan" on the back side (not shown).
The overall length is 12.7 inches, and the finish is red paint.
![[Hit 21x26mm Offset Box-End Wrench]](Photos/tools/hit_db2126mm_wrench_offset_crmo_f_cropped_inset2.jpg)
Fig. 68 shows a Hit 21x26mm offset box-end wrench, marked with the fractional sizes and "HIT" forged into the front, with "Chrome Molybdenum" and the fractional sizes forged into the back side. (The inset shows the markings in their natural upside-down position.)
The shank is also marked with the JIS-Circle logo forged into front.
The overall length is 14.3 inches, and the finish is chrome plating.
The absence of a "Japan" marking on this tool indicates that it was originally produced for the domestic market.
Toho Kōki had a major contract with Toyota for production of adjustable wrenches, and numerous examples of these tools can be found marked with "HIT" near the hanging hole.
![[Toyota Motor 250mm Adjustable Wrench]](Photos/tools/toyota_motor_adj_250mm_wrench_f_cropped_inset2_rev2.jpg)
Fig. 69 shows a Toyota Motor 250mm adjustable wrench, marked with "Toyota Motor" and the Toyota katakana logo forged into the front, with "250mm Angle Wrench" forged into the back side.
The middle inset shows a close-up of the jaws to illustrate the construction details.
The overall length is 10.2 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.
Referring again to the middle inset, notice that the inner corner of the fixed jaw is rounded, and that the corner of the moveable jaw has an inset cutaway with a matching convex radius. The inner radius and matching convex cutaway is a stylistic characteristic often seen on early KTC adjustable wrenches, in contrast to the angled transition more frequently used by other manufacturers, including Toho Kōki.
Another construction characteristic noted for this wrench is that the pin securing the worm gear is threaded on the outside end. The diameter of the pin was measured as 5.00mm at the threaded end and 4.73mm at the interior section.
![[Close-up of Jaw Parts for Toyota Motor 250mm Adjustable Wrench]](Photos/tools/toyota_motor_adj_250mm_wrench_close4_cropped.jpg)
Fig. 70 shows a close-up of the disassembled jaw parts from the Toyota Motor 250mm adjustable wrench. From top to bottom, the parts consist of the moveable jaw, the worm gear, a small spring, and a threaded pin.
Note that the pin is threaded on the outside (slotted) end.
As a side note, it's usually possible to determine whether the pin has inside or outside threads without disassembling the wrench. First screw the pin all the way in, then examine the bore carefully, using a magnifying glass if needed.
If the side walls of the bore are smooth, the pin is threaded on the inside; if threads are visible in the bore, the pin is threaded on the outside end.
The close-up of the moveable jaw reveals another interesting detail: the small forged-in "S" at the inside corner proves that the inset convex cutaway was created by precision forging rather than a machining step.
Despite the presence of the rounded transition at the corner of the fixed jaw, the use of a pin with outside threads allows us to confirm Toho Kōki as the maker of this wrench. Most other makers (including KTC) are known to use pins with inside threads.
Since the rounded transition is not Toho Kōki's preferred style, it's reasonable to ask why this wrench was made with that particular feature. Our initial assumption was that Toho Kōki was copying the style previously used for Toyota adjustable wrenches, presumably those made by KTC. KTC is known to have preferred the rounded transition, and the jaws of this wrench closely resemble early KTC adjustable wrenches, such as those made as OEM production for Nissan.
Our assumption could be easily tested by comparison with a Toyota Motor adjustable wrench made by KTC, but the problem is that there are no apparent or "obvious" examples of such wrenches. Unlike the case with Nissan, KTC's production for Toyota was not dual-branded with KTC's logo, and a search for a wrench marked for both "Toyota" and "KTC" will come up empty.
Toho Kōki is known to have had a contract with the Fuller Tool Company based on a documented investment by the Fuller Orient Corporation, Fuller's import subsidiary.
![[Fuller NIT 8 Inch Adjustable Wrench]](Photos/tools/fuller_adj_8in_wrench_ca_hit_japan_f_cropped_inset3_w2048.jpg)
Fig. 71A shows a Fuller No. 8 8 inch adjustable wrench, marked with "Fuller No. 8" and "Chrome Alloy" forged into the front, and with "Full Drop Forged" forged into the back side.
The shank is also marked with "HIT" forged along a curved arc near the hanging hole, with "JAPAN" forged along a curved arc on the back side.
The lower inset shows a close-up of the open jaws, illustrating the rounded corner of the fixed jaw and the inset convex cutaway of the moveable jaw.
The overall length is 8.2 inches, and the maximum opening is 1.0 inches. The finish is chrome plating with polished faces.
The "HIT" marking indicates production by Toho Kōki.
One detail noted for this wrench is that the pin securing the worm gear is threaded on the outside (slotted) end, a characteristic of Toho Kōki production.
As one of the production partners of the Fuller Tool Company, Toho Kōki became a supplier to the Sears "BF" line of tools.
In 1962, prior to the start of the "BF" series, Sears placed a trial order for test marketing and Toho Kōki supplied "Dunlap" brand adjustable wrenches.
![[Dunlap Japan 12 Inch Adjustable Wrench]](Photos/tools/dunlap_adj_12in_wrench_cas_japan_f_cropped_inset3_w2048.jpg)
Fig. 71B shows a Dunlap 12 inch adjustable wrench, marked with the Dunlap oval logo and "Chrome Alloy Steel" forged into the shank, with "Full Drop Forged" and "Japan" forged into the back side.
The center inset shows the construction of the jaws. Note the rounded transition at the corner of the fixed jaw, and the corresponding inset convex cutaway on the moveable jaw.
In addition, note the round or "maru" outline of the jaws.
The overall length is 12.1 inches and the maximum opening is 1.4 inches. The finish is chrome plating with polished faces.
We disassembled the wrench for cleaning and verified that the pin securing the worm gear is threaded on the outside end. The pin diameter was measured as 6.05mm at the threaded end and 5.47mm at the interior section.
This wrench has been identified as part of a trial order placed by Sears in 1962 and imported by the Fuller Orient Corporation. At that time Fuller's primary manufacturing partners were Toho Kōki and KTC, and the outside threads on the pin of this wrench identify Toho Kōki as the maker.
The trial order was apparently well received by its customers, and in 1964 Sears began its "BF" series of imported Japanese tools.
![[Sears 30872 BF 10 Inch Adjustable Wrench]](Photos/tools/sears_adj_10in_wrench_cas_ot_bf_japan_f_cropped_inset3_w2048.jpg)
Fig. 71C shows an early Sears [30872] 10 inch adjustable wrench, marked with "Sears" and "Chrome Alloy Steel" forged into the front, with "Full Drop Forged" and "BF Japan" forged into the back.
The lower inset shows a close-up of the fully open jaws, illustrating the rounded corner of the fixed jaw and the corresponding inset convex cutaway of the moveable jaw. Note also the round or "maru" jaw outline.
The overall length is 10.1 inches and the maximum opening is 1.3 inches. The finish is chrome plating with polished faces.
The pin securing the worm gear is threaded on the outside end, with threads clearly visible in the bore.
The construction of this wrench is very similar to the Dunlap "Japan" 12 Inch Adjustable Wrench made by Toho Kōki In particular, the "maru" outline of the jaws, the ridge around the hanging hole, and the use of outside threads for the pin confirm Toho Kōki as the maker.
This wrench is currently our only example of production by Toho Kōki for the Sears brand. We have a theory that Toho Kōki dropped out as a supplier to Sears at a fairly early stage, but are still gathering evidence before presenting our explanation.
This wrench is not marked with a model number, but the catalogs listed the 10 inch size as model 30872. The absence of a model number suggests production from 1964-1969, and the production by Toho Kōki narrows the estimated date to 1964-1965.
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 368198 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. 72 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. 73 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. 74 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. 75 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. 76 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. 77 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 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. 78 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. 79 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. 80 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.
Tsunoda (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 Yoshida factory received JIS certificate 382015 for pliers in classes B4623, B4625, B4631, and B4635.
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 December 12, 1989 the Tsubame factory received JIS certificate 389067 in class B4626. (Company history says September.)
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.
Wakui Seisakusho was a maker of pliers operating in Sanjo City, Niigata Prefecture. Currently we don't have much information about the company, but it was definitely in business during the 1950s and is believed to have closed in 2013.
On November 16, 1953 the company received JIS certificate 2718 for class B4614 (combination pliers) at the Higashiuradate 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 Higashiuradate 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 Sanjo City.
On January 29, 1981 the company received JIS certificate 6037 for class B4623 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.
[Editor's note: this is the same factory address as that for Three Peaks Giken.]
The CWC site reports that the company closed in 2013 due to bankruptcy.
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 moveable jaw.
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. Because of the different class, this certification doesn't show up on summaries for class B4604 in 1955 and 1962, but is listed in the 1964 Certified List under class B4604.
The factory locations were in Rokumanji and Kano.
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. 81 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.
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. 82 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. 83 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. 84 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. 85 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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