Nippon Riki/Lobtex (Lobster)

Table of Contents

Introduction

Nippon Riki (日本理器) began in 1888 with the invention of a two-handed hair clipper, making it one of the oldest tool companies in Japan. In its early years the company established "Lobster" as its trademark and is now known as Lobtex.

Background information on the Japanese tool industry can be found in our page on Japanese Tool Makers.

Company History

Nippon Riki was initially founded in 1888 as the Itō Iron Works by Kanekichi Itō (伊藤兼吉). The company operated in Hiraoka, Osaka prefecture and manufactured two-handed hair clippers, which were then sold in a private shop run by the founder.

The Formation of Nippon Riki

In 1923 the Nippon Riki Company, Ltd. (日本理器) was established by the merger of the Itō Iron Works and Jibiki Iron Works. The company operated in Hiraoka, Osaka as the maker of barber tools.

Adjustable Wrench Production

Fig. 1A. 1933 Ad for Lobster Adjustable Wrench.

By 1928 the company had begun production of adjustable wrenches and pliers. The wrenches were initially produced as malleable iron castings, but then progressed to a partial forging.

The first wrenches were sold under the "RK" brand, but by 1929 the company was selling the partially forged wrenches under the "Lobster" brand, marking the beginning of a long association with crustaceans.

By 1932 the company was making fully-forged adjustable wrenches, a major milestone for the Japanese tool industry.

The scan in Fig. 1A shows an early advertisement for the Lobster adjustable wrench, as published in the Japanese National Factory Directory for 1933.

Within a few years Toho Kōki also succeeded in making fully forged adjustable wrenches.

First JIS Certification

On June 28, 1951 the company received JIS certificate 658 for adjustable wrenches (class B4604), with the factory address listed as 516 Shijo-cho, Hiraoka City in Osaka Prefecture. The record for this certification can be seen in the section on the Monthly Report 1952-01 for Classes B4604 and B4605. Nippon Riki was one of the first five companies to pass the certification test for this class.

JIS Certification for Cutting Pliers

On October 31, 1951 the company received JIS certification for cutting pliers, probably JIS 1017 in class B4623. The record for this certification can be seen in the 1952-05 Monthly Report for Classes B4623-B4625.

This certification was only recently (2025) discovered and the JIS number and class have not yet been confirmed from other reports. The factory address is different from other certifications for the company, suggesting the possibility of an additional location.

Nippon Riki was not listed in the 1955 Factory Name List for these classes, suggesting that the product may have been discontinued.

JIS Certification for Combination Pliers

On November 16, 1953 the company received JIS certificate 2720 for combination pliers (class B4614) at the Shijo-cho factory. The record for this certification can be seen in the section on the 1955 JIS Summary Class B4614.

"New Lobster" Trademark

In 1954 the company registered "New Lobster" as Japanese trademark 29-18150. The "New Lobster" adjustable wrenches were made of chrome-moly steel and were certified for JIS-H "Heavy" class.

JIS Certification for Pipe Wrenches

By 1958 the company had received JIS certification for pipe wrenches (class B4606) in both normal and heavy grades at the Shijo-cho factory. (The B4606 certification was added to JIS 658 without changing the date, so we don't have an exact date for the pipe wrench certification.) The record for this certification can be seen in the section on the 1958 JIS Summary for Classes B4604 and B4605.

JIS Certification for Open-End Wrenches

On October 26, 1963 the company received JIS certificate 9671 for open-end wrenches (class B4630) at the Shijo-cho factory. The record for this certification can be seen in the section on the 1964 JIS Summary for Class B4630.

US Trademark for "LOBSTER"

In 1964 the company filed a U.S. trademark application for "LOBSTER" with a crustacean symbol.

In 1966 the company discontinued making hair clippers to specialize in making tools.

Civic Reorganization

In 1967 a civic reorganization combined Hiraoka with two other cities to form Higashi Osaka, and the address for the company's factory changed to 1218 Shijo-cho in Higashi Osaka.

New Forging Factory at Yao

In 1971 a new forging factory in Yao was completed.

100th Anniversary

In 1988 the company celebrated its 100th anniversary.

The Tottori Lobster Tools Company

In December of 1990 the forging division of Nippon Riki became an independent company as Tottori Lobster Tools (鳥取ロブスターツール). Tottori Lobster continued to provide production for Nippon Riki, but also made tools for other companies. [Editor's note: when was the Tottori factory built?]

Name Change to Lobtex

In 1992 Nippon Riki changed its name to the Lobtex Company, Ltd (ロブテック).

JIS Certifications for Tottori Lobster

In 1995 Tottori Lobster received JIS certificate 695012 in classes B4604 (adjustable wrenches) and B4606 (pipe wrenches). [Editor's note: Find the monthly records for these certifications.]

In 1998 Nippon Riki/Lobtex transferred production of adjustable wrenches to Tottori Lobster Tools. [Editor's note: JIS 658 revoked? Find the record for transfer to Tottori.]

"Fabless" Operation

By 2004 all production had been transferred to Tottori Lobster and Lobtex transitioned to a "fabless" design and marketing operation. In 2006 the head office factory was renovated to serve as a design, marketing, and logistics center.

Continuing Operations

The company continues in business today as the producer of a wide variety of tools, including adjustable wrenches, pipe wrenches, combination wrenches, pliers, power tools such as cordless river setters, diamond saw blades, and many other items. The company's head office is at 2-8 Shijo-cho, Higashi-Osaka City in Osaka Prefecture.

The company's website is at www.lobtex.co.jp [External Link], and an outline of the company's history in English can be found on the Company History [External Link] page.

Patents

Trademarks

Nippon Riki received Japanese trademark #294,522 on October 4, 1937.

Fig. 1B. 1954 Trademark for "NewLobster".

The scan in Fig. 1B shows the Japanese trademark for "NewLobster", registered on September 1, 1954.

JIS Certification History

Nippon Riki is known to have received JIS certifications in classes B4604 (adjustable wrenches), B4606 (pipe wrenches), B4614 (combination pliers), B4630 (open-end wrenches), and B4632 (box-end wrenches). The company's last certification occurred on December 25, 1969.

The company's factory operated from 1923 until 2004 at 516 Shijo-cho in Hiraoka, Osaka Prefecture. (The later address was 1218 Shijo-cho in Higashi Osaka.)

Nippon Riki used "NR" as its JIS ID mark, which has been observed on adjustable wrenches made for Hozan.

View Company History with Factories for Nippon Riki.

View JIS Certification Events for Nippon Riki.

Tottori Lobster is known to have received JIS certifications in classes B4604 (adjustable wrenches) and B4606 (pipe wrenches), although the monthly records for the certifications haven't been found.

Tottori Lobster used "TL" as its JIS ID mark, which has been observed on adjustable wrenches made for Lobtex.

View Company History with Factories for Tottori Lobster.

View JIS Certification Events for Tottori Lobster.

Background information on the JIS program can be found in our article on Japanese Industrial Standards.

Tool Identification

Tools made by Nippon Riki/Lobtex were typically marked with a distinctive Lobster-Logo, as seen below.

Lobster-Logo

Fig. 1. Lobster-Logo.

Fig. 1 shows the Lobster-Logo as it appears forged into the shank of the New Lobster 200mm Adjustable Wrench.

References and Resources

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

The CWC site has an article in Japanese on Lobster adjustable (monkey) wrenches at Lobster Part I [External Link].

The company's website is at www.lobtex.co.jp [External Link], and an outline of the company's history in English can be found on the Company History [External Link] page.

Catalog Resources

Adjustable Wrenches

Nippon Riki was the first Japanese manufacturer to offer Crescent-style adjustable wrenches, with malleable cast iron wrenches available in the late 1920s and fully forged wrenches in production by the early 1930s.

New Lobster 200mm Adjustable Wrenches

The next figures show two examples of 200mm adjustable wrenches, with minor differences in the markings.

Fig. 2. New Lobster 200mm Adjustable Wrench, with Insets for Back Side, Side View, and Marking Detail.

Fig. 2 shows a New Lobster 200mm (8 inch) adjustable wrench, marked with "New Lobster" and the Lobster-Logo forged into the shank, with "Drop Forged Alloy Steel" and the JIS-Circle+H logo forged into the back side.

The front side has a forged-in code "YT" at the right, and the back side is stamped with "Japan" near the hanging hole, as seen in the lower inset.

The overall length is 8.1 inches, and the maximum opening is 1.0 inches.

The finish is chrome plating, with losses due to wear and rust.

The stamped "Japan" marking suggests the wrench was made initially for domestic use.

Fig. 3. New Lobster 200mm Adjustable Wrench, with Insets for Edge View and Back Side Detail.

Fig. 3 shows another New Lobster 200mm (8 inch) adjustable wrench, marked with "New Lobster" and "Made in Japan" plus the Lobster-Logo forged into the shank, with "Forged Alloy Steel" and the JIS-Circle+H logo forged into the back side.

The overall length is 8.1 inches, and the maximum opening is 1.0 inches. The head thickness was measured at 0.47 inches.

The finish is chrome plating.

One production characteristic noted for these wrenches is that the stud securing the worm gear is threaded on the outside (slotted) end. We checked two other examples of Lobster wrenches and found the same construction, so this characteristic may help to identify Nippon Riki production.

Lobster "TL" 200mm Adjustable Wrench

In later years Nippon Riki transferred production of adjustable wrenches to Tottori Lobster, as can be seen in this next figure.

Fig. 4. Lobster "TL" 200mm Adjustable Wrench, with Insets for Back Side, Side View, Construction Detail, and Marking Detail, ca. 1995 to 2007.

Fig. 4 shows a Lobster 200mm adjustable wrench, marked with "Lobster" plus the Lobster-Logo and JIS-Circle+H logo forged into the front, with "Forged Alloy Steel" and "Japan" forged into the back.

The wrench is also marked the "TL" and "695012" forged into the front, as seen in the small upper inset.

The middle inset shows a close-up of the jaws to illustrate the construction details. Note the angled transition at the fixed jaw and the corresponding angled cutaway on the movable jaw.

The overall length is 8.1 inches, and the maximum opening is 1.0 inches. The head thickness was measured at 0.49 inches.

The finish is chrome plating with polished faces.

The pin securing the worm gear is threaded on the outside end.

The "695012" marking indicates production by the Tottori Lobster Company, which received JIS certificate 695012 in 1995. The "TL" marking is the JIS ID mark for Tottori Lobster.

Pliers

Lobster 6 Inch Slip-Joint Combination Pliers

Fig. 5. Lobster 6 Inch Slip-Joint Combination Pliers, with Insets for Back Side, Side View, and Marking Detail.

Fig. 5 shows a pair of Lobster 6 inch combination pliers, stamped with "Lobster" and "Nippon Riki Co." plus the Lobster-Logo near the pivot.

The back side is also marked with "Pat. No. 456252" and "2720" plus the JIS-Circle logo.

The top inset shows a side view of the pliers, illustrating the gripping pattern with a lobster in the center. Note the resemblance of the pattern to the "Checkerdot" gripping pattern used by the Crescent Tool Company.

The overall length is 6.5 inches, and the finish is chrome plating, with minor losses due to rust.

The "2720" marking is the JIS certification number for class B4614, first received in 1953.

The pliers are not marked for Japan, suggesting that they were originally produced for the domestic market.

An important production detail to note is that a dimple has been formed in the end of the bolt, thereby spreading it slightly and helping to keep the adjustment nut from becoming loose. (The dimple can be seen in the middle major inset.)

This production technique appears to be unique to Nippon Riki and has been observed on other pliers from the company.

Lobster 7 Inch Lineman's Side-Cutting Pliers

Fig. 6. Lobster 7 Inch Lineman's Side-Cutting Pliers, with Insets for Back Side, Side View, and Marking Detail.

Fig. 6 shows a pair of Lobster 7 inch side-cutting pliers, stamped with "Lobster" and the Lobster-Logo across the pivot, with "6037" and the JIS-Circle+H logo below.

The back side is stamped with "Japan" and a "44" code.

The pliers are also marked with "73 W.K.I" 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 black oxide with a polished face.

The JIS symbol and "6037" marking indicate production by Wakui Seisakusho, a maker of pliers in Niigata prefecture.

Contract Production for Hozan

Nippon Riki was a supplier of adjustable wrenches to Hozan, a distributor of bicycle tools.

Adjustable wrenches made for Hozan were JIS-certified for "H" grade and were marked with a forged-in "NR" code identifying Nippon Riki as the manufacturer.

Contract Production for Fuller Tool

Nippon Riki was a supplier to the Fuller Tool Company, a major importer of Japanese tools.

[Nippon Riki] Fuller [196] 8 Inch Slip-Joint Combination Pliers

Fig. 7. [Nippon Riki] Fuller [196] 8 Inch Slip-Joint Combination Pliers, with Insets for Back Side, Side View, and Marking Detail, ca. 1960s.

Fig. 7 shows an early pair of Fuller [196] 8 inch combination pliers, stamped with "Fuller" and "Drop Forged" near the pivot, and marked with "Japan" forged into the undersides of the handles.

The top inset shows a side view of the pliers, illustrating the forged rectangular grid gripping pattern with a "lobster" in the center.

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

The "lobster" in the gripping pattern is easily recognized as the trademark of Nippon Riki/Lobtex. An example of the company's pliers can be seen as the Nippon Riki 6 Inch Combination Pliers.

The absence of a model number marking and the uncommon "lobster" gripping pattern suggest production in the 1960s or possibly late 1950s.

A production detail to note with these pliers is that a dimple has been formed in the end of the bolt, thereby spreading it slightly and helping to keep the adjustment nut from becoming loose. (The dimple can be seen in the middle major inset.)

[Nippon Riki] Fuller 7218 "BF" 16 Ounce Claw Hammer

Fig. 8. Fuller 7218 16 Ounce Claw Hammer, with Insets for Marking Detail, ca. 1970s.

Fig. 8 shows a Fuller No. 7218 16 ounce claw hammer, stamped with "Fuller" plus "#7218" and "16oz" on the front, with "Japan-BF" on the back side.

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

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

The manufacturer of this hammer has been identified as Nippon Riki/Lobtex based on the close similarity in construction between this hammer and a Globemaster No. 60820 Ripping Hammer, which was stamped with Nippon Riki's trademark Lobster-Logo.

This type of hammer was also made the Sears and Companion brands and for the Truecraft brand.

Contract Production for Globemaster

Nippon Riki was a supplier to Globemaster, an American distributor of mostly imported tools.

[Nippon Riki] Globemaster 60140 6 Inch Adjustable Wrench

Fig. 9. Globemaster 60140 6 Inch Adjustable Wrench, with Insets for Back Side, Side View, and Construction Detail, ca. 1960s.

Fig. 9 shows a Globemaster 60140 6 inch adjustable wrench, marked with "Globemaster" and "Drop Forged 60140" forged into the front, with "Chrome Alloy Steel" and "Japan" plus the Lobster-Logo forged into the back.

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

The overall length is 6.1 inches, and the maximum opening is 0.8 inches. The finish is chrome plating, with extensive losses due to wear.

One construction characteristic noted for this wrench is that the stud securing the worm gear is threaded on the outside (slotted) end.

[Nippon Riki] Globemaster 60820-R 16 Ounce Ripping Hammer

Fig. 10. Globemaster 60820-R 16 Ounce Ripping Hammer, with Insets for Marking Detail, ca. 1960s-1970s.

Fig. 10 shows a Globemaster 60820-R 16 ounce ripping hammer, stamped with "Globemaster" and "No. 60820 R" on the head, with "Drop Forged" and "Japan" on the back.

The head is also stamped with a distinctive Lobster-Logo, a registered trademark of Nippon Riki, now known as Lobtex.

The overall length is 12.4 inches, and the finish is plain steel, with traces of chrome plating on the tubular handle.

The Lobster logo indicates that the hammer was made by Nippon Riki, one of Japan's oldest tool makers. Globemaster also offered a very similar claw hammer with model 60820-TC.

This hammer is characterized by its forged head, tubular steel handle, and rubber handle grip. Based on the very similar construction, Nippon Riki is known to have supplied this type of hammer to the Fuller, Companion (Sears), and Truecraft brands.

Contract Production for Sears Roebuck

Nippon Riki is known to have supplied tools to Sears Roebuck for the "Sears", "Companion", and "Craftsman" brands. Contract production for Sears was marked with a "BF" manufacturer's code.

[Nippon Riki] Companion 3812 "BF" Claw Hammer

Fig. 11. Companion 3812 "BF" Claw Hammer, with Insets for Marking Detail, ca. 1972 to 1980s.

Fig. 11 shows a Companion 3812 claw hammer, stamped with "Companion" and "Forged" plus the model number on the head, with "Japan-BF" on the back.

The overall length is 12.9 inches, and the finish is chrome plating.

The tubular steel handle is fitted with a rubber cushion grip that makes the hammer comfortable to hold.

The "BF" code indicates that the tool was supplied through a distributor representing a number of Japanese manufacturers.

The model 3812 hammer was listed in the Craftsman catalogs from 1966 through 1981. The earlier catalogs did not mention a brand, but we've seen photographs of this model marked with "Sears" and "Chrome Alloy". By 1972 the 3812 hammer was listed under the Companion brand.

The manufacturer of this hammer was identified as Nippon Riki based on the close similarity in construction between this hammer and a Globemaster No. 60820-R ripping hammer, which was stamped with Nippon Riki's trademark Lobster-Logo. This type of hammer was also made for the Fuller and Truecraft brands.

[Nippon Riki] Craftsman 45373 "BF" 8 Inch Slip-Joint Combination Pliers

Fig. 12. Craftsman 45373 "BF" 8 Inch Slip-Joint Combination Pliers, with Insets for Back Side, Side View, and Marking Detail, ca. 1973 to Early 1980s.

Fig. 12 shows a pair of Craftsman 45373 8 inch combination pliers, stamped with "=Craftsman=" and the model number near the pivot.

The pliers are also marked with "Japan BF" forged into the undersides of the handles.

The top inset shows a side view of the pliers, illustrating the raised dimples of the gripping pattern.

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

Note the jaws of the pliers have two curved gripping sections, plus a straight section at the tip and a wire-cutting slot at the back.

Also note that the rivet is nearly flush with the surface of the pliers.

The "BF" code indicates that the tool was sourced through a distributor representing a number of Japanese manufacturers. (See the section on Distributor "BF" for further discussion.)

One construction detail to be noted is that the end of the rivet has had a dimple pressed into it, as can be seen in the middle inset. This dimple has slightly expanded the rivet to prevent the nut from becoming loose.

The dimple in the end of the rivet is a construction characteristic of Nippon Riki/Lobtex allowing us to identify Nippon Riki as the maker of these pliers. Examples with the same construction detail can be seen as the

• Nippon Riki "Lobster" 6 Inch Combination Pliers
• Fuller [196] "Lobster" 8 Inch Combination Pliers
• Fuller 196-6 6 Inch Flush-Joint Combination Pliers.

The model 45373 pliers were first listed in the 1973 Craftsman catalog and remained available until at least 1982. The catalog did not note the import status, which implies that this model was also available from a domestic producer. A review of online photographs found numerous examples of this model with a "WF" manufacturer's code for Western Forge.