Tools of Japan

[tamaraw]

Where's everyone been buying Japanese tools from online lately besides amazon.co.jp?
Frank's? Ko-ken USA?

Frank apparently can't order Ko-Ken out of Japan anymore, so I think anything left is either old stock or sourced through another importer. He does have plenty of other brands (KTC, Asahi, Kuken, Anex, etc.) though.

If you want Ko-ken specifically, I think the best prices I have seen are amazon JP. I would not bother with Ko-Ken USA since they have the same owner and I think even physical location as palmac.net, just with inflated prices.

 

[pizza]

if you do order from frank's tools, make sure 100% of your order in stock before you buy. email him to verify. don't trust his website to reliably indicate in-stock status. don't settle for back order. in my experience, he does not meet his delivery projections. not trying to fault him for that since it's probably not in his control, but if you care at all about when you get your tools, don't settle for back order.

if everything is in stock, i bet the order will go smoothly though.

 

[cleeny]

Same owner, huh?
And DRPD? Interesting site, I'll take some time to check out their site.
Yup, I've ordered from Frank before. So long as he has the item in stock, he's good, which is why one should always email him first.
I guess I might try my luck with Amazon Japan and give them another chance...
Planning to get the 3/8" deep socket set, and maybe try one of the 72-tooth ratchets.

 

[pizza]

And DRPD? Interesting site, I'll take some time to check out their site.

yeah, i think so as well. they have a mix of (ultra) premium tools from different countries. i don't think there's another vendor that carries both nepros and pb swiss, for example.

also, their CS, fulfillment speed, and overall experience are very good ime.

 

[cleeny]

Nice, thanks for the feedback, and yeah, I see a lot of my favorite brands.
I just compared their price to amazon.co.jp, and before shipping, Amazon is cheaper only because the dollar is strong, so after shipping DRPD should be competitive, for the zeal 3/8" socket set at least.

 

[pizza]

Nice, thanks for the feedback, and yeah, I see a lot of my favorite brands.
I just compared their price to amazon.co.jp, and before shipping, Amazon is cheaper only because the dollar is strong, so after shipping DRPD should be competitive, for the zeal 3/8" socket set at least.

they usually do sales btw. you just missed their 15% off labor day sale.

 

[cleeny]

And dammit, pizza. You've made me both hungry with the avatar, and soon more broke due to the DRPD suggestion...

 

[tamaraw]

Same owner, huh?

I just double checked and both the phone number and physical address are identical between the sites (but the prices sure aren't!)

I ordered something from Palmac once and it came with a Ko-ken USA sticker on the box. I think Frank has referred to them as the same guy too. From what I understand, Ko-Ken USA is just a newer front set up by Palmac (who also sell plenty of other non-Japanese brands).

 

[Madjik Man]

In my experience Palmac and Koken USA prices even out after you factor in the inflated shipping costs of Palmac.

 

[Outahere]

In my experience Palmac and Koken USA prices even out after you factor in the inflated shipping costs of Palmac.

Especially true if your order is light enough to ship via USPS 1st class. Palmac does not offer USPS as a shipping option in my experience, but Koken-USA does.

 

[pizza]

palmac has been cheaper for my orders so far. but i do 'big' (a few hundred bucks at least) orders. and i use the 5% off code.

 

[darkzero]

A couple of days ago I was using one of my collet nut wrenches (the hook spanner) & noticed it was made by Asahi. Either I never noticed that is was or I just forgot, probably the latter.

I use Lyndex-Nikken bearing nuts for my ER40 chucks & this Asahi wrench is what they sell for use with them. The big wrench is what I use for my mill ER40 collet chucks. The Asahi got for use for my lathe collet chuck which I don't use very much and is likely the reason why I didn't remember. I used to use the big wrench for the lathe collet chuck but it's too cumbersome to use. I almost forgot I had the Asahi, was stored in a box but now I have it hanging so I don't forget again that I have it.

 

[tamaraw]

Got the third and final package from my amazon.jp order earlier. This is how the box was delivered at work, probably 400 usd worth of tools loose in the bottom with some light packing paper on top.



The other two smaller packages were in similar shape (stuff dropped loose in two non-padded envelopes). Miraculously I've only found one damaged item so far and it was cosmetic damage to a screwdriver handle.

Lots of stuff, I'll probably throw some more photos up over the next few days.

Let me know if you want to see anything in particular and I can post pictures and impressions:




Also got some Kyo-Ei lug nuts.

 

[cleeny]

Had the same experience, tamaraw... Did you give them feedback? Because I did, about a week or two ago. Guess it's falling on deaf ears.

 

[tamaraw]

For now, we'll start with a few KTC M150 series wrenches and an EHS-1 wrench holder.

No pictures of the packaging but it's not much to look at, they just come in individual plastic bags.




Initial impressions are good and I am very happy with these!

Not the most beautiful grinds on the sides but definitely smooth to the touch and finger safe. The matte finish and I-beam shape feels really good in the hand. Broaching and chamfer are decently centered and the contact faces are smooth. I look forward to using these.

The holder wasn't really designed for these but I made it a snug fit with some strips of adhesive cork so nothing rattles or slides around. The latch is easy to get open but holds securely. This will be nice to keep everything together in the bottom of my Hazet Assistent.

I picked out 8x10, 12x14, 17x19, and 22x24 sizes individually which covers basically everything on older Hondas. I think they do offer them in a set with some overlap and also a few other DIN/ASA/ISO sizes if you need.

 

[tamaraw]

Had the same experience, tamaraw... Did you give them feedback? Because I did, about a week or two ago. Guess it's falling on deaf ears.

I haven't bothered yet, not sure if I will or if it's really worth my time to start a dispute over a slightly chewed megadora handle.

My first order from them, prices were great but I'll probably be more cautious in the future. I feel like I got lucky this time.

 

[Odd-job]

My last package from Amazon JP had a giant hole on the bottom. Amazing nothing fell out.

 

[cleeny]

My last package from Amazon JP had a giant hole on the bottom. Amazing nothing fell out.

Contents possibly fell out from time to time, but were put back in through the hole by carriers.

 

[Reed Prince]

This is the box I got last week.

 

[tamaraw]

TOP CW-6000 combination wrench set. Sorry these aren't great photos but it's dark outside and I'm not setting up a whole indoor studio tonight.




Broaching and chamfering on these are pretty nice as well. TOP uses a slightly more rounded profile to their 12 point box ends while the KTC M150's we looked at earlier come to a bit sharper of a point. Also interesting to note that the TOP contact faces are matte while the KTC ones are a smoother almost polished finish. The contact faces on the open end have some very faint striations if you look really closely but otherwise they are remarkably smooth; nice!

Side grinding is alright, a few have some spots where an extra "flashing" bit from the forging process wasn't completely ground down but it is touch-friendly and really just a visual thing. Other thing to note is that the sizes are only forged on one side of the wrench, the other side just says "Cr-V Made in Japan" with a two digit alpha code. TOP also ground the sides of the open end with a brushed finish which is a little odd but I'll take it.

The plastic holder is kind of "meh" at best. Some wrenches slide around and the hinge is a little squeaky. I'll probably find something else or let them free float in a tray/drawer.

This set as a whole is really quite short which is nice to have around for getting into small areas. TOP's version of a matte I-beam design feels good as well imho and I look forward to using these

 

[tamaraw]

Did I mention short? Here is the 10mm compared to two cheap Husky wrenches and a Craftsman VA series wrench (USA). What also really stands out here is how munch thinner and more consistent the outside dimensions are on both ends of the TOP vs the others, particularly Husky. The open end jaws are also a bit longer and pointer on the TOP, I assume because they are made stronger. Sorry again for crappy photo.

EDIT: Something else I noticed taking this picture is that TOP uses an 18 degree angle on their 10mm while the other brands are around 7, 10, or 12 degrees. The other TOP sizes are about 15 degree offset and they all have a bit more lower clearance because the beam is straight and intersects the socket at an angle rather than bending like some other brands (see second attached picture in previous post).

 

[nate8]

Just a bit of a rant or warning, but just received an order from amazon.co.jp and they shipped (via international priority) a Tohnichi torque wrench in a brown paper envelope without any packing material whatsoever. The wrench is okay and held its calibration, but I'm very, very surprised to say the least.

My recent order was split into two shipments and they also shipped the remaining item in that light brown paper envelope. It seems to part of an eco initiative:

Also this might have been a one-off, but the first larger shipment was also terribly packaged. All the items loose in a big box, whereas my previous shipments had the items shrink-wrapped.

 

[Odd-job]

Contents possibly fell out from time to time, but were put back in through the hole by carriers.

Whatever carriers they use are somehow a lot more diligent than Fedex and UPS. Look at that DHL delivery above, somebody took the time to tape it up rather than disappointing some GJ member waiting for his or her new tools. Honestly this is restoring my faith in humanity.

 

[tamaraw]

Whatever carriers they use are somehow a lot more diligent than Fedex and UPS. Look at that DHL delivery above, somebody took the time to tape it up rather than disappointing some GJ member waiting for his or her new tools. Honestly this is restoring my faith in humanity.

Sorry to burst your bubble but that's because they ripped it open for "inspection", not because they were trying to be nice. My misterworker order arrived all taped up as well, I think they just open all larger boxes as a matter of course. DHL also lost a small item out of my box and charged me fraudulent import duty (women's blue denim jeans) plus a service fee after inspecting the contents (tools) and filing a copy of the shipment manifest/order invoice (declared as tools). Still waiting for their service to process my $100+ refund a month later.

 

[Odd-job]

Sorry to burst your bubble but that's because they ripped it open for "inspection", not because they were trying to be nice. My misterworker order arrived all taped up as well, I think they just open all larger boxes as a matter of course. DHL also lost a small item out of my box and charged me fraudulent import duty (women's blue denim jeans) plus a service fee after inspecting the contents (tools) and filing a copy of the shipment manifest/order invoice (declared as tools). Still waiting for their service to process my $100+ refund a month later.

Ah my puppy is shot. DHL carries out the inspection though?

Edit: Also wonder if it varies from country to country. My Amazon JP package didn't seem inspected as there was just a hole on the corner from flimsy packaging.

 

[Reed Prince]

My Amazon package didn't show signs of being inspected. I think DHL just put tape on the outside to strengthen the box that had started to tear open.

 

[tamaraw]

Ah my puppy is shot. DHL carries out the inspection though?

Typically, yeah. Then they bill you for whatever import duty they feel like and slap an extra collection service fee on to the total. They get to pocket whatever they collect above what the government actually requires.

I know other carriers work similarly in terms of duty collection but in my experience DHL is extra happy to tear stuff open (vs going with the declaration on the outside of the box) and jack up duty charges "by mistake".

My Amazon Japan packages were delivered by SF direct and also ECMS who transferred to FedEx after customs and none of them billed me import duty.

For other international shipments, UPS has charged me duty (but not opened the package) and I don't believe EMS or USPS have done either.

Edit: Also wonder if it varies from country to country.

It very well may.

 

[tamaraw]

Some quick photos I took earlier on lunch, this time pliers.



Tsunoda CP200 JIS:
Basic JIS linemans pliers in a larger size. I like my other Tsunoda stuff and these seem well-made too. Hinge is a little stiff out of the package but I'm sure I can get it to loosen up. One neat feature is that the inside flats on the handle side of the fulcrum are grooved/ribbed as well so you could squeeze something like a nutcracker.


TOP BN-200:
Veeerry similar in shape and form factor to a vintage Crescent (USA) pair that I have except the jaws are obviously offset. But hey, if it's not broken, don't fix it. These should come in handy for grabbing things that are up against flats (like fittings on the firewall of a car or plumping coming out of a wall in a building). The texture is a coarse powdery feeling matte finish with ribbed grooves on the outsides of the handles and a brushed grind on the sides of the jaws.

Tsunoda KBN150:
These are pretty cool, it's basically a pair of pliers and offset flush-cut nippers all in one. Designed as a zip-tie installation tool, the section of the jaws closer to the handle is not actually a blade but a rib jawed squeezing tool. It's meant to pull zip-ties tight before you snip them off with the blade closer to the tip of the jaws. These would be great for any AV tech or automotive accessory installer. At work, I occasionally stitch zip ties through cardboard boxes to help secure very heavy objects for shipping (vs using a ton of packing tape), so I got a second pair to leave at my desk there.

Engineer PZ-58:
My first extraction pliers, these are the Neji-Saurus PZ-58. They come in a few colors but of course I chose the pink ones. Mine also came with a tiny little bottle of what I believe is a combo penetrating fluid/rust neutralizer (not pictured). While the handles look sharp or uncomfortable in pictures, it actually feels like a soft-touch silicone.. Not super squishy but definitely comfortable and grippy in the hand. The spring loaded action feels very smooth and the dino-head cap (there is a different cute face on each side) fits snuggly for keeping in a box. Interestingly, the jaws further out past the cutting blades do not actually meet and leave a small gap when the pliers are closed all the way. I'm sure these will come in handy at some point down the line, I just wish I had them back when I was using phillips drivers on JIS fasteners.

 

[tamaraw]

KTC AE921 hose clamp compressor:
I almost didn't get this one just because I felt like it was a little pricey for what it is. I sure am glad that I did get it though because it feels very nice in use and it will save a lot of aggravation struggling with pliers. It's designed for use on those constant tension hose clamps common on Japanese vehicles although you could probably also use it as a general purpose squeezy tool.

The waffle grid pattern easily hooks into the hollow in one of the clamp tabs. They also make some pliers with similar jaws but the screw drive on this one can be set and left alone without requiring a hand to hold it and it's also a bit more compact which is nice. Speaking of the screw drive, the knurled knob lets you compress smaller clamps easily with your fingers and it also features a 3/8 square input if you needed some help with a stronger clamp. Finish is pleasing with a combination of bumpy matte chrome for the cast bits (kind of like their wrenches) and a cleanly machined matte black for the screw drive and fasteners. It's also fairly weighty in the hand for it's size.

 

[pizza]

english press release for nepros' new, slimmed-down 3/8" ratchet

World's finest aesthetic and functional 3/8"sq. ratchet handle

New nepros 3/8"sq. ratchet handle "nepros" deepen itself with users' voices and the concept, "more durable, useful, and beautiful" for the professional satisfaction. More information here https://ktc.jp/files/pr/download/flyer/73-07_en.pdf SKU: NBR390A...

neprostools.com

 

[cleeny]

Great... time to start saving...

 

[Grant Gunderson]

english press release for nepros' new, slimmed-down 3/8" ratchet

World's finest aesthetic and functional 3/8"sq. ratchet handle

New nepros 3/8"sq. ratchet handle "nepros" deepen itself with users' voices and the concept, "more durable, useful, and beautiful" for the professional satisfaction. More information here https://ktc.jp/files/pr/download/flyer/73-07_en.pdf SKU: NBR390A...

neprostools.com

I’m curious as to how this compares to the ⅜” I already have from them with the compact head (same head as the ¼ drive).

 

[Dave455]

Bought another Silky folding saw this morning.

I just love everything about these. Easy cutting, long blade life, rigid lock. I even like the practical storage box.

My only observation is that many of the styles are designed for tree pruning etc, but the fine tooth blades (as shown here) are much better for general woodwork.

 

[Reed Prince]

I’m curious as to how this compares to the ⅜” I already have from them with the compact head (same head as the ¼ drive).

Here are a few photos. The 390A has (unsurprisingly) higher backdrag and weighs about 100 grams more.

 

[Grant Gunderson]

Here are a few photos. The 390A has (unsurprisingly) higher backdrag and weighs about 100 grams more.

Thanks for the info. I think I'll just stick with mine with the compact head. I love that ratchet!

 

[Dave455]

Thanks for the info. I think I'll just stick with mine with the compact head. I love that ratchet!

Yes, I “see the light” with regard to these.

Up until about 5 years back I never owned one of these. Didn’t see the point. Then I got a Snappy on a deal, and it became my most used tool.

Think they are just about perfect for all those 8 / 10 / 13 mm fasteners that I’m working on all the time.

Very tempted by the Nepros.

 

[JWC86]

When buying from Amazon Japan can shipping be combined or do you have to pay full shipping price for each item? Most items I look at the shipping is close to the cost of the item.

 

[midorix]

When buying from Amazon Japan can shipping be combined or do you have to pay full shipping price for each item? Most items I look at the shipping is close to the cost of the item.

It will get combined, hence many of us over order to take advantage of consolidated shipping cost. You can see the actual shipping cost as you place the items in your cart.

 

[JWC86]

It will get combined, hence many of us over order to take advantage of consolidated shipping cost. You can see the actual shipping cost as you place the items in your cart.

Thank you. My next question is:
Any recommendations for a high quality Japanese 1/4” roto head ratchet? With a decent size handle.

 

[tamaraw]

Thank you. My next question is:
Any recommendations for a high quality Japanese 1/4” roto head ratchet? With a decent size handle.

I believe KTC, Vessel, and Ko-Ken all have options.