Japanese Combination Wrench Collection, "KTC-1" Catalog Models

corgibell · Jul 3, 2020

KTC/Kyoto Tool Co., Ltd. is top of the hand tools company in Japan, and located at Kyoto where is ancient beautiful capital with many of temples.
KTC has many types of “Combination Wrench”, over 20-kinds as base model.

Each model will be introduced with photos one by one.
KTC-1: Catalog models in this posting
Following would be posted at later dates, if requested.
KTC-2: Special edition by Mirror-Tools & NEPROS
KTC-3: OEM to US/AHS, Craftsman etc. & France/MG

Web by English:
KTC
KTC Company History

Note-1: “Availability” for each model comes from the condition of the auction in Japan
Note-2: All of “Current” models are easy to purchase at the shop in Japan

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corgibell · Jul 3, 2020

Vintage

1. MCOD/Standard 1st Generation
From 1950 to 1960
KTC established in 1950, then launched 1st combination wrench MCOD.
Availability: Very hard to find out

Double logs with Circle KTC and Double Circle 京 (KYO).
Double Circle 京 (KYO) is the first company logo of KTC.
京 (KYO) is a part of company name, comes from 京都 (KYOTO).

2. Standard before KTC with Single Circle 京 (KYO)
Kyoto Kikai Co., Ltd. was manufacturer of the dyeing machines for KYOTO traditional clothes, Kimono.
(“Kikai” means “Machine” in Japanese)
And, they produced the hand tools as by-business from around 1940.
After WW2, they restarted their business including the hand tools, with Single Circle 京 (KYO).

Combination wrench was launched around 1947.
Unfortunately, they closed the hand tools business in 1950.
3-guys left the company because of closing the department of the hand tools.
Then, these 3-guys established KTC, and Toyota Motors supported their new company strongly.

2-1. Standard
Availability: Very hard

2-2. Long
Availability: Very hard

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corgibell · Jul 3, 2020

3. M41/Standard 2nd Generation

3-1. M41-1 with JIS-mark
From 1960 to 1965
My main tools for my private car repair, still active
Availability: Easy to find out
Note-3: JIS/Japanese Industrial Standards, looks like ANSI or DIN

3-2. M41-2 without JIS-mark
From 1965 to 2001
KTC decided not to adopt JIS in 1965, because to be bottleneck of the tool developments.
Availability: Easy

3-3. M41-3 with Co.-mark (KYOTO TOOL. Co.)
From 1965 to 2001
Availability: Rare to find out

3-4. MZ41/Speeder
Only 1-year sales around 1980
Availability: Hard to find out

3-5. Special Standard model, not in catalog
Instead of M41 only 16mm & 18mm size, the special Standard model was sold temporary using “FULLER” body. (US brand “FULLER” had the OEM models made by KTC)
Nobody knows the reason to use "FULLER" body.
I am just guessing, 16mm & 18mm sizes are not popular in Japan and sales numbers are very few which is less than one lot for M41 production.
No record about this model in KTC.

Comparing KTC Special & FULLER

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corgibell · Jul 3, 2020

4. M45/Long
From 1965 to 2001
M41 longer model, few in the market

4-1. M45-1 with JIS-mark
From 1960 to 1965
Availability: Rare

4-2. M45-2 without JIS-mark
From 1965-2001
Availability: Rare

5. M455/Long Flat
Special long & flat model (not in catalog)
For few periods around 1980
Availability: Very hard
I myself have not got it yet, therefore the photo comes from TOYOTA OEM model.

Comparing the side shapes of M45 & M455

Comparing the lengh between M455 & M45, M41

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corgibell · Jul 3, 2020

6. MS2/Standard 3rd Generation
From 2001 to current

7. MS3/KYOTO DESIGN
From 2014 to current
For the bicycle with only 3-sizes, 8 & 10, 15mm
Special design with cherry blossoms at riverside in KYOTO

8. MS30/Profit
From 2001 to current
Best of KTC for me with beautiful shape
Easy of use comes from easy to grasp and thin, light weight, although less strength.

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corgibell · Jul 3, 2020

Mirror-type
Model explanations are available by KTC web.
Deluxe-Tools & Mirror-Tools at the section of “The 1980s”
NEPROS

9. Deluxe-Tools/DMS15
In 1982 only 3,000-sets
Availability: Hard, and expensive (over $1,000/set with the special cabinet)
Please refer my weblog, which introduces all of Deluxe-Tools with special cabinet.
https://ameblo.jp/corgibell/entry-12575727794.html
Sorry in Japanese, please open by Google Chrome with English Translation Condition

10. Mirror-Tools/KM45
From 1984 to 1994
Availability: Rare

11. NEPROS
From 1994 to current
Best of combination wrench in Japan

11-1. NEPROS/Standard NMS2

11-2. NEPROS/Long NMS2L

11-3. NEPROS/Short NMS2S

Comparing 3-kinds of NEPROS

Comparing 3-kinds of Mirror-type

Note-5: Special edition models by Mirror-Tools and NEPROS will be posted by KTC-2.

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corgibell · Jul 3, 2020

12. TOYOTA OEM models
KTC has provided the hand tools to TOYOTA for the dealer garage and vehicle installation just after KTC started their business.
In KTC head office at Kyoto, "Hand Tools Museum" are located, and many models by KTC are displayed.
TOYOTA model is also displayed with tag "Garage tool of TOYOTA MOTOR who has supported KTC since beginning". (Following Item 12-3. is displayed)

Many types of “Double Open End Wrench” had been provided.
Only 3-kinds of “Combination Wrench” are found as far as I know.

12-1. Standard (M41/Item-3. comparable)
Availability: Rare

12-2. Long Flat (M455/Item-5. comparable)
Availability: Very hard

12-3. Offset 45-degree (only for TOYOTA, not in KTC line up)
Special request from the dealer garage of TOYOTA SALES JAPAN
Availability: Almost impossible to find out

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richfinn · Jul 3, 2020

Great thread, always interested in Japanese tools &#55357;&#56397;

4xdog · Jul 3, 2020

Thanks, corgibell. Always interesting!

corgibell · Jul 3, 2020

Item 12-3. TOYOTA Offset 45-degree Combination Wrench is modified from KTC 14-17 Double-ended Ring Wrench, replaced from 14mm Box End to 17mm Open End.

corgibell · Jul 4, 2020

KTC OEM in Japan (except TOYOTA)

13. Ko-Ken
Ko-Ken is Japanese specialized company for socket & ratchet wrench.
On the other hand, 2-kinds of Combination Wrench had been launched by OEM.

1st one was made by KTC using M41 body around 1990.
Availability: Very hard
I never see it in Japan.
This one was found by ebay in US.

Comparing Ko-Ken & KTC M41

2nd one was made by Beta/Italy around 2010.
Availbiliy: Rare

Cgw1984 · Jul 5, 2020

Very interesting, thank you!

mr.lemons · Jul 5, 2020

Great info.

Older Beta 42 wrenches were marked 'Italy.' I assumed that when they stopped marking their wrenches with Italy, they moved production to Taiwan/China. Are they made in Germany?

Edit.

Pic is of a double open-end wrench but it looks like there were some Beta/Ko-ken wrenches made in Italy.

corgibell · Jul 5, 2020

mr.lemons said:
Great info.

Older Beta 42 wrenches were marked 'Italy.' I assumed that when they stopped marking their wrenches with Italy, they moved production to Taiwan/China. Are they made in Germany?

Pic is of a double open-end wrench but it looks like there were some Beta/Ko-ken wrenches made in Italy.

Yes, you are right.
I mistook to write it.
2nd Ko-Ken is made by Beta/Italy.

GirchyGirchy · Jul 5, 2020

Cool!

I have one of the 15mm Cherry Blossom bicycle wrenches. It's very pretty.

corgibell · Jul 5, 2020

GirchyGirchy said:
Cool!

I have one of the 15mm Cherry Blossom bicycle wrenches. It's very pretty.

Yes, I also like it.
These are just my trial to add cherry pink and river flow blue by Photoshop.

nadogail · Jul 5, 2020

Thanks for posting.

corgibell · Jul 5, 2020

14. TOOL MAN

TOOL MAN was Japanese brand around 1990.
Unfortunately, the brand detail is unknown.
TOOL MAN sold not only Combination Wrench but also Double Open and Double Ring End Wrench.
All 3-kinds of the wrench were KTC OEM.
OEM supply has been one of the important business to KTC.
Remember, KTC does not disclose the OEM supply destination regarding Japanese bland (except TOYOTA).
Therefore, it is my estimation based on the comparison to KTC’s model (every case attached the comparing photos).

Combination Wrench of TOOL MAN was made by FULLER body of KTC as same as Item 3-5.

Comparing TOOL MAN and FULLER/KTC

Double Open and Double Ring End Wrench were made by just KTC’s ones.

corgibell · Jul 6, 2020

15. Lobster
Lobster is Japanese bland by Lobtex Co., Ltd..
Lobster logo is very unique.
English Web: https://www.lobtex.co.jp/english/tabid/130/Default.aspx

This is 2nd generation one, OEM by KTC/MS2 Item-6.
From 2001 to current

Comparing Lobster & KTC/MS2

1st generation was long DIN-type.
And this one was original products by Lobtex around 1980s.

This 1st generation had exported to Sweden for Samson (not Samsung), which is the agriculture products manufacturer, by Lobtex OEM.
Unfortunately, Samson wrench has not been found in Japan & Sweden.
Just model information has remained.
Attached photo is estimated one by Photoshop, not real one.

This is last posting as KTC-1.
Next one, KTC-2 for Special Edition will be posted soon.

BigBoreFan · Jul 6, 2020

I own some of the MS2 series, the Cherry blossoms, and a few Fuller wrenches.

Thanks for sharing Corgibell.

mumford · Jul 6, 2020

Those 2nd gen Lobster and KTC wrenches look similar to Stahlville's wrenches, having an I-beam. Are the ergonomic of these Japanese wrenches better or worse than their German counterparts?

corgibell · Jul 6, 2020

mumford said:
Those 2nd gen Lobster and KTC wrenches look similar to Stahlville's wrenches, having an I-beam. Are the ergonomic of these Japanese wrenches better or worse than their German counterparts?

Stahlville is DIN shape with ring end offset around 30-degrees.
Please refer the side shape of the ring end by 2nd comparing photo.
This point is biggest difference between KTC & Stahlville.
I think KTC & Stahlville, both have own's character and are nice wrenches.

mumford · Jul 6, 2020

Thanks for the comparison photos. Stahlville looks thinner in the middle. I like that cup at the end too, seems more useful than your standard 15 degree tilt.

corgibell · Jul 6, 2020

mumford said:
Thanks for the comparison photos. Stahlville looks thinner in the middle. I like that cup at the end too, seems more useful than your standard 15 degree tilt.

Thanks for your reply.
If we focus to DIN shape, it would be better to compare 1st generation Lobster & Stahlville.
1st Lobster: Body Thickness 3.9mm, Weight 61grams
Stahlville: Body Thickness 4.3mm, Weight 63grams

By the way, all kinds of combination wrench have 15-degrees ring end offset, DIN also.
DIN shape is good for the concave place.

Japanese Combination Wrench Collection, "KTC-1" Catalog Models

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