Bmxkelowna
Well-known member
right same with me and when i search i cant find anything good from KTC, Vessel, Ko-ken, Tone, Nepros any longer. frustrating.
Tools of Japan
- Thread starter Frankstools
- Start date
Jeff
Well-known member
Piggybacked on my wife's Amz.jp order.
toddmorr
Well-known member
I wonder if some of the brands are trying to stop this cross border shopping.
That has to be the case. Or Amazon Jp is cracking down on international shopping. I have ~50 items in my cart/save or later and all but a handful are listed as "no longer available."
Which is a shame, because I was actually planning on placing my first order in 3+ months
Which is a shame, because I was actually planning on placing my first order in 3+ months
4xdog
Well-known member
There are a number of companies that provide inside-Japan receiving and goods consolidating/shipping services. The one I use is Tenso -- not for tools yet, but mainly photography stuff -- and they've been super. I have the equivalent of a unique "local" PO Box at Tenso that I use for online vendors in Japan. When stuff has arrived I clear out my box via Tenso's online shipping website. They package really well, the charges have been quite reasonable, and like most things from Japan it arrives in a flash.
One of these services won't make sense for everyone, but for a few of us on this thread it might be a viable option.
One of these services won't make sense for everyone, but for a few of us on this thread it might be a viable option.
toddmorr
Well-known member
Can you give a sense of tenso pricing. When I ball parked it it was much more than Amazon jp
4xdog
Well-known member
My last parcels were pre-Covid, so things could be quite different now, but I got a 2-lb box bigger than a shoebox sent for about $35.
I doubt it… why would they do that instead of just upping the shipping cost?
It might be that some of the vendors don’t want to ship here.
Shinano SI-4120A
The Shinano catalogue says all the chisels are made in Japan but I wasn't totally surprised when I received it that the four included chisels are made in Taiwan. The price of buying the Shinano chisels separately would be half the cost of the whole chisel kit. This might be the distributor in Australia doing it as I have had other Shinano tools come with other brand attachments.
The Shinano catalogue says all the chisels are made in Japan but I wasn't totally surprised when I received it that the four included chisels are made in Taiwan. The price of buying the Shinano chisels separately would be half the cost of the whole chisel kit. This might be the distributor in Australia doing it as I have had other Shinano tools come with other brand attachments.
Bmxkelowna
Well-known member
i would love to support places like koken usa and drpd but living in canada it was much cheaper to buy from amazon japan than across the boarder because of the dollar conversion as well as shipping and duties to canada is stupid
hopefully something changes back and we can start finding everything on amazon japan again soon
Same.
I'd been waiting on a certain Toyo tool box to come back in stock and now 99% of my watchlist is no longer available. Quite unfortunate.
snowblindb
Well-known member
I’m not an expert in this field but I just looked amazon japan and everything (Koken ratchets and sockets etc) is still available and ready to ship to Finland.
Could they block orders just from North America? You can verify this and try a VPN and put location somewhere in Europe and try to search items in your cart/wish list.
It feels so strange if they really did that.
Could they block orders just from North America? You can verify this and try a VPN and put location somewhere in Europe and try to search items in your cart/wish list.
It feels so strange if they really did that.
LWB
Well-known member
Scored a little Japanese tool box to put my shiny new Japanese tools in so I can work on my Japanese cars lol
This should be a fun project.
I started taking this apart. The poles have to get aligned first. They were trashed pretty good. I ordered M8 and 150mm 1.25 pitch SS rod.
Interesting design. If this isn't the right place to post this let me know please.
Just a follow up on my XZN (Triple Squares) I ordered from Koken. Worked great for axle bolts for my VW. I also ordered some larger sizes for the off chance I may need them - should have the complete set from them now. Looks like my trans drain uses the 18 XZN Security one which I got as well. Now to pull the trans out to replace the clutch!
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Site?I see that KoKen, in the U.K. at least, have released some master sets of 1/4” and 3/8” drive sockets, comprising shallow, semi deep and deep. 4mm to 14mm in 1/4”, 8mm to 19mm in 3/8”.
Prices are £215 for the 1/4” set, and £243 for the 3/8”. If you remove the U.K. tax, and convert to USD, that comes out to $205 and $225. I don’t reckon that’s bad.
Should you feel you still don’t have enough options, there’s another set in 1/4” drive which includes both 6 point and 12 point as well!
Dave455
Well-known member
I saw them on www.uktools.com, but I presume the sets originate with KoKen.
FYI, the 3/8" set is P/N TR3334MX-36 and the 1/4" drive set P/N is TR2334MX-38
I saw that they have larger sets too that include 6pt and 12pt, P/N TR23405MX-70. . .
kyrbz
Well-known member
Kinda stunned how cheap with free shipping these 3 items purchased on eBay were. The soft jaw pliers come with an extra set of soft jaws.
pizza
Well-known member
What's the exact thickness of the steel rule?Shinwa 12" rigid steel rule. My favorite
And how rigid is it, please could elaborate?
Thanks @Jicle , would you say that it is a premium quality item, or just standard quality like, for US workers, STANLEY and MILWAUKEE products?
gjusername
Well-known member
FYI, the 3/8" set is P/N TR3334MX-36 and the 1/4" drive set P/N is TR2334MX-38
I saw that they have larger sets too that include 6pt and 12pt, P/N TR23405MX-70. . .
That picture shows the 1/4" set going down to a 3mm, and also including a 3.5mm. Does Ko-ken actually make those sizes? I've never seen sockets in those sizes and can't imagine what use they would be for... I looked up the set on uktools and the photo they have shows sizes 4-14mm, your photo shows sizes 3-14mm. so weird.
Dave455
Well-known member
Yes, Koken make those sizes. It would be hard to include them otherwise..!
They offer 3mm to 14mm metric, 1/8” to 9/16” SAE and 0 to 8 BA.
If I recall correctly, a 3mm nut is used on an M1.6 thread.
The sets that KoKen normally offer include the popularly used sizes. In this case I assume they are catering for the man who wants everything…!
scratch it, haha. Imho Shinwa designers messed this one up omfg, compare with the STARRETT as shown:
Well I caved in and made an order on amazon.co.uk.
I wonder if I'll have to pay any import tax - but either way seems like an okay deal for 75€ of tools (maybe 85-90€ if I pay extra import tax).
I love how Japanese tools seems a tad more innovative than the norm.
I ordered a
And everything seems to be made in Japan.
Still seems cheap, if I bought Knipex twingrips and cobras/alligators with soft jaws it'd cost about the same without all the other stuff. The Twingrips and Cobras are probably better but not that much better, and the Vessel stuff seems to be priced really cheap too. Besides, it's more interesting to me to have some variety in the toolcart. The KTC wrenches are also so unique, I have way too many wrenches but I had to get them!
I wonder if I'll have to pay any import tax - but either way seems like an okay deal for 75€ of tools (maybe 85-90€ if I pay extra import tax).
I love how Japanese tools seems a tad more innovative than the norm.
I ordered a
- Megadora Impacta (7€),
- PZ-59 Engineer pliers (16€),
- IPS One-touch water pump pliers (soft jaws, 13€),
- Vessel offset driver (the 90 degree bend screwdriver... 2,5€)
- A set of 4 Vessel manual impact bits (5€),
- fancy KTC cherry blossom wrenches - size 10 and 8 (~13€)
And everything seems to be made in Japan.
Still seems cheap, if I bought Knipex twingrips and cobras/alligators with soft jaws it'd cost about the same without all the other stuff. The Twingrips and Cobras are probably better but not that much better, and the Vessel stuff seems to be priced really cheap too. Besides, it's more interesting to me to have some variety in the toolcart. The KTC wrenches are also so unique, I have way too many wrenches but I had to get them!
Reed Prince
Well-known member
Turns out that Merry connector pliers are excellent for removing ribbon cables in pro audio gear.
The one thing I don't like about the Merrys is the handle, which I'm guessing is a traditional Japanese style. It is of hard plastic like these Victor cutters, with sharp diamonds that make them unpleasant to squeeze. The grips might be a plus in a greasy environment, but I prefer something softer and put some 3-1 shrink tubing on my pair.
The one thing I don't like about the Merrys is the handle, which I'm guessing is a traditional Japanese style. It is of hard plastic like these Victor cutters, with sharp diamonds that make them unpleasant to squeeze. The grips might be a plus in a greasy environment, but I prefer something softer and put some 3-1 shrink tubing on my pair.
Bmxkelowna
Well-known member
the KTC version have a really nice grip on their handles
Dave455
Well-known member
I see that KTC have introduced a third version of their 3/8“ drive compact roto head ratchets - a short handle version. Part number is BRSW3S.
Qualitytools
Well-known member
Is that QR ratchet? can’t tell from the pic.I see that KTC have introduced a third version of their 3/8“ drive compact roto head ratchets - a short handle version. Part number is BRSW3S.
General Geoff
Well-known member
It is not.
Qualitytools
Well-known member
^ Thanks
I see that KTC have introduced a third version of their 3/8“ drive compact roto head ratchets - a short handle version. Part number is BRSW3S.
If they came out with something similar in 1/4" (square or hex), I would be on it like a rat on a pork chop.
toddmorr
Well-known member
saw this on Amazon Japan....Esco......a Koken clone???
Amazon | 1/4"DR ラチェットハンドル(Z-EAL) | 電設用部品・資材 | DIY・工具・ガーデン 通販
1/4"DR ラチェットハンドル(Z-EAL)が電設用部品・資材ストアでいつでもお買い得。当日お急ぎ便対象商品は、当日お届け可能です。アマゾン配送商品は、通常配送無料（一部除く）。
www.amazon.co.jp
Reed Prince
Well-known member
Don't think I ever shared the little toolbox I bought a while ago.
Dave455
Well-known member
Nice!Don't think I ever shared the little toolbox I bought a while ago.
I didn’t realise that the smaller boxes were such a good fit inside, but it all makes sense now!
LWB
Well-known member
Ok. Now I want a setDon't think I ever shared the little toolbox I bought a while ago.
four.cycle
Well-known member
URL?
I believe they are a sort of massive industrial distributor. Different tools and supplies from many different brands (not just Japanese) have corresponding part numbers in the ESCO catalog.
