Will probably be lost in the 1800 comments here, but Japanese Folklore has the idea of "Tsukumogami", which are tools that have "lived" for 100 years, and in the process have acquired a "kami" or spirit. I always really liked the idea, and it's something I think about a lot when restoring tools.
I have a set of ancient Crescents that I have yet to have a car fail to start after working on them. I take care of them, they're always in their box. I'm missing a couple sockets from it these days, but they always work, always feel good in the hand and for whatever reason it works. Anytime I'm struggling with a car, and start feeling superstitious I break out the old Crescents and whatever jalopy I'm working on, from Corvette to crap box s10 will fire every time after. They definitely are my lucky tools.
Reminds me of a time when I was wandering through a residential neighborhood in Nara, Japan. A short alleyway provided the quickest route; an open garage door showed a tiny neighborhood fruit and vegetable market. The proprietor, a little old Japanese lady, motioned me in; I looked around and picked up a pear. She reached out an open palm and took it from me, and disappeared into her house. A moment later, she returned with the pear washed, wrapped in tissue paper, then the foam mesh, then foil, and in a paper bag. I paid her for the pear, and once back at my hotel, shared the exquisite pear with my wife. Something as simple as a pear out of someone's garage, prepared and presented as though it was the most important thing in the world. Another Nara story: I was walking around the temple district in Nara, and emerged from the woods to find a huge aircraft hangar instead of the temple I'd expected to find. There was a very large engineering drawing of the temple on the wall next to the hangar doors, and an attendant motioned me inside. There, on the floor of the hangar, were all of the component parts of the temple, disassembled. I asked what was going on; the attendant told me that the temple was being maintained, and that they were replacing or refinishing all of the worn components. He also said that they did this every 500 years, and that I happened to come upon the temple during the most recent maintenance, the third such event since the temple had been constructed in 500 A.D.
One of the coolest things about older Japanese architecture (and still some new, though not used as much) is their aversion to fasteners. Instead, tight friction fitted joints keep the structure together. It also has the bonus that it can be taken apart. I've also read that it makes them earthquake resistant because the structure is more free to jostle about.
@@Orzorn Also reason why Finnish log buildings are selling to Japan like hotcakes, since those are friction and gravity tied together as unit that can flex. Flex so much that in "shoeing" process you can lift corner of the house up, take damaged log out and replace it, drop it back and you are done, though its much easier if interior is on natural log surface and there is not great many water and electrical lines limiting lift, but there is ways to get around that in design phase.
@@Orzorn there is a beautiful documentary on RUclips somewhere where they show old famous Japanese technology in new modern projects. I'll try and find it for you.
Was there for work and was staying in the town of Hashimoto for several weeks..Several festivals were taking place during my stay, one of which was in a park just outside of the dormitory i was staying in,,,A downpour of rain ended their celebration but many still there just making the most out of it after the rain stopped...I decided to check it out and get some dinner from one of the food tents that was still open...not speaking Japanese I attempted to purchase a meal but they insisted that i not pay....they even bagged up a few other meals for me to take to go.....everything i encountered was more hospitable than some places here in the US
Talk about Japanese taking pride in their work, I work on some fuso trucks and the way some of the gearbox springs and synchro detents come wrapped is a work of art, its like the factory has an origami specialist just wrapping parts.
I hear you. I admire the consideration shown by the Japanese in details that Americans like myself (and apparently some Canadians) often disregard. Sony recently posted a video of the teardown of their new Playstation 5 gaming console and I was struck by the way that everything was carefully laid out on the table at the end. Totally contrasts with how AvE and I maintain our workspaces. If you like teardowns of mechanical systems like I think you might then this video is maybe worth a look. It's in Japanese but has subtitles in English and several other languages. ruclips.net/video/CaAY-jAjm0w/видео.html There's even a few screwdrivers.
IIRC multiple Japanese manufacturers have actually over the years hired origami experts to help design improved folded cardboard packaging to minimize waste and improve structural integrity.
@@willdejong7763 The teardown was indeed very pleasant to watch. Shame they didn't end up with better cooling for all the memory modules though (surely there's an engineer at Sony who is depressed over his warnings not being heeded).
@@jubuttib EVERY company has a bunch of engineers depressed about their warnings not being heeded. That's because the companies what don't are out of business. The hard part is choosing which warnings to heed and which not to.
Packaging is always awesome over there. Things rip exactly where they should etc. Was once catching a train and woneder what the paniced annoucement was - turns outit was 2 seconds late leaving the platform! Here in the UK 2 hours is more like the norm, at least if it's raining, there are leaves on the track, it's too hot...you get the picture.
I’m in the age wasteland of “over 65”, and I remember as a kid the announcement Made in Japan meant it was cheap and tinny , like the stuff you used to win at carnivals. Now, it’s usually a sign of quality. They have this rare thing called work ethic that seems to be in short supply.
I wish I could have bought American tools during those times... as a mechanic there’s only a few left that are American and they rake you over the coals to get tools not even half this nice.
I’m 34, Japanese, and I had my parents telling me that when we were watching Back to the Future pt 3 because there’s this bit goes like “Made in Japan? Why?” “All the great stuff is made in Japan in future!”. That was when I learned that my country has reputation for those things (it was 90’s) but it wasn’t like that not so long ago. Now I hear “Why people says Japanese tech is great?” which makes sense. (That’s because I think people aren’t buying cars and manufacturing and portable music players aren’t the main focus of the technology anymore.) So I guess we’re done with one full circle haha I’m excited about how far China is going to go. (And I assume what’s happening to them now is sort of like what happened to Japan in 80’s?)
Ikr its crazy. I think all the other places in the world tend to throw it out the window. When in reality its extremely important. In my line of work quality matterd most. Quantity doesnt matter. Will you survive with a lot of bread. Yes but will you enjoy it every day when the guy next door spends hours putting his all into the food he makes. Yea its hard work. But each thing he makes has meaning.
If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as a Michaelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, 'Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.” ― Martin Luther King Jr
there is a joke my dad once told me, the swiss made the smallest bolt in the world and showed it to the japaneese, they asked to borrow it and when the swiss got it back they noticed that the japaneese cut and threaded a hole into it
My grandpa used to tell me this joke all the time but it was the French whomst had created the worlds smallest filament wire and they went to Switzerland to show it off, the Swiss got ahold of it and sent it back to France with a hole drilled down the center of it.
"Things of great importance should be approached with ease. Things of little importance should be approached with seriousness." - Yamamoto Tsunetomo, Hagakure
As a shade tree gunsmith (and luthier, machinist, welder, cabinet maker, and mechanic), common screwdrivers are flat ground, precision (and gunsmith screwdrivers) are hollow ground. :)
@@razormazor6947 check out Mark Novak channel , he is a gunsmith and he explains well some of the benefits of the hollow vs the flat drivers ruclips.net/channel/UCM86hA7E1y3vOJuzdqCXh1Q
@@razormazor6947 The first time you use a hollow ground screwdriver on a bolt you don't want to fuck up will change your outlook on right tool for the job.
@@TacticallyGrumpy not sure if you have really nice bolts or you mean the actual bolt of the gun. not sure why anyone would have a screw driver near something that's held together with pins generally
Wait until you get a feel of their saws, chisels and planers. I know you’re more in the mechanical realm, but as a carpenter, I just won’t live a day in a world without them. From the materials used to the absurd precision they grant me, my workmanship improved triple digits. The chisels hold their edge, the planers also and scrape off sheets of cigarette paper, even from the gnarliest hardwoods. The saws are so fine that it makes pencil lines look thick. It’s a whole different ballgame.
There planes are, IMHO, a tool handed down by the gods brought to life with the souls of ancient woodworkers. Lmao. It's not even a comparison. I'm 37 and been paying the bills since I was 14 on site and in the shop. Took over the business 12 years ago. There is absolutely nothing more important than the quality of the tools that you use. Dare I say, not even the skill of the bastard that uses them. The business my grandfather started after getting home from the Pacific after ww2. I still have most of the tools he used to start with as they were put up and just never used again after purchasing upgrades. It's awesome to see and to hold them because of the meaning they hold. They're better than the shit they pass off as tools today. I hate that none are made in the USA anymore with the quality/design they're pushing out over there. I really wish I could find it because I'd, ignorantly, pay more just to support them.
This was the most motivational and inspirational tool review I've ever seen. "There's something very humanizing about taking an implement no matter how humble and making it the best you possibly can"
I like the ratchet leaving the small recessed drop forged finish area. It's a classic Japanese design ethic of honesty in materials and texture. Note the green stain on the screwdriver handles, could have been paint, but allows the natural grain to show through. Lovely.
I remember a story where a reporter was doing an article about Japan and he said when he left the hotel to go for a walk he saw a man who’s job was cleaning the garbage cans that lined the streets. He was smiling and singing and scrubbing the can like he was polishing a Ferrari....unlike some here who have one hand on their phone while they give the job they’re doing the last of their attention. The Japanese believe you do it right and with pride. That’s why I own a Toyota.
Honestly that story sounds so weird because its kind of an inside joke finding a public trash can in japan. They got rid of them after the bio weapon attacks.
I recently toured Ford's F-150 plant in Dearborn. Some of the workers were building trucks with one hand and on their phone with the other. I wanted to yell "Put down your fucking phone and build the fucking truck", but they had strict rules about talking to the workers.
There is dark side of Japanese culture that is pretty much responsible for that attitude. Theyr society and education is putting great pressure on people to became just another wheel, another worthy individual, efficient worker. If you have any other idea than that, you are shunted by other people. Individuality isn't generally valued that highly in Asian culture, you are member of collective, community before being individual. Japan has the highest suicide rate in the world for people between 18-30 years old. They are crushed by system and cannot take it. There is no incentive like in 1950s, 1960s or 1970s to rebuild, and older generation is pretty dismissive of attitudes of younger people that just don't wanna work themselves to death. Why is Japan top producer of games, TV shows, anime and porn? Because of above reasons. I don't say that overt individualismus is good, anarchy is never good, but I don't think that Japanese style of life is the best either. I would be honest, Eastern Bloc would kill for society like that.
AvE, I truly can't believe that the powers of the interwebs were so kind as to gift us with a specimen as fine as you... You're quite the humble man yourself, and the fact that you find the time to share your infinite wisdom with all of us nitwits, completely free of charge and from the goodness of your own gorilla heart, is a blessing ♥
These are the types of vids that made me fall in love with this channel when I magically found AvE 5 years ago. It's like he appeals to the mechanical engineer in me with this type of video, and the crusty south Texas metal shop worker 23 year old me with the CNC and uncle bumblefork vids. Even his life advice video added a year to my total life span. God Emperor AvE! We are not worthy, but we are gracious.
I’m with you James. He’s taught me a lot too. And I’m just a bungling gardener who tries to wrangle my tools into submission. Occasionally works too 🤷🏻♂️
Released today, this reply was from 3 weeks ago. AvE isn't messing around with "early access" time frames. Edit: is auto correct getting worse as time goes by? Now it changes a correctly spelled word to something ac thinks you _really_ meant.
@@JasonW. yes it is getting worse. It adds apostrophes all the damn time. It doesn't just change the word you just typed, it changes the damn word before that one too, if it feels like it. Simple spelling mistakes can result in the most absurd suggestions.
Man.... made with love and passion. Back when electronics were made in Japan, I was always impressed by how solid the item was, and the immense attention to detail that went into the design and assembly.
『仕事』に対する『職人の誇り』が違うんだと思う。 I think the difference is the craftsman's pride for their work. And inherently, there's a respect for the materials, tools and the people who use the product in the idea of pride. The pride is not as self-centered as what you might find in other countries.
Lots of secondhand JDM motorcycles landed in the UK in the 90's, most of them bristling with Japanese aftermarket parts, exhausts, footrests and so on. The quality was unbelievable, they must demand the very best.
@@MrKdr500 Well with the Chinese it's a bit strange. They cán actually make top notch high quality stuff but it's all for domestic use. I mean, they can build bridges, skyscrapers etc. etc. and I suppose a Chinese mechanic in a local garage doesn't want to work with Aliexpress tools either, right? But we created the demand for Chinese crap ourselves. The old Marketprinciple.
I got the semi deeps by nepros about a year ago, I always get compliments on the sockets. Using the koken wobble fix extensions with them and you have a socket set as good as snap-on for half the price. I also have their "stabby" ratchet and it is my favourite ratchet I just keep it in my pocket, love it more than my snap on flex ratchets I use.
A nostalgic timely video for me. T'was 30 years ago right NOW that I was sent, as a lad of 21, to Japan for two weeks by my boss to undergo training at the JRC (Japan Radio Company) factory in Mitaka... learning about GPS, Inmarsat and other state-of-the-art marine electronics equipment. It was an amazing time, I was humbled by the people, the culture and the work ethic. Always wanted to go back... never did :-( I see on Google Earth that the JRC Mitaka factory I visiting is no more.
*Hollow ground (for the screwdriver) I lived there for around 13 years. I was waiting for a train around Tokyo and watched an old chap clean a street bin. The process he went through and care was incredible. I thought to myself, I bet he was shown how to do that over forty years ago and hasn't changed the attention to detail in all that time. Not many of us could do that I wager.
I was stationed in Japan for 4.5 years and I absolutely feel in love with the people and their craftsmanship for things, especially the tools! KTC is another manufacturer of hand tools, I kinda think of them as the Snap-on of Japan.
Looking back, I wish I had taken the time to really appreciate the Japanese culture when I was working there from 1982-1986. I also spent a year working in the Bohai Bay offshore of Tainjin, PRC, and what a difference. We round eyes were referred to as "barbarians', but the Japanese with the oil company, and drilling contractors were referred to as "Invading Barbarians".
I was stationed in Okinawa for a couple years, and I know exactly what you mean. If I had a time machine, I'd go back and kick myself until I went and spent more time offbase learning about the culture.
Always loved Japanese tools, by far the best out there. They put pride into everything they do and it shows in the most common of items. I remember a time when my fellow workmates laughed at me for getting excited about how nice my Japanese sliding bevel was. Anyone who doesn't get exited or appreciate a good tool is not a craftsman in my opinion.
I totally agree with you. You should respect the tools you use. and respect yourself to buy high quality tools. all the tools we have in our workshop are german and japanese. We are a concrete block making machine manufacturing company by the way.
@@rafo6577 I have the little shinwa mitre square too, even though they’re modern tools they don’t look out of place in the box with my antique hand woodworking tools
2:35 is an example of wabi-sabi. “wabi-sabi is a world view centered on the acceptance of transience and imperfection. The aesthetic is sometimes described as one of beauty that is imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete.” In Japan, things made at a high level often have one small intentional example of wabi-sabi. Pretty cool
Yes that is a derisive term. I didn’t know you took a look at my genetic test. If ya did, you didn’t mention to the folks about my big hands and feet. Envy... I get it
My grandpa went out of his way to buy Japanese made tools. He was so impressed with the machining in Japanese made tools. I remember hearing him say after the big war his mill apparently was sanctioned to helped Japan with its steel production to help boost its economy.
I’m really surprised to see Nepros on this channel! I bought myself a 1/2in, 3/8in, and 1/4in ratchets from them because I came across their brand on some anime artwork. Really good tools, they definitely hold up to the abuse I put them through and they still look good doing it!
I love your appreciation of not just the tech, but the package or case it comes in, ive learnt more about the composition of plastic casings and packaging from you than anywhere else! Your reverance for stuff from J.A.Pan is wonderul too, i remeber you taking apart the $500 doll hair toaster with equal apprecation for the quality of the build.
This reminds me of the K31 Swiss rifle I used to have. When you removed the screws, the trigger plate and action were so tightly fit to the stock you had to bonk it against something to pop them out. Even at full extension the bolt barely had any play between the bearing surfaces of the bolt and reciever.
The Japanese makes some of the nicest products on earth. I love their knives, cars and especially their motorcycles. Thanks for the video! Now I have to buy more tools.
I love watching these kinds of videos. AvE gets into great detail with these tool reviews, and his humour is exceptionally funny. Keep up the good work!
I’m going to school in NY to be an auto mechanic and I’ve been watching your channel for years! You are the only person I trust to find the tools that i’ll hopefully have for life. Love ya you big canadian goof
I'll always remember the line by one of my favourite mech eng profs: whoever invented the flathead fastener should be forced to spend the rest of eternity screwing one in and out again.
Tbh it was the first screw head invented and easy to manufacture even in home, so it has its purpose, but now its time to face away, though it is very good in chainsaws chain tensioner since you can use even wooden stick to operate it on the field, or knife or what ever you have at hand.
@@danstarkweather5842 1+ I view "can't" more as an incomplete statement, the first step in rational thought identify the problem . I can't do it why not? Once you complete this statement⬆️ and state why you cannot complete it at this time, you know what you need to do to solve the identified problem prohibiting forward progress. Armed with this knowledge I can now gain the skill necessary to change the accuracy of the previous incomplete "cant statement". . Enjoy the day, it's a good one to be alive.
I've been to Japan twice, long enough to tour about. Great place, highly recommended. While I was there for two months I tried to learn some of the language, really struggled with it. But kids have to take English in school and are always willing to help.
The unfinished spot on the ratchet head is a "witness" mark...to show that yir purchasing a forged tool...not some cast chiz-ium...maybe. I also have a, old as hell, "New Lobster" Japan adjustable wrench. ..don't know where the hell it came from.??? You will be fined and spanked by the tool junkies! The proper nomenclature for the screw driver tip is HOLLOW GROUND. Some styles even have little fastener grippy grooves (lateral striations on the radial plane of the screwdriver....how is that for pedantic?)...if you don't care about marring the screw head...on yir $2000 H&H .375 Magnum ...
@@evensgrey It doesn't have to be the switch. It could be abrasive particles stuck under the switch or on the user's hands. I have multiple ratchets with the area under the switch unpolished or intentionally textured. There has to be a reason for it.
@@RabidBadger_ I don't know why it's unfinished. It's just a fricken wrench. yir guess is as good as mine. The Japanese are not stupid. They have advanced many things. They surpassed "copying" over 45 years ago. Some "designs" have no meaning, other than to be a trademark. To significantly identify the object as designed and manufactured by Neepco...or New Lobster, for instance. Marketing. A statement of pride.
The bahco adjustable wrench head design is very similar, As an engineer who has to fly everywhere, and weight is of the utmost importance these are my goto wrenches . Light strong and easy to identify against other people’s tools. Although that doesn’t stop them “ growing legs” and walking away as they are so good
William Edwards Deming was a statistician and quality control expert that helped the US Army in rebuilding Japan after WW2. His ideas about quality control and process improvement are still taught in Japan. Today there's an award, called the Deming Prize, given in recognition of embracing quality. Deming played a critical part in creating one of the world's most powerful manufacturing economies. If there is a japanese-made product of high quality, it exists because of William Edwards Deming.
Deming's principles indeed helped Japan, but I look at it another way: 1. Nothing prevented the USA from embracing Deming's philosophy. Why didn't it? 2. Japan embraced Deming because they were culturally predisposed to do so. Let's be dispassionate here. I believe it's a fact that certain societies have an advantage over others IN CERTAIN RESPECTS.
hey i got an old technics too! i can't remember the exact model i think a 420? but it's an absolute gem and i haven't had to chance to set it up yet at my new place but man do i love that gem of a direct drive :)
Seriously, the level of care Japanese and Germans put into their tools is incredible. I was looking for garden sheers, because all the cheap ones I've bought always chipped easily and were a pain to use. Decided to buy me a pair of Okatsune hedge sheers with 7 5/8" blades. Oh my.... they cut like butter and are so damn durable -- I accidentally struck concrete with them when cutting close to the ground and thought I'd surely chipped them.... nope, not a ding.
I'm German and I don't know any tool company here that comes close to that craftsmanship. Hazet, Stahlwille etc are great and all, but shown tools are the next step regarding the level of detail. No idea how good they hold up in comparison in a stress test
The US USED to. But between the absurd prices paid for military applications (which have hoovered up all the manufacturers with high quality products) and the rise of Chinese producers (which undercut everyone who doesn't) there's not a lot left for regular folks to buy. This isn't a new phenomenon from Japan, either. Back in the 1970's there was supposedly a US electronics company that decided to test buy some semiconductor parts from one of the then relatively new Japanese semiconductor companies. They sent in an order with all the usual specifications they would have given a US maker, including an acceptable rate of defective parts. This last item seems to have confused the Japanese, as they included in the shipment an explanatory note for some somewhat peculiar packaging: "We have packaged defective parts separately. We hope this pleases you."
My dad happend to come into a full cart of these tools... the are the most amazing tools I've ever worked with, after 20 years, still not a smudge on them that sticks
Transplant from the Midwest, I've been living in Japan for over thirty years... I can say without reservation that the level of quality displayed here goes clear through to the bone in just about all aspects of society. We're far from the City and up on the Hill, can't speak to the bustle of the flatlands but up here is skookum as frig, and then some. No regrets... DIAV. Cheers from Shinshu.
Working in auto parts for four and a half years, my long term co-workers and I agreed that you always know which companies are proud of their products, when you look at how their products are packaged.
Subscribed. Brilliant. Stuff is just done differently in the East, and then there's Karma. Regards from NE Thailand, 40 miles from the Mighty Mekong River and the border with Laos. Edit, and a fellow (1969 VSL) Boxford owner.
Impressive, I’m curious about the Nepros manufacturing tolerances on the ratchets. I’m noticing a ton of attention to detail on the drivers. The through-tang/knob-end-striker is great, but the really impressive thing is that massive hexagonal section. About a decade ago I bought a set of USA made Craftsman drivers that had similar features, but were square ground and had synthetic handles. I loved them but of course they are nowhere to be found now to replace the worn out set. Glory days of tools are ahead boys, and they are coming from the land of Sashimi, Sushi, and Saki. Safety squints engaged.
Any chance they left the unfinished part on the ratchet unfinished as some sort of proof it was indeed drop forged? Or just some Japanese wabi-sabi aesthetics and all?
Best Nepro's review on youtube. This gives a closer look at what it would be like to use there tools. The width of the fine teeth lead me to believe it's pretty strong. The rough area by the selector would of been a surprise.
Наука
Gonna buy me some of these for working on my DMG Mori, maybe the good juju will keep the electronic gremlins at bay...
i'd imagine the $$$ that goes along with having a Mori probably buys good antii-gremlin security
But can will they add a search function to the controller without having to add notes to the code?
Is that a 5 axis ?
Alex LoVecchio them pixies be havin’ a go at er wah
At £150 a ratchet.. I'll give em a miss, as nice as they look an all 😂
I like to imagine japanese manufacturers trying to understand whether or not this is a positive review.
under rated comment
If just 1% of viewers got hot for their produce, they’re now looking at 3800 additional orders.
They don`t need positive reviews, they take such pride in their work, they KNOW it`s good ;)
@@GardenHoseNapalm Underrated* ;)
You think they're trying to run "Super Skookum" through google translator?
German screwdrivers and Japanese tools. AvE's got the Axis powers of tools on his bench.
Just be happy he doesn't have any Italian tools. They would go on strike.
Edit: wait, doesn't he have a John Deer?
Based n redpilled
@@Azivegu Yeah but they'd do it in style. Style will go a long way, kemosabe
🤣
to the victor go the spoils ^_^
Will probably be lost in the 1800 comments here, but Japanese Folklore has the idea of "Tsukumogami", which are tools that have "lived" for 100 years, and in the process have acquired a "kami" or spirit. I always really liked the idea, and it's something I think about a lot when restoring tools.
My dad wants to be buried with his tools that his dad used to use, maybe they have a Kami too
That`s why you treat the tools well, so the spirits won`t get angry and *bite* ya ;)
Thanks for reminding us of the idea
Skookumgami
I have a set of ancient Crescents that I have yet to have a car fail to start after working on them. I take care of them, they're always in their box. I'm missing a couple sockets from it these days, but they always work, always feel good in the hand and for whatever reason it works. Anytime I'm struggling with a car, and start feeling superstitious I break out the old Crescents and whatever jalopy I'm working on, from Corvette to crap box s10 will fire every time after.
They definitely are my lucky tools.
I like to imagine each hand is a different person.
You have a funny way of thinking or the exposure to lead paint is starting to unravel you.
They call that “the stranger”
You sound like my kind of person.
You’re everywhere today, Eric! Saw your comments on a another video too.
If you sit on them until they go numb, it's more convincing.
You can tell he is impressed when it doesn't get a kiss from the Borsch during opening.
My thoughts exactly
Also looks like he put on a fancy shirt
Should've brought out the katana
When he doesn't slam the box on the floor and yell "TIME". That's respect.
Thought you might cut that box open to👍
Reminds me of a time when I was wandering through a residential neighborhood in Nara, Japan. A short alleyway provided the quickest route; an open garage door showed a tiny neighborhood fruit and vegetable market. The proprietor, a little old Japanese lady, motioned me in; I looked around and picked up a pear. She reached out an open palm and took it from me, and disappeared into her house. A moment later, she returned with the pear washed, wrapped in tissue paper, then the foam mesh, then foil, and in a paper bag. I paid her for the pear, and once back at my hotel, shared the exquisite pear with my wife. Something as simple as a pear out of someone's garage, prepared and presented as though it was the most important thing in the world.
Another Nara story: I was walking around the temple district in Nara, and emerged from the woods to find a huge aircraft hangar instead of the temple I'd expected to find. There was a very large engineering drawing of the temple on the wall next to the hangar doors, and an attendant motioned me inside. There, on the floor of the hangar, were all of the component parts of the temple, disassembled. I asked what was going on; the attendant told me that the temple was being maintained, and that they were replacing or refinishing all of the worn components. He also said that they did this every 500 years, and that I happened to come upon the temple during the most recent maintenance, the third such event since the temple had been constructed in 500 A.D.
One of the coolest things about older Japanese architecture (and still some new, though not used as much) is their aversion to fasteners. Instead, tight friction fitted joints keep the structure together. It also has the bonus that it can be taken apart. I've also read that it makes them earthquake resistant because the structure is more free to jostle about.
@@Orzorn Also reason why Finnish log buildings are selling to Japan like hotcakes, since those are friction and gravity tied together as unit that can flex. Flex so much that in "shoeing" process you can lift corner of the house up, take damaged log out and replace it, drop it back and you are done, though its much easier if interior is on natural log surface and there is not great many water and electrical lines limiting lift, but there is ways to get around that in design phase.
@@Orzorn there is a beautiful documentary on RUclips somewhere where they show old famous Japanese technology in new modern projects. I'll try and find it for you.
That is so incredibly Japanese I love it
Was there for work and was staying in the town of Hashimoto for several weeks..Several festivals were taking place during my stay, one of which was in a park just outside of the dormitory i was staying in,,,A downpour of rain ended their celebration but many still there just making the most out of it after the rain stopped...I decided to check it out and get some dinner from one of the food tents that was still open...not speaking Japanese I attempted to purchase a meal but they insisted that i not pay....they even bagged up a few other meals for me to take to go.....everything i encountered was more hospitable than some places here in the US
Talk about Japanese taking pride in their work, I work on some fuso trucks and the way some of the gearbox springs and synchro detents come wrapped is a work of art, its like the factory has an origami specialist just wrapping parts.
I hear you. I admire the consideration shown by the Japanese in details that Americans like myself (and apparently some Canadians) often disregard. Sony recently posted a video of the teardown of their new Playstation 5 gaming console and I was struck by the way that everything was carefully laid out on the table at the end. Totally contrasts with how AvE and I maintain our workspaces. If you like teardowns of mechanical systems like I think you might then this video is maybe worth a look. It's in Japanese but has subtitles in English and several other languages. ruclips.net/video/CaAY-jAjm0w/видео.html There's even a few screwdrivers.
IIRC multiple Japanese manufacturers have actually over the years hired origami experts to help design improved folded cardboard packaging to minimize waste and improve structural integrity.
@@willdejong7763 The teardown was indeed very pleasant to watch. Shame they didn't end up with better cooling for all the memory modules though (surely there's an engineer at Sony who is depressed over his warnings not being heeded).
@@jubuttib EVERY company has a bunch of engineers depressed about their warnings not being heeded. That's because the companies what don't are out of business. The hard part is choosing which warnings to heed and which not to.
Packaging is always awesome over there. Things rip exactly where they should etc.
Was once catching a train and woneder what the paniced annoucement was - turns outit was 2 seconds late leaving the platform! Here in the UK 2 hours is more like the norm, at least if it's raining, there are leaves on the track, it's too hot...you get the picture.
I’m in the age wasteland of “over 65”, and I remember as a kid the announcement Made in Japan meant it was cheap and tinny , like the stuff you used to win at carnivals. Now, it’s usually a sign of quality. They have this rare thing called work ethic that seems to be in short supply.
@Phil---I am 73 and my recollection of ''made in japan'' was the same as yours. No longer though.
I wish I could have bought American tools during those times... as a mechanic there’s only a few left that are American and they rake you over the coals to get tools not even half this nice.
I’m 34, Japanese, and I had my parents telling me that when we were watching Back to the Future pt 3 because there’s this bit goes like “Made in Japan? Why?” “All the great stuff is made in Japan in future!”. That was when I learned that my country has reputation for those things (it was 90’s) but it wasn’t like that not so long ago.
Now I hear “Why people says Japanese tech is great?” which makes sense. (That’s because I think people aren’t buying cars and manufacturing and portable music players aren’t the main focus of the technology anymore.) So I guess we’re done with one full circle haha
I’m excited about how far China is going to go. (And I assume what’s happening to them now is sort of like what happened to Japan in 80’s?)
They overwork themselves a lot tho, probably one of the reasons for the really high suicide rate
Ikr its crazy. I think all the other places in the world tend to throw it out the window. When in reality its extremely important. In my line of work quality matterd most. Quantity doesnt matter. Will you survive with a lot of bread. Yes but will you enjoy it every day when the guy next door spends hours putting his all into the food he makes. Yea its hard work. But each thing he makes has meaning.
What? He hasn't butchered the packaging????.....he must love this tool!
He is even wearing a shirt.
Dress shirt on and everythin
Why didn't he open the box with a chainsaw
@@mountainmikemmel8289 special tools
We need to get him into a psychologist. Its our duty
If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as a Michaelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, 'Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.”
― Martin Luther King Jr
Although I believe that also I'm afraid at this time in America all that good shit is down the shitter~!!
@@RickaramaTrama-lc1ys Well, the Dems have all but out-and-out disavowed MLK Jr.
Adam Augustus. Great quote. Excellent.
Adam Augustus Nice.
Mark Fergerson I think you got the wrong party there, partner...
there is a joke my dad once told me, the swiss made the smallest bolt in the world and showed it to the japaneese, they asked to borrow it and when the swiss got it back they noticed that the japaneese cut and threaded a hole into it
The version I was told was Italians or someone sent it to Germany and the same thing happened
My grandpa used to tell me this joke all the time but it was the French whomst had created the worlds smallest filament wire and they went to Switzerland to show it off, the Swiss got ahold of it and sent it back to France with a hole drilled down the center of it.
Hehe..My father was in the Royal Navy during WW2 and he told me one similar in around '55.
@@drumboarder1 ahh germans would have offered to finance with a fine print clause were they owned it
"Things of great importance should be approached with ease. Things of little importance should be approached with seriousness."
- Yamamoto Tsunetomo, Hagakure
The recessed raw forged area is a very Japanese aesthetic. Respect to the material. PARALLEL ground tips.
I think its just there to remind us it was forged in the depths of a pacific rim volcano.
Try wabi sabi.
Thats a cool thing to do! Great comment.
Yep. It's left there as a reference to show how well they polished the rest of the tool. Very Japanese.
Great comment, and same thing is done in a lot of quality kitchen knifes as well. The Japanese know steel as well as or better than us Swedes 😍
Got your grinds mixed up but your reasons were correct.
That screwdriver was a flat grind, gunsmith tools are hollow ground.
thanks for adding to my knowledge, never heard of hollow ground until now, This is why I love engineering, so much to learn from so many people.
As a shade tree gunsmith (and luthier, machinist, welder, cabinet maker, and mechanic), common screwdrivers are flat ground, precision (and gunsmith screwdrivers) are hollow ground. :)
@@razormazor6947 check out Mark Novak channel , he is a gunsmith and he explains well some of the benefits of the hollow vs the flat drivers ruclips.net/channel/UCM86hA7E1y3vOJuzdqCXh1Q
@@razormazor6947 The first time you use a hollow ground screwdriver on a bolt you don't want to fuck up will change your outlook on right tool for the job.
@@TacticallyGrumpy not sure if you have really nice bolts or you mean the actual bolt of the gun. not sure why anyone would have a screw driver near something that's held together with pins generally
Wait until you get a feel of their saws, chisels and planers. I know you’re more in the mechanical realm, but as a carpenter, I just won’t live a day in a world without them. From the materials used to the absurd precision they grant me, my workmanship improved triple digits. The chisels hold their edge, the planers also and scrape off sheets of cigarette paper, even from the gnarliest hardwoods. The saws are so fine that it makes pencil lines look thick. It’s a whole different ballgame.
There planes are, IMHO, a tool handed down by the gods brought to life with the souls of ancient woodworkers. Lmao. It's not even a comparison. I'm 37 and been paying the bills since I was 14 on site and in the shop. Took over the business 12 years ago. There is absolutely nothing more important than the quality of the tools that you use. Dare I say, not even the skill of the bastard that uses them. The business my grandfather started after getting home from the Pacific after ww2. I still have most of the tools he used to start with as they were put up and just never used again after purchasing upgrades. It's awesome to see and to hold them because of the meaning they hold. They're better than the shit they pass off as tools today. I hate that none are made in the USA anymore with the quality/design they're pushing out over there. I really wish I could find it because I'd, ignorantly, pay more just to support them.
Your comment could be used for an ad. Marketing department should take note. I agree though, I work another trade but japanese tools are excellent.
This was the most motivational and inspirational tool review I've ever seen. "There's something very humanizing about taking an implement no matter how humble and making it the best you possibly can"
AvE flags down a Matco truck, jumps on board and yells "This is a robbery; take all my money!"
that packaging is going to get reused at Christmas with something pretty for his loving wife
I like the ratchet leaving the small recessed drop forged finish area. It's a classic Japanese design ethic of honesty in materials and texture. Note the green stain on the screwdriver handles, could have been paint, but allows the natural grain to show through. Lovely.
AND they sell replacement parts for their tools. That's pretty cool.
When your tool has been polished by someone from Japan, it it's indeed a beautiful thing.
Happy thing. Happy beginning and of course all things come to an end. Let’s call it a happy ending. 🤣
Is that you Robert Kraft?
Jameson 1776 call me Krafty. Also admire my dress shirts with the different collars and cuffs because I’m a class act.
I remember a story where a reporter was doing an article about Japan and he said when he left the hotel to go for a walk he saw a man who’s job was cleaning the garbage cans that lined the streets. He was smiling and singing and scrubbing the can like he was polishing a Ferrari....unlike some here who have one hand on their phone while they give the job they’re doing the last of their attention. The Japanese believe you do it right and with pride. That’s why I own a Toyota.
Honestly that story sounds so weird because its kind of an inside joke finding a public trash can in japan. They got rid of them after the bio weapon attacks.
Toyota, made in Mexico and the US as well...
I recently toured Ford's F-150 plant in Dearborn. Some of the workers were building trucks with one hand and on their phone with the other. I wanted to yell "Put down your fucking phone and build the fucking truck", but they had strict rules about talking to the workers.
Yep 1976 Toyota Landcruiser myself....
There is dark side of Japanese culture that is pretty much responsible for that attitude. Theyr society and education is putting great pressure on people to became just another wheel, another worthy individual, efficient worker. If you have any other idea than that, you are shunted by other people. Individuality isn't generally valued that highly in Asian culture, you are member of collective, community before being individual. Japan has the highest suicide rate in the world for people between 18-30 years old. They are crushed by system and cannot take it. There is no incentive like in 1950s, 1960s or 1970s to rebuild, and older generation is pretty dismissive of attitudes of younger people that just don't wanna work themselves to death. Why is Japan top producer of games, TV shows, anime and porn? Because of above reasons. I don't say that overt individualismus is good, anarchy is never good, but I don't think that Japanese style of life is the best either. I would be honest, Eastern Bloc would kill for society like that.
"Daughter will be wearing this down the isle"
that'll be a sight for sore eyes, especially for the groom.
My year and a half old daughter will not sit still for anything but your videos ❤️❤️❤️
The unpolished surface adds to the beauty of the ratchet. It's intentional.
Totally agree!
Probably ruff to make it easier to feel when you are changing over from in and out, and your fingers are covered in smuu
He even put on a clean shirt for this review. I wonder if he took the tools out for dinner afterwards.
I would
AvE, I truly can't believe that the powers of the interwebs were so kind as to gift us with a specimen as fine as you... You're quite the humble man yourself, and the fact that you find the time to share your infinite wisdom with all of us nitwits, completely free of charge and from the goodness of your own gorilla heart, is a blessing ♥
Pride in a product that can speak for itself.
These are the types of vids that made me fall in love with this channel when I magically found AvE 5 years ago. It's like he appeals to the mechanical engineer in me with this type of video, and the crusty south Texas metal shop worker 23 year old me with the CNC and uncle bumblefork vids. Even his life advice video added a year to my total life span. God Emperor AvE! We are not worthy, but we are gracious.
Uncle Bumblefuck protects - from his Golden Throne on the frozen shithole of Hoth.
The YT Omnissiah provides, both to flesh and metal
I’m with you James. He’s taught me a lot too. And I’m just a bungling gardener who tries to wrangle my tools into submission. Occasionally works too 🤷🏻♂️
Look, you're a simp.
Yes indeed. My degrees are in electrical engineering, so it's easy to respect mechanical excellence.
"It's like a whole different country than China"
Released today, this reply was from 3 weeks ago.
AvE isn't messing around with "early access" time frames.
Edit: is auto correct getting worse as time goes by? Now it changes a correctly spelled word to something ac thinks you _really_ meant.
@@JasonW. yes it is getting worse. It adds apostrophes all the damn time. It doesn't just change the word you just typed, it changes the damn word before that one too, if it feels like it. Simple spelling mistakes can result in the most absurd suggestions.
A Treat Especiale!
China? You mean Mainland Taiwan
These videos have meant so much to me over the years. Thank you for continuing to give so freely of yourself.
Man.... made with love and passion. Back when electronics were made in Japan, I was always impressed by how solid the item was, and the immense attention to detail that went into the design and assembly.
『仕事』に対する『職人の誇り』が違うんだと思う。
I think the difference is the craftsman's pride for their work. And inherently, there's a respect for the materials, tools and the people who use the product in the idea of pride. The pride is not as self-centered as what you might find in other countries.
Lots of secondhand JDM motorcycles landed in the UK in the 90's, most of them bristling with Japanese aftermarket parts, exhausts, footrests and so on. The quality was unbelievable, they must demand the very best.
Japanese have pride in their work.....Chinese Don't, they only think of money.
Alexandre it’s display. Learn your Engrish.
@@Jameson1776 Yes Arexandre, rearn your Engrish.
@@MrKdr500 Well with the Chinese it's a bit strange. They cán actually make top notch high quality stuff but it's all for domestic use. I mean, they can build bridges, skyscrapers etc. etc. and I suppose a Chinese mechanic in a local garage doesn't want to work with Aliexpress tools either, right? But we created the demand for Chinese crap ourselves. The old Marketprinciple.
Khaffit hmm missed it didn’t you read it again.
No attack at all.
I got the semi deeps by nepros about a year ago, I always get compliments on the sockets.
Using the koken wobble fix extensions with them and you have a socket set as good as snap-on for half the price.
I also have their "stabby" ratchet and it is my favourite ratchet I just keep it in my pocket, love it more than my snap on flex ratchets I use.
I am a mechanic and guitarist. My favorite tools and guitars were all made in Japan. They know how to make quality stuff at a fair price.
A nostalgic timely video for me. T'was 30 years ago right NOW that I was sent, as a lad of 21, to Japan for two weeks by my boss to undergo training at the JRC (Japan Radio Company) factory in Mitaka... learning about GPS, Inmarsat and other state-of-the-art marine electronics equipment.
It was an amazing time, I was humbled by the people, the culture and the work ethic.
Always wanted to go back... never did :-(
I see on Google Earth that the JRC Mitaka factory I visiting is no more.
*Hollow ground (for the screwdriver)
I lived there for around 13 years. I was waiting for a train around Tokyo and watched an old chap clean a street bin. The process he went through and care was incredible. I thought to myself, I bet he was shown how to do that over forty years ago and hasn't changed the attention to detail in all that time. Not many of us could do that I wager.
You found a public trash bin in Japan? Those things are rare indeed.
I have a deep respect for Japanese craftsmanship.
I was stationed in Japan for 4.5 years and I absolutely feel in love with the people and their craftsmanship for things, especially the tools! KTC is another manufacturer of hand tools, I kinda think of them as the Snap-on of Japan.
I’ve been told that the only cure for J A Pan fever was a waifu pillow. Glad to hear there are alternatives for the aspiring weeb.
😆😆😆
Ave is divorced
viperz888 nininnininiinnii
id buy a spanner-chan pillow
@@viperz888 Is he? Ring on left ring finger suggests otherwise.
"Check out the teeth on that beauty..." When you hear that in West Virginia, ya look.
That Appalachian english ancestry.
Yup. Handed down from grandpa. Best denture whittler north of the Tennessee line!
As an old guy who, as my new dental surgeon said, “ate” my teeth (grinding, etc) I appreciate a nice set of canines.
"Don't matter which way you pull on it, you're still going to break your tool"
Found that one out when I was 14
Gotta respect a man who compliments the craftsmanship of a packaging box!
Looking back, I wish I had taken the time to really appreciate the Japanese culture when I was working there from 1982-1986.
I also spent a year working in the Bohai Bay offshore of Tainjin, PRC, and what a difference.
We round eyes were referred to as "barbarians', but the Japanese with the oil company, and drilling contractors were referred to as "Invading Barbarians".
I was stationed in Okinawa for a couple years, and I know exactly what you mean. If I had a time machine, I'd go back and kick myself until I went and spent more time offbase learning about the culture.
Always loved Japanese tools, by far the best out there. They put pride into everything they do and it shows in the most common of items.
I remember a time when my fellow workmates laughed at me for getting excited about how nice my Japanese sliding bevel was.
Anyone who doesn't get exited or appreciate a good tool is not a craftsman in my opinion.
I totally agree with you. You should respect the tools you use. and respect yourself to buy high quality tools.
all the tools we have in our workshop are german and japanese. We are a concrete block making machine manufacturing company by the way.
Was it a Shinwa sliding bevel, I have one of those and it’s lovely
@@greghumble7306 yes Greg it was.
@@rafo6577 I have the little shinwa mitre square too, even though they’re modern tools they don’t look out of place in the box with my antique hand woodworking tools
I just watched a man proudly display his tools and how great they feel in his hands. This was more like a Fans Only video.
"ugly in it's beauty" a true utilitarian... If only more people were that way.
Oh boy. Exactly the video I need. More tools I HAVE to buy.
2:35 is an example of wabi-sabi. “wabi-sabi is a world view centered on the acceptance of transience and imperfection. The aesthetic is sometimes described as one of beauty that is imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete.” In Japan, things made at a high level often have one small intentional example of wabi-sabi. Pretty cool
weeb
Yes that is a derisive term. I didn’t know you took a look at my genetic test. If ya did, you didn’t mention to the folks about my big hands and feet. Envy... I get it
@@MicahLayne ah
My grandpa went out of his way to buy Japanese made tools. He was so impressed with the machining in Japanese made tools. I remember hearing him say after the big war his mill apparently was sanctioned to helped Japan with its steel production to help boost its economy.
“ Institutional inertia”... also explains why the QWERTY keyboard won out over the Dvorak.
I’m really surprised to see Nepros on this channel! I bought myself a 1/2in, 3/8in, and 1/4in ratchets from them because I came across their brand on some anime artwork. Really good tools, they definitely hold up to the abuse I put them through and they still look good doing it!
You are truly cultured.
N I C E desune
But soooo expensive 😬
Lee Wagner Slightly cheaper than Snap-On....but not by much.
You know you're watching AvE when he goes on a genuinely surprised tangent on the build quality of packaging. Keep choochin' fair skookum'er
you that packaging is good when he it didnt get the mini chainsaw unboxing treatment.
And now I know my whole Christmas budget can be spent on a single screwdriver set.
I love your appreciation of not just the tech, but the package or case it comes in, ive learnt more about the composition of plastic casings and packaging from you than anywhere else! Your reverance for stuff from J.A.Pan is wonderul too, i remeber you taking apart the $500 doll hair toaster with equal apprecation for the quality of the build.
Greetings from Nova Scotia. Love ur vids on a Saturday morning.
Cheers buddy. Not much left of Saturday morning now eh.
@@arduinoversusevil2025 he even comes back 3 weeks later for us non beer fund guys. Thank you
This reminds me of the K31 Swiss rifle I used to have. When you removed the screws, the trigger plate and action were so tightly fit to the stock you had to bonk it against something to pop them out. Even at full extension the bolt barely had any play between the bearing surfaces of the bolt and reciever.
Used to? Why would you ever sell a k31?
“It’s like a whole different country”
Just sublime SUBLIME I say powers of observation. Singlehandedly redeeming Canada one vid at a time is AvE.
Canada will never be redeemed
The Japanese makes some of the nicest products on earth. I love their knives, cars and especially their motorcycles. Thanks for the video! Now I have to buy more tools.
When I purchased my Nepros ratchet I had a hard time throwing away the box.
"[Japan] is like a whole different country than China." Who'd have thought? Hehe.
I love watching these kinds of videos. AvE gets into great detail with these tool reviews, and his humour is exceptionally funny. Keep up the good work!
I’m going to school in NY to be an auto mechanic and I’ve been watching your channel for years! You are the only person I trust to find the tools that i’ll hopefully have for life. Love ya you big canadian goof
The Nepros site is down, you've hugged them to death!
Properly slashdotted.
It hasn't crashed... I'm getting the odd request through, but it is certainly struggling.
Amazon has them.
fatt Guy for a higher price.
@@fattguy21 fuck amazon
I never would have expected the words "usagi yojimbo" to come out of your mouth. Nice
I'll always remember the line by one of my favourite mech eng profs: whoever invented the flathead fastener should be forced to spend the rest of eternity screwing one in and out again.
Tbh it was the first screw head invented and easy to manufacture even in home, so it has its purpose, but now its time to face away, though it is very good in chainsaws chain tensioner since you can use even wooden stick to operate it on the field, or knife or what ever you have at hand.
I’ve never stripped a flathead, but I’ve had to drill out hundreds of rusty Philip head screws over the years.
A brass slotted pan head, at that!
Hiro Shima That has more to do with which fastener is used for which application than the actual fastener
1:03 I've been saying this since I was in high school, twenty-odd years, "If it's not worth doing your best is not worth doing at all."
I tell my kids all the time ( can’t ) is a four letter word for I’m not willing to try hard enough.
@@danstarkweather5842 1+
I view "can't" more as an incomplete statement, the first step in rational thought identify the problem . I can't do it why not?
Once you complete this statement⬆️ and state why you cannot complete it at this time, you know what you need to do to solve the identified problem prohibiting forward progress. Armed with this knowledge I can now gain the skill necessary to change the accuracy of the previous incomplete "cant statement". .
Enjoy the day, it's a good one to be alive.
The handle on that nepro screwdriver is stunning
I've been to Japan twice, long enough to tour about. Great place, highly recommended. While I was there for two months I tried to learn some of the language, really struggled with it. But kids have to take English in school and are always willing to help.
I bought a set of Felo screwdrivers after seeing you praise them. Fantastic screwdrivers!
The unfinished spot on the ratchet head is a "witness" mark...to show that yir purchasing a forged tool...not some cast chiz-ium...maybe. I also have a, old as hell, "New Lobster" Japan adjustable wrench. ..don't know where the hell it came from.??? You will be fined and spanked by the tool junkies! The proper nomenclature for the screw driver tip is HOLLOW GROUND. Some styles even have little fastener grippy grooves (lateral striations on the radial plane of the screwdriver....how is that for pedantic?)...if you don't care about marring the screw head...on yir $2000 H&H .375 Magnum ...
I always thought they left the area under the switch unpolished so scratches from the switch don't stand out.
@@RabidBadger_ What makes you think THAT tool's switch is going to scratch anything?
@@evensgrey It doesn't have to be the switch. It could be abrasive particles stuck under the switch or on the user's hands.
I have multiple ratchets with the area under the switch unpolished or intentionally textured. There has to be a reason for it.
@@RabidBadger_ I don't know why it's unfinished. It's just a fricken wrench. yir guess is as good as mine. The Japanese are not stupid. They have advanced many things. They surpassed "copying" over 45 years ago. Some "designs" have no meaning, other than to be a trademark. To significantly identify the object as designed and manufactured by Neepco...or New Lobster, for instance. Marketing. A statement of pride.
Why spend that much on an obsolete revolver? Shit you would be better off dropping that on a 1911... but yes “hollow ground” is the phrase.
The bahco adjustable wrench head design is very similar, As an engineer who has to fly everywhere, and weight is of the utmost importance these are my goto wrenches . Light strong and easy to identify against other people’s tools. Although that doesn’t stop them “ growing legs” and walking away as they are so good
Love the green stained handles, those are gorgeous
William Edwards Deming was a statistician and quality control expert that helped the US Army in rebuilding Japan after WW2. His ideas about quality control and process improvement are still taught in Japan. Today there's an award, called the Deming Prize, given in recognition of embracing quality. Deming played a critical part in creating one of the world's most powerful manufacturing economies. If there is a japanese-made product of high quality, it exists because of William Edwards Deming.
Deming's principles indeed helped Japan, but I look at it another way:
1. Nothing prevented the USA from embracing Deming's philosophy. Why didn't it?
2. Japan embraced Deming because they were culturally predisposed to do so.
Let's be dispassionate here. I believe it's a fact that certain societies have an advantage over others IN CERTAIN RESPECTS.
Dude, bless Nippon and their enginerding, my Technics turntables still going strong!
hey i got an old technics too! i can't remember the exact model i think a 420? but it's an absolute gem and i haven't had to chance to set it up yet at my new place but man do i love that gem of a direct drive :)
From Vancouver, thanks for the hangover helper
Thats one hell of a driver! Absolutely gorgeous.
I can tell you have a tear forming in your eye the whole time.
Seriously, the level of care Japanese and Germans put into their tools is incredible. I was looking for garden sheers, because all the cheap ones I've bought always chipped easily and were a pain to use. Decided to buy me a pair of Okatsune hedge sheers with 7 5/8" blades. Oh my.... they cut like butter and are so damn durable -- I accidentally struck concrete with them when cutting close to the ground and thought I'd surely chipped them.... nope, not a ding.
I'm German and I don't know any tool company here that comes close to that craftsmanship. Hazet, Stahlwille etc are great and all, but shown tools are the next step regarding the level of detail. No idea how good they hold up in comparison in a stress test
I wish US had the same quality standards as JPN
The US USED to. But between the absurd prices paid for military applications (which have hoovered up all the manufacturers with high quality products) and the rise of Chinese producers (which undercut everyone who doesn't) there's not a lot left for regular folks to buy.
This isn't a new phenomenon from Japan, either. Back in the 1970's there was supposedly a US electronics company that decided to test buy some semiconductor parts from one of the then relatively new Japanese semiconductor companies. They sent in an order with all the usual specifications they would have given a US maker, including an acceptable rate of defective parts. This last item seems to have confused the Japanese, as they included in the shipment an explanatory note for some somewhat peculiar packaging: "We have packaged defective parts separately. We hope this pleases you."
@@evensgrey now, that's a story! I got a proper laugh.
If ppl were prepared to pay the price, there would be many US companies willing to supply the product. No customers, no business.
You could look up a bit of history with post ww2 japan and W.E.Deming, among others...
Instead the US gets Microsoft quality.
My dad happend to come into a full cart of these tools... the are the most amazing tools I've ever worked with, after 20 years, still not a smudge on them that sticks
Just found this channel and I think it's my new favorite
The handle of the Japanese flat tip makes it look like a wood elf's tool.
That is a Sunday’s best screw’em up driver. Love the handle. Too nice to ever use lol
Koken is another good Japanese tool. I too love the Japanese tools!!
Love your vids also! Cheers.
Transplant from the Midwest, I've been living in Japan for over thirty years... I can say without reservation that the level of quality displayed here goes clear through to the bone in just about all aspects of society.
We're far from the City and up on the Hill, can't speak to the bustle of the flatlands but up here is skookum as frig, and then some.
No regrets... DIAV. Cheers from Shinshu.
I know what the wife is getting me for X-mas this year, thank you!
Stopping giving the urge to buy more tools I can’t afford XD
Working in auto parts for four and a half years, my long term co-workers and I agreed that you always know which companies are proud of their products, when you look at how their products are packaged.
Japan is a whole different planet. It's like jumping forward in time about 5 years every time I go there.
The fact that you even know who who soggy Yojimbo is is a testament to your epicness
Yea so how about letting the rest of us Blokes Know~???
I really love their saws. then again i've been in love with japan since i was a kid lol.
@Honourable Member yeah i also used it to cut my horse in half
It did the job quite well
The Dozuki is my favorite hand saw....
god damn cringe ass weeaboo
Love this channel and its fantastic tools!
Subscribed.
Brilliant.
Stuff is just done differently in the East, and then there's Karma.
Regards from NE Thailand, 40 miles from the Mighty Mekong River and the border with Laos.
Edit,
and a fellow (1969 VSL) Boxford owner.
Impressive, I’m curious about the Nepros manufacturing tolerances on the ratchets. I’m noticing a ton of attention to detail on the drivers. The through-tang/knob-end-striker is great, but the really impressive thing is that massive hexagonal section. About a decade ago I bought a set of USA made Craftsman drivers that had similar features, but were square ground and had synthetic handles. I loved them but of course they are nowhere to be found now to replace the worn out set. Glory days of tools are ahead boys, and they are coming from the land of Sashimi, Sushi, and Saki.
Safety squints engaged.
Sake*
Any chance they left the unfinished part on the ratchet unfinished as some sort of proof it was indeed drop forged? Or just some Japanese wabi-sabi aesthetics and all?
I believe you are correct on both counts~!!
Shogun is an excellent book. I read it about 40-45 years ago. I think I still have a copy, might have to dig it out.
Best Nepro's review on youtube. This gives a closer look at what it would be like to use there tools. The width of the fine teeth lead me to believe it's pretty strong. The rough area by the selector would of been a surprise.