Yoshiharu Takeuchi founded Kyowa Kikugushi Co., Ltd. in 1949. The company produced and sold metal exercise tools. After successfuly using the brand names Top and Tokyo Top for many years, he changed the company name to Tokyo Top Co., Ltd. in 1963. The company's management changed in 1978, and changed the company name to New Top Co., Ltd. By the 1990s, New Top had gone out of business.
Kyowa Sporting Equipment Manufacturing Co. Icicle
We believe that this axe was hand forged by craftsmen of Kyowa Sporting Equipment Manufacturing Co., Tokyo Ohsaki. It shares striking similarities with the later Tokyo Top "TOP ICICLE" and "TOP SNOWMAN" series. Tokyo Top was originally a brand name of Kyowa Kikugushi Co., Ltd., an exercise equipment manufacturer. These commonalities suggest a common blacksmithing lineage.
↑ 475: Kyowa Sporting Equipment Manufacturing Co. Icicle
- Made in Japan [1940s].
- 830x300 mm.
- Weight: 890 g.
- Wood Shaft.
- Shaft: 34x23 mm. (Grip: 32x22 mm.)
- Fixed head.
- Straight adze with a curved edge and no arch.
- Adze: 80(l)x65(w)x0(arch) mm.
- Curved alpine pick with a pointed tip.
- Pick: 165(l)x21(h)x9(t) mm.
- Square spike.
- Spike: 48(l)x10w)x10(t) mm.
- Steel glide ring with sewn web strap. Steel collar secured by three screws.
- The head shows refined forging quality with a sleek European inspired form while retaining distinctive Japanese craftsmanship of the Showa era.
- This early Icicle model shares striking similarities with the later Tokyo Tajima “TOP ICICLE” and “TOP SNOWMAN” series, suggesting a common lineage.
