Y.Inaba started machine production of flat toothpick with white birch at Kawachinagano, but in Mie prefecture he continued t to manufacture Utsugi toothpicks. In 1927, he exhibited products at the domestic exhibition of the Yokkaichi city 30 year anniversary, and won first prize at round toothpicks. Mass production by mechanization was accepted. In this era the trademark is King.
He believed that flat toothpicks made by importing manufacturing machines from the United States is like the standards of the world and that it can sell not only to Japan but also overseas, I am surprised at his foresight. The company name of Koeisha that the first generation named also comes from this idea. In 1928, he received an honorable grand prize gold cup by exhibiting a machine-made toothpick at the Excellence Memorial Good Examination Competition. It is appreciated that a machine toothpick was made for the first time after buying a machine from abroad. The location has changed to Osaka prefecture.
In the same year Toyo toothpick company to seek cheaper raw materials and man power, made a factory in Kumamoto prefecture – he started sending products to Kawachinagano. Meanwhile, research on a toothpick was done independently from a match machine in Kobe. It is Mr. K.Otani. Later on he made toothpicks from birch wood in Kobe.
Y. Inaba who was struggling with import machines from U.S.A. received Mr. Otani's enthusiastic technical support. Since then, the relationship as a brother company is still continuing. Therefore, in order to make products that meet the Japanese market by making use of the machines introduced, he made square toothpicks that looked like a spice bush toothpick with white birch, and took the corner to make round that resembled to Usugi round picks. Mr. Murakami, the first factory manager of Koeisha company (to be succeeded by Mr. Yoshimitsu Shiiba, factory manager of the third generation) created the machine are still left to make the production. Belt holding wheel (Pulley) · transportation Wheel · shaft holder etc. All of wood and made of metal, shafts, bicycle gears and chains were used slightly, and it is a mode of so-called handmade device. The square toothpicks put in the poppers are sent one by one and brought by the conveyor of the bicycle tube, compressed in the rollers opened by the thickness of the toothpicks and out with roundness. It looks like gimmick.
At this time, he made the length of the toothpick with double length, and then cut the middle part later. This system had continued from 1927 to 11960 until current regular toothpicks. This toothpick is a transitional toothpick until a toothpick of a full round shaft is made. We devised to attach equipment to urge the hopper to arrange one in order to put it one by one in the transportation wheel. Also, since the square wooden shaft on the transportation wheel has a slope of the transportation wheels loose, detailed ideas such as attaching gears to restore toothpicks and to prevent overlapping are seen everywhere. It is exactly result of sweat and obsession.
The wooden model for casting.
The finished cast metal.
The wooden model for casting.
The wooden model for casting.
The wooden model for casting.
The wooden model for casting.
The wooden models for casting.