Handworked Japanese Tool Box

Fig.1 Components (mm)

Fig.2 Wedged mortise and tenon

Traditional Japanese tool boxes – known for their ingenious sliding tops – are usually nailed together. Modern copies seen in the West, on the other hand, often feature a combination of nails and joinery, such as a finger joint or through mortise and tenon joint. At a casual glance, my Japanese-style box looks just like one of those copies. However, if you look closer, you’ll find several distinct design differences that separate it from its peers.

Firstly, the mortise and tenon joint is wedged, adding contrast to the exposed joint as well as a degree of complexity to its execution. Secondly, instead of relying on friction to keep the top shut, which will deteriorate over time due to wear, my box uses a wedged batten as the locking mechanism.

In addition, unlike many copies with tops that look heavy on one