A craftsman’s job is full of tedious tasks that are constantly involving their hands. There is nothing showy about the manufacturing process, but the products that are made are completely original and unique.

The 5th floor sign was made with a combination of metal plates with different surface finishes applied to them. These plates come together to form the silhouette of the number 5.

There are 5 different processes which were used here, but the original material was the same. Each plate has a different texture and it is hard to believe they were all made from the same material.

・The Buff Finish resembles a mirror
・The Hairline Finish is a combination of delicate horizontal lines.
・The Glass Bead Blasting Finish sprays glass beads onto the metal for a glossy finish.
・Another Blast Finish uses aluminum to make a matte finish on the metal.
・And lastly, the Hammer Tone Coating finish looks as if it has been struck by a hammer.

Many of these finishes were done by Kōshingiken Factory, which specializes in metal shaving and surface finishes.

The finish we would like to highlight is the Buff finish. Using a rotating polishing agent, artisans hand-polish each piece. At first, they use a very rough abrasive, but as the process continues on, the tools become finer. In the end, they use a laser measuring instrument to check the final product.This product isn’t allowed to have any scratches left in its surface, which makes for quite the overwhelming task.

These parts are then used in integrated-circuit manufacturing machinery as well as medical equipment and have even been used on model cars shown at domestic motor shows. In foreign motor shows, the spectators are all impressed by how beautiful the buff finish is.

Even today, the craftsman are silently working away at their craft in order to overcome the hurdles their clients request of them.

Next, let’s head to the 4th floor object. There we will introduce the complicated bending object that is “steel origami.”