Vintage Japanese 240mm Ryoba Saw by Ikusaburo (Kanei)

This vintage Japanese ryoba is a 240mm double-edge pull saw sold under the Ikusaburo name and Kanei trademark, and made by Akamatsu Brothers Saw Works in Miki, Hyogo, one of Japan’s best-known toolmaking regions.

This example appears to be a post-1980s production piece, with signs of later factory manufacture including a TIG-welded tang and machine-applied blade finish. That makes it a later vintage saw rather than an earlier hand-finished pre-1980s example, but it still carries the strong practical appeal of a proper Japanese ryoba with a slender pull-saw plate, two cutting edges, and a traditional wrapped handle.

What lifts this one above a standard vintage user is the survival of its original blue cloth blade wrap, price stickers, and maker insert card. Those details give it much better period character and make it more complete than most loose vintage saws that turn up without packaging.

The insert names the maker as Akamatsu Brothers Saw Works and places them in Miki City, Hyogo Prefecture. It also states that the Ikusaburo saw line had been developed over more than a century of study and production, and highlights the company’s focus on cutting performance, toughness, special heat treatment, and after-sales support. Whether bought as a user, a display piece, or both, this is a neat later-vintage ryoba with unusually intact original accessories.

Maker note

This vintage saw comes with its original Kanei / Isaburō insert, which describes a long-established maker focused on refining hand saw performance over many decades. The insert highlights the saw’s distinctive diamond-pattern blade finish, intended to reduce friction and help the blade track cleanly through timber, along with a specially made steel chosen for a balance of sharp cutting and flexibility. It also notes a high hardness rating and a tooth set designed for strong cutting performance, while advising care around nails, stone, and other metal contact. As with many original tool inserts, these are period maker claims, but they add useful context to the saw’s intended quality and use.

As with most vintage Japanese saws, this piece is best treated as a careful user or collector’s saw unless you are confident assessing older teeth and set. Keep the blade dry after use, wipe with a light coat of camellia oil or similar protective oil, and avoid forcing the saw through dirty, knotty, or nail-contaminated timber. Resharpening should be left to someone experienced with Japanese saw teeth if needed.

Vintage old stock or lightly stored vintage condition. While this saw presents very cleanly, it is still an older tool and may show minor storage marks, light age toning, and small blemishes consistent with long-term storage. Packaging and insert have age wear, foxing, and handling marks. Please review photos closely.

A good fit for buyers wanting a usable vintage Japanese ryoba with better presentation than a loose workshop find. Suitable for light to moderate woodworking use, collection, display, or as a period-correct addition to a Japanese tool kit. The original wrap and insert also make it more appealing for collectors who value completeness.