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Batch Production Shots of Small, Useful Objects, and a Very Unusual Japanese Door Lock

By Rain Noe - May 30, 2018

in Object Culture

After graduating from the Hokkaido Institute of Design, Norio Tanno pursued his chosen field of furniture design. But he quit after just four years, feeling that his work wasn't original. Instead he turned to creating tiny boxes.

That was around 40 years ago. He now runs Tanno Studio in Hokkaido, which produces small, useful objects of his own design and made from wood. Tanno makes them in batches and documents the processes on his site.

Scissors

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USB Stick

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Card Case

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Crazy Door Lock

What caught my eye most was a photo shot by Kitka Design during a visit to Tanno's shop. One of the craftsmen there made this puzzle-box-style door lock for a cabinet! The tiny storage drawers "need to be opened in a certain pattern to unlock the larger doors."

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Check out the shop visit here, and see more of Tanno's stuff here.

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O Studio

6 years ago

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I think he needs/has that Saw Stop table saw, you know the one that you have to hold a hot dog while using? It will never cut a hot dog?

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Z Hulett

6 years ago

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That guy is going to lose a finger.

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- amunta nul
  
  Z Hulett
  
  6 years ago
  
  Z
  
  Z
  
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  Knew this comment was going to be here. He's been doing it for 40 years, I think he knows what he's doing.
  
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- Sean Thackston
  
  Z Hulett
  
  6 years ago
  
  Z
  
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  YEAH. All those shots of his digits so close to the spinning blades made my toes curl.
  
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- Juan Cano
  
  Z Hulett
  
  6 years ago
  
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  Beautiful work, but man those photos of his fingers next to the table saw, just gave me the willies.
  
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