This is the Toyo Steel Cantilever Toolbox, it’s an icon of Japanese industrial design, and each is made by Toyo Steel Co. Ltd – a firm that’s been in operation nonstop since the late 1960s.
This toolbox is ideal as a simple home or garage tool container, with a cantilever lid and plenty of room inside for a regular assortment of screwdrivers, wrenches, and other hand tools.
This toolbox is ideal as a simple home or garage tool container, with a cantilever lid and plenty of room inside for a regular assortment of screwdrivers, wrenches, and other hand tools.
History Speedrun: Toyo Steel Co.
Toyo Steel Co., Ltd. was founded in Osaka in 1969, at a time when Japan’s postwar industrial sector was starting to reach a global audience for the first time. The company became known early on for developing a unique deep-drawing press technology that allowed them to manufacture the world’s first seamless steel toolbox from a single sheet of steel.
This deep-drawing press breakthrough not only simplified production but also created a stronger, cleaner design that helped to set Toyo apart from the more traditional riveted or welded tool boxes.
In Japan, Toyo became a dominant force in the steel toolbox market, achieving almost 70% of the domestic share. Its boxes were adopted by tradespeople, factories, and workshops – but the simple lines and colored powder-coated finishes gave them broad appeal well beyond industrial use – over time, Toyo toolboxes began appearing in homes, artist studios, and even as lifestyle accessories.
The company continues to produce all of its toolboxes in Osaka, Japan – and they still focus on longevity and a philosophy it memorably describes as “Dreams Will Not Rust.” More than half a century on, Toyo’s toolboxes remain undisputed icons of Japanese manufacturing.
The Toyo Steel Cantilever Toolbox
The Toyo Steel Cantilever Toolbox ST-350 is a pressed-steel tool case designed with a traditional cantilevered opening system to offer excellent access to the contents.
When the lid is lifted, the two upper trays swing out to reveal tiered compartments – giving the user a clear view of both small and large tools at once. This design eliminates the need to dig through a cluttered box, making it as practical for professional use as it is for home workshops or just for hobby storage.
When the lid is lifted, the two upper trays swing out to reveal tiered compartments – giving the user a clear view of both small and large tools at once.
Each of these toolboxes is made from a single sheet of steel using a deep-drawing press technique in order to avoid seams or weak points in its body. The result is a solid, rattle-free shell that resists damage under normal daily use. A powder-coated finish protects the steel from rust and scratches, and it has a secure center latch to keep it securely closed.
The ST-350 is now available to buy in the USA from the outfitting company Huckberry with free US shipping, free US returns, and a best price guarantee. If you’d like to read more or get your own you can visit the listing here.
Images courtesy of Huckberry
Articles that Ben Branch has written have been covered on CNN, Popular Mechanics, Smithsonian Magazine, Road & Track Magazine, the official Pinterest blog, the official eBay Motors blog, BuzzFeed, Autoweek Magazine, Wired Magazine, Autoblog, Gear Patrol, Jalopnik, The Verge, and many more.
Silodrome was founded by Ben back in 2010, in the years since the site has grown to become a world leader in the alternative and vintage motoring sector, with well over a million monthly readers from around the world and many hundreds of thousands of followers on social media.
