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Jon Watanabe

@glassworks_toolbench

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A good craftsman blames his tools.
Documenting historic glass working tools and paying tribute in my own way. Pawtucket, Rhode Island

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Dante Marioni got to try out some of my jacks while up at Pilchuck this summer - the video cuts off at the end but to be abundantly clear, he says “definitely” lol. It’s nice to hear this particular review - because it’s definitely what I’m going for with the look, feel and action of the tools. I’ve been carefully modeling from original Venetian tools, like Dinos and making sure to capture the essence of vintage Italian styling that make those jacks in particular universally comfortable and highly functional. Grazie mille maestro @dante_marioni

Thanks to @lizz.redd for dragging my quiver around Pilchuck and making people try my tools. Lizz and I met up at Haystack this summer in the class with Nagai San and became fast friends, she made some beautiful jacks with some really cool brazed inlay - say hi to her next time you’re in LA! by @glassworks_toolbench

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Two sets of jacks - 10” standard and goblet. Black patina, leather wrap with walnut handle insert, cork and archival linen for nice hand feel. I usually tuck the leather tails on these handle wraps so you don’t see or feel them, these are hanging free for now just for fun. by @glassworks_toolbench

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The final stages of shear putting and assembling the pivot. Lots of time and work go into these tools. I hope you enjoy how they feel and function at the bench. by @glassworks_toolbench

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TLDR: GAS was good.

Obviously we had a good time at GAS. It was incredible to discover that all of the avatars on the internet that I’ve become friends with over the years are real people. Didn’t nearly get as many pics as I’d like to have had because I was too busy talking and talking and talking.

I think on any other day, the revelation that people like Preston, Martin, Davide, Caroline, and many many others use my tools would be enough to fill the cup - but I’m overwhelmed by the outpouring of enthusiasm and support coming from all around the glass community - and hearing that mine are your first set of jacks is quite an honor.

Thanks to everyone who bought tools and for all the good conversation. Huge thanks to @cannedheat for splitting their booth with me and making that possible - those guys absolutely rock and they know how to party.

Thanks to Alessia for not only helping with the tools but also doing all of the drawing for our catalog and organizing the merch, she worked very hard to make sure that stuff was nice and ready on time. She also stitched all of those jack sheaths. We had like a ton of merch, if you didn’t notice. That’s not all but I’m running out of characters. Probably see you at Boda. by @glassworks_toolbench

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A few of the things I’m bringing to the GAS market this week - if you’re at gas and want to check out my tools, I’ll be splitting a booth with canned heat. I’ve got some samples of work and some sick merch by @glassworks_toolbench

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The last day to see “Tools of the Trades” is this Saturday, February 28!

Stop by to see the tools on display, and on Saturday you’ll also have the chance to meet California makers who are in the trenches of metalsmithing. In fact, you can bring your silver treasures for appraisal with master silversmith Randy Stromsoe who apprenticed with legendary silversmith Porter Blanchard.

3:00pm - Meet & Greet with SoCal blacksmith and author Joy Fire

4:30pm - Silver Stories and Restoration Roadshow with Silversmith Randy Stromsoe

Let us know if you plan to attend: rsvp@craftinamerica.org

“Tools of the Trades” is part of Handwork 2026 and runs through February 28, 2026 at the Craft in America Center in Los Angeles, CA.

@benjackelstudio @glassworks_toolbench dusekdennis @stromsoe.studios @handwork2026 #contemporarycraft #americancraft #craftinamerica #craftinamericapbs #metalsmithing #handmadetools #blacksmithing #woodworking #glasstools #silversmithing #porterblanchard taken in Craft in America by @glassworks_toolbench

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This summer I had the pleasure of attending Haystack Mountain School of Crafts for a two week course in jack and tweezer making lead by the great Shin Nagai of Maruko tools. Nagai San was an incredible instructor. He worked with us to refine our craft and taught us some of the methods he uses to make the world’s finest glassblowing tools. Kotone Ninagawa @kotone_glass did excellent work translating his Japanese and made the communication effortless. At the end of the session in Maine, we made a studio visit to my Pawtucket workshop before heading over to MIT for a jack-making demonstration and discussion of metallurgy with the Department of Materials Science and Engineering facilitated be @pbhouk . This work will be continued as we try to expand on Nagai San’s curiosity regarding the way certain alloys interact with hot glass in sometimes non-industrially-utilized applications. Big thanks to the universe for making this happen for us and I’m really looking forward to showing y’all how this will continue to impact my work. Considering changing my name to “Nabe San” at the recommendation of my sensei @marukotools45c by @glassworks_toolbench

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Presenting the “Pluto Orbiter”, a new kind of electric glass furnace for a new era of sustainable glasswork. It’s mostly not rocket science… mostly. We developed this design over the past two years utilizing innovative aerospace insulators and efficient electric power. Slick, “tic-tac” inspired shell fabrication and ergonomic door design will fill the room with Italian-space-program vibes. Follow along as we aim to bring this sweet little glass furnace to production and fill a critical hole in the market.

105lb crucible, 60a 16,000w wire melter technically in the kiln family of melters, but with the feel of a mid sized moly melter. On average this pulls about 33 amps and melts a nice nugget. We’re excited for you to meet it.

We couldn’t have done this without Joe Upham. Joe’s guidance, advice, expertise, sage wisdom, friendship and physical labor all contributed to our success. We are looking forward to working with him on the next stage of this - Version 2 - which will be really cool and innovative and further change the way people melt glass at this scale with a secret weapon. taken in Pawtucket, Rhode Island by @glassworks_toolbench

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