the studio

Watanabe Tool Co. is based out of Soda Glass House in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. I, Jon Watanabe make these tools by hand using honest tools that span centuries of technological relevance. I use a 200 year old English anvil and a state of the art induction forge. A 100 year old 5 ton English fly press and a Japanese forging hammer, a jewelers torch and a glassmakers cold shop to make these tools unique and functional. Most notably, these glassblowing tools are made in a glass working studio by a glass and metal worker. The heat of the furnace keeps the anvil warm and the cold shop is where I wet sand the blades.

Co-owner of Soda Glass House, Alessia Arregui, brings her skills in 2-D and 3-D modeling by drafting the designs in the computer and testing efficacy and geometry. We use these computer images to laser cut prototypes in tool steels and 3-D print prototypes. 

Soda Glass House is a multi functional space which features a wood shop, metal shop, glass working cold shop, and glassblowing hot shop. We have a handblown tableware operation found at Soda Glass House .The work of building Soda Glass House has been funded in part and indirectly over several years by two separate grants from the Windgate Fellowship at The Center For Craft to Jon, and by the DesignXri Catalyst Program to both Jon and Alessia independently. Other grants have also helped make this possible along the way. Soda Glass House also hosts a number of local artists and designers who help us out and share space and equipment. This craft community of the greater Providence area has always been strong and continues to grow and we are eager to see where it takes us all.