OLFA
{{Short description|Japanese utility knife company}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2016}}
{{Infobox company
|name = OLFA Corporation
|logo = Olfa Corporation company logo.svg
|logo_size = 200px
|native_name = オルファ株式会社
|native_name_lang = ja
|ISIN =
|industry = Tools
|founder = Yoshio Okada
|founded = {{Start date and age|1956|}}
|hq_location_city = Higashi-nakamoto, Higashinari-ku, Osaka, 537-0021
|hq_location_country = Japan
|area_served = Worldwide
|key_people = Shinichi Okada (President)
|products = {{unbulleted list|Cutters|Knives|Blades|Cutting accessories}}
|revenue = {{Increase}} {{JPY|86.9 billion|link=yes}} (2022)
|footnotes = {{cite web |url=http://www.olfa.co.jp/en/company/index.html |title=About Olfa |publisher=Olfa Corporation |access-date=February 17, 2016}}{{cite web |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapid=30639432 |title=Company Profile |work=Bloomberg Businessweek |publisher=Bloomberg L.P. |access-date=February 17, 2016}}
|homepage = {{url|https://www.olfa.com/|olfa.com}}
}}
{{nihongo|OLFA Corporation|オルファ株式会社|Orufa Kabushiki-gaisha}} is a Japanese manufacturer of utility knives, founded in 1956 in Osaka, Japan. The name is derived from the Japanese words oru (折る, bend and break) and ha (刃, blade). The company is known for inventing the snap-off blade and the rotary cutter.
Snap-off blade
Founder Yoshio Okada and his younger brother Saburo worked for printing companies where they cut paper with razor blades, but the blades quickly became unusable as their edges wore out. The brothers invented blades with scored lines which could be snapped to reveal sharp unused sections of blade. This idea came to them when they recalled how a chocolate bar given to them by an American soldier in childhood had also broken off in sections.{{cite web |title=Birth of OLFA cutter |url=https://olfa.com/professional/about-olfa/ |publisher=Olfa official website}}
These snap-off blades and their associated handles are now made by many manufacturers in two standard sizes (9 and 18mm).
File:OLFA 5019 SVR-2 9 mm utility knife with SAB blade.svg|OLFA cutter
Other products
Their products include heavy-duty and specialty cutting tools for the building industry, safety tools for industrial applications, rotary cutters, self-healing mats, art knives and rulers for the crafting industry.
The company's products are frequently recommended for use in crafts such as book repair,{{cite book |title=Basic Book Repair Methods |last=Schechter |first=Abraham A. |year=1999 |publisher=Libraries Unlimited |isbn=1-56308-700-6 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lj2pERMVdqEC&dq=Olfa+%2Bknife&pg=PA36 |page=36 }} calligraphy,{{cite book |title=The Complete Calligrapher |last=Wong |first=Frederick |year=1999 |publisher=Dover Publications |isbn=0-486-40711-X |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=A6mBuEy5T0oC&dq=Olfa+%2Bknife&pg=PA149 |page=149 }} quilt making,{{cite book |title=Making a Traditional Applique Sampler Quilt |last=Shedletsky |first=Andrea L. |year=1986 |publisher=Dover Publications |isbn=0-486-24999-9 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=whKISPen4M4C&dq=Olfa+%2Bknife&pg=PA3 |page=3 }} modelling,{{cite book |title=Great Paper Fighter Planes |last=Schmidt |first=Norman |year=2005 |publisher=Sterling Publishing |isbn=1-895569-77-X |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dcuJ0tB-_6EC&dq=Olfa+%2Bknife&pg=PA5 |page=5 }} sewing,{{cite book |title=Shirtmaking: Developing Skills for Fine Sewing |last=Coffin |first=David Page |year=1998 |publisher=Taunton Press |isbn=1-56158-264-6 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xp4WBM3Zp7sC&dq=Olfa+%2Bknife&pg=PA15 |page=15 }} picture framing{{cite book |title=Printmaking in the Sun |last=Welden |first=Dan |author2=Muir, Pauline |year=2001 |publisher=Watson-Guptill |isbn=0-8230-4292-8 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wT5QAAAAMAAJ&q=Olfa+%2Bknife |page=20 }} and appliqué.{{cite book |title=A Heartland Album: More Techniques in Hand Appliqué |last=Delaney |first=Kathy |year=2003 |publisher=Kansas City Star Books |isbn=0-9722739-7-2 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cYKH7_GPSg4C&q=Olfa+%2Bknife |page=35 }}
See also
{{Portal|Japan|Companies}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|https://olfa.com/}}
{{knives}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Knife manufacturing companies
Category:Tool manufacturing companies of Japan
Category:Manufacturing companies based in Osaka
Category:Manufacturing companies established in 1956