Oval Hanko

 The most common hanko we provide is a 12mm round personal stamp, which usually has a Christian name for Westerners or a Surname, more commonly used in the East. 

 However we are also asked regularly to make a hanko which incorporates both Christian and Surname and due to the number of kana we normally recommend an oval format at 16 x 11mm sizing. 

This size equally fits well in grading books where the examiner places his stamp and the oval shape is also quite traditional. 

Current costings can be found in the relevant shop page please click on the button below to view.

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Club and examiner's hanko

 We worked with Soncho Karate Club to produce a club and examiners stamps.

Current costings can be found in the relevant shop page please click on the button below to view.

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Re-creation of old seal script chops

Our client wanted to reproduce some existing hanko that had basically worn out, but very much wanted to retain the look of the old hanko, could we help? 

Clients hanko image

Well it is not something we have really done before. We would normally obtain from the client the original text, order the correct kanji in seal font from Japan, import into our graphics package and work up a design from there. 

Unknown to our client our first step is to look at the "Inkan" the impression the hanko makes, these were supplied just as photos. Who is asking us to make the hanko and do they have the necessary authority to order the hanko. Well when it transpired that our prospective client was a UK Chief Instructor and the hanko were based around his group this validation was passed without any communication being entered into. 

Clients chop image

Our client sent one photo of a "chop" this is the name given commonly to a hanko that may be used by an artist and is usually based often on a seal script font that has then been stylised. However there was text that was also visible in the photo and the border needed tidying up. The second was of a more standard layout, but had a heavily worn border that was almost non-existent. 

Completed chop graphic

The photo was converted to a vector image, this broke it down into over six hundred components. Then every component either needed deleting, or its border and colour changing. After that elements of the border were copied and rotated and stitched back together. In all approx. ninety minutes of editing to get from the photo to the final design. 

Completed hanko graphic

Completed Self inking stamps

The designs were approved by the client and the self inking stamps went into production. We were not sure what detail would be retained and what would be lost. When we did the final test of the hanko we were very pleased with the results. 

Current costings can be found in the relevant shop page please click on the button below to view.

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Tensho font hanko from a Jpeg file

 Hanko - From customers jpeg, to graphics for approval, to selection and production. Our seal script are very much a "loss leader" as they do take a lot of time to design, but we very much enjoy doing them. This 24mm x 24mm stamp works out at £61.50 inc P&P to the UK, any enquiries please mail sotosabisu@btinternet.comA personal and club hanko for all your stamping needs.

Client supplied graphic

Graphic work up

Graphic of hanko with tensho style font

Completed hanko

Current costings can be found in the relevant shop page please click on the button below to view.

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Club and personal hanko

 A personal and club hanko for all your stamping needs.

Current costings can be found in the relevant shop page please click on the button below to view.

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Kengona Hanko

 堅固な = Kengona which means solid / firm /steadfast. The first kanji on its own can also be used to represent the same meaning. The graphic was provided by the client and converted to a vector image for the hanko.

Current costings can be found in the relevant shop page please click on the button below to view.

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Reverse Hanko

Hanko can be produced in standard or reverse layout.

Here is a reverse layout for Seishin Karate.

Reverse style hanko

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Shodan to Yondan stamps

Shodan to Yondan hanko.

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Grading Examiner Stamp

We have recently made up a grading stamp for a newly qualified  grading examiner.

Although only a small gift from their club, was does it signify?

Well for the recipient it signifies, twenty years of karate, attainment of Sandan, recognition as a club level instructor by his association, undertaking a written exam and responding with consideration drawing on all of the experience gained in his journey so far.

Small Stamp = Big Achievement.

Personal stamp for grading books

Current costings can be found in the relevant shop page please click on the button below to view.

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Custom Club Stamps

Although we make mainly traditional Hanko we can also work with you to make any custom club stamp to suit your needs.

Current costings can be found in the relevant shop page please click on the button below to view.

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Kyu grade hanko

We have made up a couple of sets of Kyu grade stamps for dojo and can adapt to your needs.

Ikkyu, Nikyu and Sankyu stamps 10mm x 10mm. We prepared a few options for our client and they went with the traditional kanji. The standard kana is used for Kyu grade levels 1 to 3. However when we produce Dan Certificates the kana for bank notes are used for additional security. Although the stamps are only 10mm we have managed to maintain a high level of detail in the finished Inkan.

Draft graphic produced for customer

Completed Hanko

Next a set of 1st to 8th Kyu hanko, 14mm x 14mm in a brush style font.

If you are interested in a set of hanko for your dojo (8 or more) we will offer a £50.00 GBP discount. We can make these up in a round or square format, in a block or brush font, in red or black and any size up to 14mm for the same price as an individual hanko / inkan. 

1st to 4th Kyu hanko

5th to 8th Kyu hanko

I am often asked - hanko is the name for the stamp and inkan is the name for the impression made, but they are regularly interchanged.

It is usually obvious from the context of the sentence what is meant . 

Current costings can be found in the relevant shop page please click on the button below to view.

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Hanko for a New Association

A square 24 x 24mm Association hanko and an oval 16 x 11mm personal Hanko. 

The hanko have been made with our standard block style font, we also offer a brush style font and in collaboration with a partner in Japan, we can now offer a seal script font at a small additional cost. 

We also produce round 12mm personal stamps and larger 38 x 38mm square Association stamps for Dan grade certificates etc. Our stamps are self inking and last for many years, additional ink pads are available if they ever run out.

Above is the work up of the design for the hanko from our graphics suite.

Current costings can be found in the relevant shop page please click on the button below to view.

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Aikido Hanko Design

This short montage follows the steps in designing a tensho (seal script) font hanko for an Aikido group. 

Current costings can be found in the relevant shop page please click on the button below to view.

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Personal and Shotokan Tiger Hanko

We recently manufactured a couple of small 12mm hanko, one was a traditional layout of a surname and one was a Shotokan tiger.

We were apprehensive that the resolution for the tiger may be too low as there is a lot of detail in the design, but we think it works.

If you are thinking of ordering a Shotokan tiger, depending on the application it will be used for it may benefit from being a little bigger.

Current costings can be found in the relevant shop page please click on the button below to view.

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Dragon Hanko

We recently manufactured an oval hanko which incorporated a Christian name and a image of a dragon.

A little different from a traditional layout, but custom is what we do best.

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Hanko with graphic and kanji

We always like doing things that a little bit different. This hanko had a graphic and kanji. A dove symbolising peace and harmony, associated with Wado along with the kanji for Tozai (meaning East and West) and the ryu. 

It was produced in our standard club stamp size of 24mm x 24mm. 

We weren't sure how the detail on the graphic would appear on the inkan, but we were presently surprised.

 

Current costings can be found in the relevant shop page please click on the button below to view.

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Personal Inkan in kanji

We recently manufactured self inking stamps for use in grading books for an exiting customer.

They have a Nafudakake (Name board) where all the members names are represented in kanji.

They sent us the representations that they wanted to use and we made some graphics in both a round and oval format.

They selected the round stamps and here are the finished hanko ready for posting

Current costings can be found in the relevant shop page please click on the button below to view.

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Personal Hanko for grading books

We recently manufactured square self inking stamps for use in grading books for the Southwest Karate Association.

The work up in the graphics package

We translate the names and import them into the software. The font was then reduced in size and individually spaced vertically. The font was increased in width by 25% to "fill" the hanko and SKA was embolded and added.

The graphics for the individual stamps

The finished hanko ready for posting

Personal hanko are normally round or oval, but  our client wanted to use Christian and Surname and SKA. So it is a bit of a hybrid between a personal an organisational stamp. The Square format is traditionally used for a business, club or Association etc, but we like how they turned out and ideal for the clients requirements.

Current costings can be found in the relevant shop page please click on the button below to view.

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Square Personal Hanko

We recently manufactured a square self inking stamp for use in grading books.

Personal Hanko are normally round or oval, but to get a good "fit" for Christian, Middle and Surname  we were asked if we could design to a square format.

The width to height ratio and spacing have been adjusted in our graphics package and individually placed.

The client requested if we could design, manufacture and deliver ready for a mid July grading. 

The Hanko is in the post with a few days to spare.

Square personal Hanko

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Club and Personal Hanko

A 24 x 24mm standard club hanko, the kana are katakana and kanji.

Also a personal hanko producing an oval inkan. Most personal hanko are 12mm diameter and this is like an "everyday" hanko for personal use in Japan and would normally just have the surname. 

We are regularly asked to produce a hanko with both Christian and Surname. There are too many kana for a small round stamp so we  recommend an oval design with dimensions of 16 x 11mm is used. 

In the West it is common practice to just use your Christian name on a hanko (the name you are known by). In the East people may have been friends for 40 or 50 years, but would still call each other by their Surname. 

Although it is not "normal" in Japan, I think it is much more common in the West to be known by your full name. When perhaps using just the Christian name is too informal and using a title and Surname too formal, a happy balance perhaps.

Current costings can be found in the relevant shop page please click on the button below to view.

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