#3-3 "EVR Production Tool pt.1-Fin"

...I was supposed to post this on April 26th, but before I knew it, it was already this long. This has nothing to do with the content of this blog, but over the past month or so, I've been spurring on an incredible number of (what I consider to be) excellent ideas, from multiple angles, and I've been working furiously to bring them to fruition. I'm sure that in a few months, Leqtique EVR will be something completely different. On the other hand, since it's ultimately my own design, I still think the direction and vibe are "right." Anyway, I'm sure it would make sense if I said I was so in the zone that it took me 20 minutes every day to find my house keys or my wallet, or that I ended up refilling my instant ramen twice...

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So, this is the final part of the tool series for now. It's so deep that it's really just a temporary thing, but honestly, I learned so much from the April production and gained so many new textures that I've decided to write this part 3.

First up is the innovative 505 L tool holder/organizer from PB Swiss Tools.

I've had this for over 10 years, but it was shelved because I often used tables that were too big for me to even think about driving wood screws into. However, your way of thinking can really change, and my current obsession is with tables made of soft, whitish wood. In the extreme, I think something like balsa wood would be fine. There's no damage to the case, and it makes it easy to find parts of any color. It doesn't have the "cool" feel of a solid piece of exotic wood, but I guess I'm good with that sort of thing... or so I thought. I'm going off on a tangent about wood again soon, so I'll stop here lol

This tool holder is simply amazing!!! It holds Ideal-tek tools in the 20,000-30,000 yen range face down like this, and holds them with complete confidence. Incidentally, for tools the size of the ES542TX and others, the hollow part of the holder fits snugly, which provides added security. This is just Swiss magic.

(Of course it's not a custom design...lol)

The ES542TX was undergoing a durability check (https://leqtique.ch/blogs/evr-blog/3-evr-tool-2), but this is what happened within less than 10 days.

The reason is simple: the 1.0mm CU line is quite tough. After cutting something around 1.5mm CU three times, it snaps... and the tungsten carbide blade breaks. There may be no other action in my life right now that makes me wish I had a time machine to redo it.

So, as a warning and caution, the greatest advantage of using tungsten carbide in an effects pedal build, other than cutting ultra-hard, ultra-thin wire (such as piano wire), is its chemical resistance, abrasion resistance, and oxidation resistance. These are certainly qualities that you would never find in a basic steel nipper.

However, perhaps because it is so hard, or perhaps because of its atomic structure, its tolerance for cuts beyond its limits is almost zero. It is extremely peaky. In terms of electronic components, it may be similar to CC resistors. Some of you may have experienced the phenomenon where, when a certain rated line is exceeded, it suddenly disappears, sending up a cloud of black soot. On the other hand, metal film resistors tend to "stick" even when they far exceed their rated current. This is why, when you disassemble an old TV, you will always find a large CC resistor sitting on the power line. We will delve into the romantic depths of CC resistors another time.

In any case, stick to CU1.0mm. It's unlikely you'll ever go beyond that when building a main board with effects pedal components. For cutting some of the larger components, we highly recommend the ES5160L, 61L, and 62L series.

(My Ideal-tek collection for Leqtique EVR 2025 Q2)

As long as you follow the specifications, there is no other nipper in the world that can compare to these. I can say this with confidence. Needless to say, I am not an Ideal-tek shilling, but if you are aiming for a serious pedal build (for example, making an ultra-precise P2P board), you should definitely introduce these nippers.

Now, as I am writing this, the doorbell rings and this is what happens.

Ultimately, this pedigree of Swiss tools is all down to the history and legendary designs of PB Swiss Tools... The "perfection" of this brand's tools is truly extraordinary. They're so intimately familiar to me that I can't help but use words like "ordinary" and "universal," but I highly recommend anyone who hasn't tried any PB Swiss Tools products yet to try them, no matter what type they are.

Shape, color, texture... You will be impressed and inspired by everything. At least, these products have all the qualities that Leqtique (EVR) aspires to.

Currently, all of the tools used by the Leqtique EVR Japanese team are Swiss-made (or rather, only PB Swiss Tools and Ideal-tek), and we have roughly 20-30 of them, but we would like to eventually have a wall full of 100-200 of them... I'm sure every effects workshop has a large collection of cool pedals from their own and other companies, but I'll be honest, our workshop doesn't currently or ever has had a single pedal, either from our own company or another (lol). If we did have one, it might be Ditto (TC Electronics).

This is because, in my opinion, a workshop is by no means a place where sound is decided. It is a sacred space where you can concentrate on one predetermined piece and produce multiple pieces with high reproducibility. It is true that the main focus of making an effects pedal is parts selection, circuit design, and sound comparison. However, I am not interested in mechanical mass production according to a set manual at the moment (although there was a time when I found beauty in that), and I want to assemble using reliable tools that I have carefully selected, while feeling the significance of each action.

New members have been joining the production team, and most of them say that the final "assembly" is the most fun. They probably don't realize that it's not so much the joy of getting to the stage where the sound comes out that's what fascinates them most about that time, when they get to use the most of all those crazy tools. Maybe I haven't fully realized it myself...

The work of Antonio Stradivari and Nicolo Amati always inspires my own creations, but of course I can only feel their presence from a distance in a museum. However, when I walk around the city of Cremona, the atmosphere of the violin workshops still scattered around is truly incredible.

The ceiling and the rows of tools lined up on the walls all give the impression that each tool has been customized to fit the individual's hand. There's almost no modernity to the place. But the creaky, decaying wood floor, the piles of scraped maple (spruce?) wood, the remaining bottles of red wine scattered everywhere...

Every time I look through the roughly opened workshop window, I think to myself that these are the results of pure dedication to manufacturing.

Well, I've gone on and on about this, but in today's effects pedal industry where there are too many products that are just products, I want to continue steadily creating works and products that have a strong message. And with that, I'll conclude this three-part story of Swiss worship lol

The next EVR Blog is scheduled for May 8th.

Shun Nokina