Tajima

A Tajima chalk line is the box framers, roofers and drywallers snap layout with all day, and Tajima’s utility knives and pull saws handle the cutting that follows. Buy it because you can fix it: when a Chalk-Rite wears out its line or jams, Tajima sells the replacement line and parts to put it back to work.

Tajima Tool Corporation, which calls itself Tajima Tool, has been developing and improving its tools since 1909 and has designed and manufactured them for over 100 years. It develops new designs by working with over 1,000 end users and asking about their actual experience on the job. The line runs from chalk lines and tapes to utility knives, caulk guns, drywall tools and pull-stroke saws.

Chalk-Rite chalk lines: bold or thin

Tajima makes the Chalk-Rite II in Extra Bold and Ultra-Thin, and it brought out the newer Chalk-Rite Dura and Jam Free with an ultra-thin snap line. On sheathing, felt and rough lumber, use the bold line and press it down before you snap so you can read it from standing height. Save the thin line for metal roofing, tile and finish layout, where a wide line can throw your cut off by its own width, depending on which edge you cut to. On a framing crew, the bold line is the one that gets used. The Sturdy, Compact, Mini, Dura II, Dura III and Auto Wind make up the rest of the Chalk-Rite boxes. For foundations, roof decks and long walls, carry a 100 ft line so you snap once instead of moving the hook.

Chalk-Rite option	Choices
Snap-line width	0.02 in (0.5 mm), 0.04 in (1.0 mm), 0.07 in (1.8 mm), 0.1 in (2.8 mm)
Line length	23 ft (7 m), 25 ft (7.5 m), 50 ft (15 m), 100 ft (30 m), 150 ft (45 m)
Case	Die-cast aluminum or ABS
Fluorescent colors	Pink, green

When a chalk line jams

Most chalk boxes go in the trash the first time they jam. On the Chalk-Rite models in the table below, a jam is a repair: Tajima publishes how to reset a jammed snap line, and it also shows how to clear a clogged chalk box, untangle the line, attach a hook, and replace and retie the snap line. Jams usually start with a box packed full of chalk, which forces chalk into the gears, so fill it about halfway and tap it down. Keep an old box for rainy days, because wet chalk turns to paste in the case.

Chalk-Rite model	Repairs Tajima documents
CR401S, CR403S, CR503S	Reset a jammed snap line, replace the snap line, tie the knot
CR401S	Clear a clogged chalk box
CR301JF, CR201B-P, CR201R-PR, CR201W-P	Replace the snap line, attach a hook, clear a clogged chalk box, untangle the line
CR202B-P, CR201R-PR, CR201W-P	Takes the TAJ-LL09 Line Lock and Screw
PZB 400	Replace the snap line

Replacement line, parts and chalk

When the line frays, put in Chalk-Rite Replacement Line of the same thickness that came out so it feeds cleanly through the nose. The rest of the parts cover the rewind: the planetary gears (sold as a set of 3) and disengage spring drive it, the folding handle assembly is the crank, the line lock holds the line where you set it, the line spool fits the Dura, and the pull-through tool threads new line through the box.

For chalk, Tajima sells micro chalk, fluorescent micro chalk, snap line dye and quick dry ink. Use blue where the line will show or get painted, because it brushes off. Red and the dark colors hold through weather on a roof deck and stay on a floor that’s getting finished.

The limited warranty covers defects in material and workmanship for three months from the original purchase, for the original buyer only, and a covered defect gets a replacement.

Aluminist utility knives and blades

The Aluminist knife carries spare blades in its handle, so you can swap out a dull edge on the ladder instead of walking back to the truck. The wide blade stays straight scoring drywall and cutting shingles, and the dial lock holds it where you set it. Change blades sooner than feels necessary, because a dull edge tears drywall face paper and wanders on a shingle cut. Tajima’s blades include the Rock Hard Blade H, the SOLID Rock Hard Blade H and the Razar Black Blade H. The Rock Hard Aluminist knives, the Aluminist Magazine and the V-Rex knife and blade packs fill out the cutting line.

Aluminist AC-701S	Spec
Body	Die-cast aluminum
Blade width	1 in. (25 mm)
Blade lock	Dial
Blade storage	In the handle
Blades included	3

Japan Pull saw

The Japan Pull saw cuts on the pull stroke with a thin blade, which makes it quick and clean on trim and flush cuts. The blade steel is hardened for durability, and the teeth are spot-hardened for cutting while the blade keeps its flex. Let the saw pull, because pushing hard or twisting kinks a blade this thin. Hardened teeth chip on a nail. When that happens, open the quick-release retainer, drop in a new Japan Pull Blade and keep the handle. Tajima also makes the G-Saw replacement blade.

Japan Pull JPR-265R	Spec
Blade length	10.4 in. (265 mm)
Tooth pitch	0.07 in. (1.75 mm)
Blade thickness	0.02 in. (0.6 mm)
Kerf width	0.04 in. (0.9 mm)
Handle	Straight, elastomer grip
Blade retainer	Quick-release

Caulk guns, tapes and the rest of the line

Tajima also makes caulk guns, along with the Convoy Super Sausage 2Way and the Convoy Bulk Super3Way. Its other tools include the Plumb-Rite braided plumb line, a drywall rasp and chamfer tool, the Varix EZ Cable Stripper, and an LED work light and headlamp. For tapes, SIGMA STOP has a dual lock mechanism, and GS-LOCK comes in clip-compatible versions with an engineer’s scale, a magnetic hook or Magnetic Power x2. CLIP-n-HOLD is a belt clamping system, with a version for vertical harnesses and one made for 3-inch-wide tool belts.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you snap a clean line with a Tajima chalk line?

Pull the line tight, hold it close to the surface, then lift it straight up from the middle and let go. Snap once, because a second snap rarely lands in exactly the same spot and leaves you a fuzzy double line. On a long run, have someone press the line down at the center and snap each half separately so wind and sag don’t bow it.

Which Tajima tape measure should you get?

Tajima tapes come with 1 in (25 mm), 1.1 in (27 mm) and 0.5 in (13 mm) blades. A wider blade reaches farther before it bends, so take the 1.1 in if you measure a lot alone, the 1 in for general work, and the 0.5 in for a pocket. Look for the dual-sided blade if you read from both edges, and the horned magnetic hook if you hook onto steel.

What chalk goes in a Tajima chalk line?

Tajima’s micro chalk is ground fine, and it comes in a fluorescent version that shows up on dark sheathing, in a shaded basement or late in the day. Keep one color per box, because mixed chalk turns a muddy shade that’s harder to read. If you use two colors, a second box costs less time than cleaning one out.

Does Tajima make a caulk gun?

Yes, caulk guns are part of the Tajima lineup along with its chalk lines and knives. Cut the nozzle small and at an angle, push the bead ahead of the tip, and release the plunger when you stop so the tube doesn’t keep oozing. In cold weather, keep tubes in a warm cab, since cold caulk pumps stiff and lays down a lumpy bead.