Balance Stones
Ten stones, each cut at different angles, so no two are alike and no two sets are either. Stacking them takes patience, and knocking them over is half the game.
Palm sized, the largest a little bigger than a matchbox.
Istanbul · solid beech · by hand
Toys that outlive childhood.
We are building a small workshop. Solid beech, no paint, finished by hand. Nothing is for sale yet, but every step of getting there is written down here.
The idea
A toy should still be worth keeping after the child outgrows it.
Toy shelves tend to split in two. On one side, cheap things nobody can quite identify. On the other, beautiful imported sets priced out of reach. The middle is oddly empty: honest material, simple shapes, a price a family can live with. That gap is why Masifico exists.
The first two sets
What we make
Both are unpainted. The colour comes from the wood itself, with a single coat of natural oil on top.
The workshop
Most of the work happens by hand
The timber is cut and the rough shape comes off the machine. Everything after that is hand work: softening the corners, sanding the surface again and again, then a coat of natural oil. That is why a set does not come out quickly.
We chose beech because it is hard and dense. It does not crack when dropped, it does not mark easily, and it darkens beautifully with age. We left it unpainted, since the grain already makes every piece different.
One material
Solid beech. No veneer, no particle board, no plastic parts and nothing held together with screws.
A plain finish
Natural oil instead of paint. For an age group that plays with its mouth, less is better.
Not for sale until testing is done
Toy safety testing is under way. Nothing goes on sale anywhere until the paperwork is in our hands.
Where we are
Exactly where the project stands
The hardest thing to say while building a brand is the part that does not exist yet. We write that down too.
Done
Design
Both sets are drawn. Every piece has its size and its place.
Now
First cut
Making the first real pieces with a workshop. How it goes will be in the Journal.
Next
Safety testing
A first small batch gets made and sent to the lab. This part takes a while.
Closed
Sales
Opens when the paperwork arrives. We are aiming for mid 2027.
The Journal
The whole build, written down
What we did, what we got wrong and what it cost. A few posts a month.
Buying guides
How to choose a secondhand wooden toy
This is where wood genuinely wins. It can be sanded, glued and have parts replaced.
Materials and care
What is actually on an unpainted toy
Unpainted does not mean bare. Something has to sit on the wood, and what that something is matters.
Workshop diary
The wooden toy villages of the world and the story they share
Germany, Japan, Russia, India. Traditions that grew up unaware of each other emerged from the same three conditions and declined for the same reason.
Be the first to know
One email a month, nothing else. When the toys go on sale, this list hears first. We never share your address and you can leave any time.