Im going to go ahead and bump this thread at the request of a forum member. Ive been using a ginrei 240mm mono gyuto for a couple of monthes and its time I shared my thoughts about it.
Steel: Its the 5th 52100 knife Ive used and it is remarkably easier to sharpen than others. It is pretty tough too(although I think most 52100 is this way). I felt comfortable using more force than I normally might with this knife, but by no means am I suggesting you should try a stress test. The edge isnt delicate (wakui it is not).
At this point Ive converted my entire knife set to mono carbon which for me is a good compromise between ease of maintenance and performance. I havent figured out a strategy for cleaning and staying on top of patina build up, rather I just clean and wipe my blades at the end of the shift. As far as reactivity goes I find it to be very stable, it takes and holds a deep grey patina and doesnt bother me or interfere with my work.
Profile: Id describe it as a continuous curve from heel to tip, theres plenty of blade height too. The tip isnt pointy but doesnt have a watanabe type nose either.
Grind: theres no visible shoulders, the knife seems to be ground pretty high. Its not in my possession at the moment but Id characterize the feel of cutting with this knife like cutting with power and confidence but without a lot of weight. I cant really think of another knife that Ive used that feels like ginrei. Usually Id associate these characteristics with a thicker heavier knife, but ginrei accomplishes this feeling without sacrificing too much precision.
Other stuff: the bag and cork edge guard that come with the knife are cool. Id prefer an edge guard that covers most of the blade, not just the edge though. Handle quality is very very nice. Id put it next to shig and ittetsu for my ho wood faves. If you like high end ho wood handles you wont be disappointed. The KU hammer marks are a really neat aesthetic. Its not a pattern at all. The KU is really deep and will likely remain on the knife for sometime.
Id recommend this knife to someone that already has a bunch of light thin cutters and is looking to diversify their role with something that cuts with confidence without weighing you down. Everything about the knife is prettier in person.
Any questions?