G3 or gingami 3 steel

I noticed some nice looking kaneshige lefty yanagibas the other day that were made of G3 steel. I havent been able to find very much information about this steel and Im curious how it performs. I noticed hiromoto has a gingami 3 line of knives...anybody like em? Theres not alot of entry lefty yanagibas around so I really dont have too much to choose from. Thanks for any help or suggestions!

I think the Kaneshiges are Konosukes. Mark also has a few new Konosukes with the silver 3 steel. It's pure stainless to my knowledge, so I'm not sure I would want a yanagi or a deba in that particular steel....

I've sharpened G3 a few times; stainless, fine grain, easy sharpening, almost carbon like.

Gin 3 (Silver 3) is a Hitachi stainless also used in the Tadatsuna inox line. I'm not sure about a yanagi either. On the other hand the Suisin inox single bevels aren't from a that much different steel so who knows....

Ginsanko is a great steel. Takes an awesome edge has good quality holding. Stainless, why wouldn't someone like it. I have a Single Bevel Kiritsuke in it and it is wonderful. Suisin actually makes a line of Ginsanko single bevels might be something you want to look into as well. In my opinion it'd be hard to go wrong with that steel considering all the other things(ht, grind, F&F) are done well too.

It really is very carbon like. Not quite as easy to sharpen but much easier than most other stainless.

Thanks. I'm left handed though and I'm looking for a $250-350 beginner left handed yanagiba

labor of love said:

Thanks. I'm left handed though and I'm looking for a $250-350 beginner left handed yanagiba

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Welcome to the club. Be prepared to pay 40-50% more for a lefty than for the same righty knife.

labor of love said:

Thanks. I'm left handed though and I'm looking for a $250-350 beginner left handed yanagiba

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I think the Kanseshiges you're considering would work just fine for you

Rottman said:

Welcome to the club. Be prepared to pay 40-50% more for a lefty than for the same righty knife.

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It's almost like the rest of the world is trying to get even with us for being better hockey players, golfers, pitchers and having, on average, higher intelligence levels than right-handed people.

Rottman said:

Welcome to the club. Be prepared to pay 40-50% more for a lefty than for the same righty knife.

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I'm not willing to go that route. Which makes the kaneshiges a bargain. Korins ginsanko 300 left handed yanagiba is almost $700! No thanks!

Tanakas are a good bargain. I have a blue damascus lefty takohiki and a deba, both for under $900 with upgraded handles...