Purported proprietary Ginsan #8

[Nikabrik]

While trolling rakuten, I came across a company (Hidari Tozo) that claims to have an exclusive Ginsan #8 from Hitachi. They say it tested at 62HRC.

This raises a few questions:
1) is anyone familiar with Hitachi having such a program? Property steels are nothing new, but using Hitachi-style branding on a exclusive is a surprise to me.
2) what motivations could they have for getting their own steel, rather than using gin3?
3) is there any cause to believe that it differs in a negative sense from gin3 (eg, a less expensive steel, capitalizing off gin3's reputation)?

Mfr page: http://www.hidari-tozo.com/gin8.htm
One item listing: https://item.rakuten.co.jp/first23/sekikawa-hk-1080g/

 

[osakajoe]

Just to correct some lingo:
Ginsan = GIN3
銀紙 = silver paper
3号 = #3
8号= #8

There isn’t s gin 3 #8. Lol. Just messing with you a little.

But hitachi doesn’t even list it on their website.
http://www.hitachi-metals-ts.co.jp/product/high-class-cutlery-steels.html

So they might have a new steel not listed yet but I haven’t heard anything of it. Some steel manufactures do sometimes make an exclusive steel for another company. Masahiro Knives say they have an exclusive steel in some of their lines. But they’ve been around for a long time and I can believe that happening back in the day when they were much bigger.

I don’t even know that company so wouldn’t drink the koolaid yet.

 

[HRC_64]

Also for sanity check, look at the price

 

[inferno]

Well, someone has to make the steel for them.

Better or worse than existing steels?? Only different I'd say.

I'd trust the steel makers coming up with better "recepies" than the knife makers. But thats just me.

 

[Nikabrik]

Osakajoe, thanks for clearing that up.

HRC - yeah, that's a big part of why I'm skeptical.

Well, someone has to make the steel for them.

Better or worse than existing steels?? Only different I'd say.

I'd trust the steel makers coming up with better "recepies" than the knife makers. But thats just me.

Yeah, I guess what I imagined was something like "hey, let's grab this batch of AUS6 and call it gin8 so people will think it's special."

At the price, I can't imagine it being an improvement over gin3 - except perhaps in cost or ease of manufacturing.

My guess is that its an OK steel, probably comparable to gin3, but the maker is nothing special.

Still wonder why though.

 

[Qapla']

Osakajoe, thanks for clearing that up.

HRC - yeah, that's a big part of why I'm skeptical.Yeah, I guess what I imagined was something like "hey, let's grab this batch of AUS6 and call it gin8 so people will think it's special."

At the price, I can't imagine it being an improvement over gin3 - except perhaps in cost or ease of manufacturing.

My guess is that its an OK steel, probably comparable to gin3, but the maker is nothing special.

Still wonder why though.

Frustratingly, there doesn't seem to be any contact-email on their site. Otherwise, one might be able to write to them and ask what the difference is/are between ginsan vs. this "gin-8". (The only other alternative seems to be calling them up.) I just hope that that bizarre splotchy-pattern on the handle is a sticker and not intended part of the design.