Aogami Super Steel Source

C

cm_bushman

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Oct 22, 2012
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I was hoping to get some Hitachi Super Blue for an upcoming project of mine, but I can't find a place to buy it, and I can't even get a handle on general price. I can find Blue Steel (#2 or B-grade) for a reasonable price, but no luck with actual Super Blue. Is it true that Hitachi doesn't export the stuff except to very select clients?

I have resigned myself to using the lower-alloy Blue #2, or W2, which is the closest thing I could find to Super Blue in western cutlery steels (so far). I'm concerned over W2's wide allowances in it's composition though, whereas the Hitachi steels are famous for their purity and consistency. Does anyone know of a source for the Super, or a closer analog to the composition? If not, who has the best W2?
 
I get mine straight from Japan. Really unless you know someone that's willing to hunt for it in Japan, it's damn near impossible. It took me two years of searching before I got the source set up I have, and even then it's REALLY EXPENSIVE!!
 
If you are concerned about the steel specs, you might try asking a company that makes it here for their QC sheet. All of them are doing the QCs and it is pretty normal to request traceable materials for aerospace applications.

-Sandow
 
Sandow said:
If you are concerned about the steel specs, you might try asking a company that makes it here for their QC sheet. All of them are doing the QCs and it is pretty normal to request traceable materials for aerospace applications.

-Sandow
Click to expand...

If you could get it here, there would be no need for the question :) ......but you can't get it outside Japan ( unless you are the privileged exception).

CM,
I have tried for years, and the closest I have found is the white and blue Hitachi steel from Dictum in Germany, or Workshopheaven in the UK. Aldo is working on a possible US smelt, but that will be inn the future...if it happens.

I am quite pleased with the Hitachi steels from Dictum. Is it Super Blue - No .... but the white and blue it has make superb slicers.
http://www.mehr-als-werkzeug.de/category/Staehle-3624_3628.htm
 
Stacy from the sources that I have found and the ones you provided, it seems 35mm is the widest being sold. Do you know of any places that might have stock up to 50mm wide?
 
Nope, that is all I can find, too..... 30-35mm.

Someone needs to vacation in Japan and while there have some sheets of Hitachi steel cut 5mm thick by the size of their suitcase. What is a little excess weight charge when we are talking Hitachi steel.

For those reading this and scratching their head, saying, " Why not just use W1/W2?"....well, you are partly right. But, the customer who wants high end slicer will pay more for Hitchi steel, just like a customer who want a high end Bowie knife will pay more for one with Nick Wheeler's name on the blade. In both cases, the difference in quality or cutting ability may not be nearly as much as the actual increase in cost .... but these folks want the best....and in their circles that means the name Hitachi or Wheeler.
 
Don Nguyen said:
Stacy from the sources that I have found and the ones you provided, it seems 35mm is the widest being sold. Do you know of any places that might have stock up to 50mm wide?
Click to expand...

If you are needing a wider stock for kitchen knives, some of the steel they have that I have purchased from them a month ago is thick enough to be forged wide enough for a 210-240mm Gyuto. You make some awesome kitchen knives BTW Don ;)
 
I started to go into that, but figured that anyone who makes these wkno how to draw out the bevel to get a wider blade than 35mm.
With some forging skill, a 5mmx35mm bar should make a 3mmX50mm wide double bevel blade like a gyuto. In thicker single bevel blades, like a yanagiba it would be a bit harder to draw it much beyond 40mm.
 
I will have some steel availible soon that is not hitachi but is from takefu steel. It is supposed to be very very close to the same alloy as the hitachi steel. if this is something that you might be interested in let me know.
 
The owner of Chefs Knives To Go is placing an order for over a ton from Hitachi, although he hasn't stated what type. I believe it will be Blue or Super Blue though. He is going to split the order with Aldo, but it will not be til the first of the year that it all arrives.
 
here are the specs for the Takefu steel:

C Cr W Mo V Ni
V-Toku1 1.1-1.2 0.2-0.5 2.0-2.5 - 0.2 or lower 0.25 or lower
V-Toku2 1.0-1.1 0.2-0.5 1.0-1.5 - 0.2 or lower 0.25 or lower

As you can see these are reasonably close to the hitachi blue steels the major differance being the slightly lower carbon content.
 
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