Hitachi Shiro-gami and Ao-gami Steels

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

These Hitachi steels, with their target hardness often being as high as Rc63-64, have to be handled with kid gloves.
The amount of carbides formed by the extra forty or fifty points of carbon ( compared to 1084) can make it heat up FAST when grinding. Any grinding after HT can potentially damage the blade. Will you know it when grinding ????, probably not....but there can be a significant loss of edge retention when the knife is done. The extra steps in hand finishing these blades, and the truly flat and fine surface of waterstones and other wet plates is one of the reasons chefs will pay hundreds more for a quality blue or white steel blade.

That said, careful grinding, with bare hands and constant dipping in water will create a great blade. It is just not the optimal method.

 

[gine]

Stacy,
Well said!
That reminds me my phil Wilson custom was sharpened on a stone as well.
He definitely knows what he is doing when it comes to thin grinds and heat treating.

 

[callow custom bladez]

I just got in to making kitchen knives and just found out that Aldo at got in a shipment of blue #2. I hope this helps

 

[tedinatl]

What is with all these necro-posts nowadays????

 

[samuraistuart]

It certainly does help, Callow. Thanks for posting on this thread.

 

[samuraistuart]

Thanks for the info, Callow. I just placed an order!!!

 

[catcalls]

Recently found a guy on eBay selling bar stock of san mai hitachi paper steels with .137x 1.3x 13.2 specs for $30 plus shipping. He's got nearly 5,000 reviews with 100.0 percent positive feedback. Would you consider this a reputable source for this material?

 

[JeffreyFogleboch]

Catcalls-

I've bought from him and a lot of people here do as well. I say go for it


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[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Funny how this thread comes back from the dead every year. Good topic, so no real problem.