Hatsukokoro Ginrei Ginsan K-tip Gyuhiki 205mm Nashiji Ebony

Ginsan, also known as Silver 3, is a stainless steel from Proterial, the Yasugi Specialty Steel division. Proterial describes it as a stainless steel which has hardness and sharpness comparable to carbon steel, and lists its uses as kitchen knives and scissors.

Knife makers use it when they want the corrosion resistance of a stainless together with the hardness and sharpness that Proterial compares to carbon steel. The steel maker lists 59 HRC or over after hardening, but that is a heat treatment figure, not a finished knife figure.

Dry it after use, like any stainless knife. Its performance depends on the heat treatment and construction of the specific knife, not the steel name alone.

Yes. Proterial lists the steel as GIN 3 with 13.00 to 14.50% chromium, above the Japan Stainless Steel Association's 10.5% minimum for stainless steel.

Proterial describes it as a stainless steel with hardness and sharpness comparable to carbon steel, used in various kitchen knives and scissors, and the association notes that stainless, strictly, means it rusts less. Wash the knife and dry it after use.

The Hatsukokoro Ginrei Ginsan Nashiji is a budget-friendly line of Japanese kitchen knives featuring Proterial (formerly Hitachi Metals) Ginsan steel heat treated to 61 HRC, designed for first-timers, students, and professional chefs who need reliable tools without a high price tag.

In stock at Knives and Stones, this series includes budget-friendly models like the 120mm K Tip Petty, the 175mm Santoku, and both the 210mm Gyuto and 205mm K-tip Gyuto, all finished with a rustic Nashiji texture and Ebony handles. While fit and finish can be improved, the line is recognized for being great out of the box and offering a balance of stainless convenience, edge stability, and ease of sharpening.

Hatsukokoro (初心) is a brand, not a forge. H&K, a company founded in 2013 and based in Amagasaki, Hyogo, created it in 2019.

H&K names the producer for some lines, for example Shinkiro by Takahiro Nihei in Fukushima, Ginyou by Yoshihiro Yauji in Echizen and Kurosagi by Motokyuichi Hamono in Nagasaki, and keeps others confidential. Some knives we stock carry the maker in the title, such as Hatsukokoro x Yoshikane SKD Nashiji.

The name comes from the Japanese proverb 初心忘るべからず, which means don't forget your original intention. The company read it gently as hatsukokoro rather than shoshin.

H&K created the brand in 2019, six years after the company was founded, and chose the name for its knife line.

Pick by how much care you want to give. The carbon lines, Blue 1, Blue 2 and AS kurouchi, need drying and a little oil after use. The SG2, HAP40, Ginsan and VG10 lines are low maintenance, so they suit a busy kitchen or someone who just wants to cook.

Neither is better; it depends on your routine. If you will dry and oil the blade after each use, a carbon line can suit you, and if you want the least fuss, a stainless line is the easier choice.