Gihei has been forging knives in Sanjo City, Japan since 1928 - nearly a century of production in one of Japan dedicated knife-making centers. The shop is run today by Atsushi Hosokawa and his son, a father-and-son team who have built Gihei into one of the most interesting small producers in the CKTG catalog. Their signature material is HAP40 - a powdered high-speed semi-stainless steel that CKTG has been calling Voodoo Steel for years. At 65-66 HRC it holds an edge three to five times longer than traditional carbon or stainless alternatives. Semi-stainless means it is highly corrosion resistant under normal kitchen conditions without sacrificing the edge behavior of a serious carbon blade.
The gyuto at 203mm actual blade length is the all-purpose chef knife in the HAP40 line - light at 5.0 oz, nimble with a 41mm blade height, and a 2mm spine that tapers toward the tip for precise cutting. The geometry is notably thin, with reviewers describing edge retention as exceptional and thinness approaching laser levels. The oak octagonal handle is fitted with urushi lacquer finish and mounted with a traditional Japanese tang - not a full western tang. This is the construction method used across traditional Japanese kitchen knives and is strong and durable with normal use. The oak octagonal handle pairs naturally with the serious character of the steel.
What Customers Are Saying: Matthew Kreider calls the HAP40 gyuto a 5-star knife in every performance category - it holds an edge, gets wicked sharp, and looks excellent. He notes the traditional Japanese tang construction and recommends using it with normal kitchen tasks as intended. The edge retention and sharpness are the qualities that define this knife for everyone who works with it.
Care Instructions: HAP40 is semi-stainless and highly resistant under normal kitchen conditions. Hand wash and dry after use. Avoid the dishwasher. Keep away from bones and frozen foods. Sharpen with consistent angle and light pressure - HAP40 sharpens more readily than its hardness suggests and responds well to stropping. The extraordinary edge retention means far less frequent sharpening than standard steels.
The gyuto at 203mm actual blade length is the all-purpose chef knife in the HAP40 line - light at 5.0 oz, nimble with a 41mm blade height, and a 2mm spine that tapers toward the tip for precise cutting. The geometry is notably thin, with reviewers describing edge retention as exceptional and thinness approaching laser levels. The oak octagonal handle is fitted with urushi lacquer finish and mounted with a traditional Japanese tang - not a full western tang. This is the construction method used across traditional Japanese kitchen knives and is strong and durable with normal use. The oak octagonal handle pairs naturally with the serious character of the steel.
What Customers Are Saying: Matthew Kreider calls the HAP40 gyuto a 5-star knife in every performance category - it holds an edge, gets wicked sharp, and looks excellent. He notes the traditional Japanese tang construction and recommends using it with normal kitchen tasks as intended. The edge retention and sharpness are the qualities that define this knife for everyone who works with it.
Care Instructions: HAP40 is semi-stainless and highly resistant under normal kitchen conditions. Hand wash and dry after use. Avoid the dishwasher. Keep away from bones and frozen foods. Sharpen with consistent angle and light pressure - HAP40 sharpens more readily than its hardness suggests and responds well to stropping. The extraordinary edge retention means far less frequent sharpening than standard steels.
- Maker: Gihei (Atsushi Hosokawa)
- Location: Sanjo City, Japan
- Est: 1928
- Construction: San Mai
- Edge Steel: HAP40 (Voodoo Steel)
- Cladding: Stainless
- HRC: 65-66
- Tang: Traditional Japanese Tang
- Handle: Octagonal Oak with Urushi Lacquer
- Weight: 5.0 oz (142 g)
- Blade Length: 203mm
- Spine Thickness: 2mm
- Blade Height: 41mm
