HAP40 is the steel that defines Gihei - a powdered high-speed semi-stainless alloy that Atsushi Hosokawa and his son have been working at their Sanjo City shop since taking over a business established in 1928. CKTG has called it Voodoo Steel for years because the edge retention is genuinely difficult to believe until you experience it. At 65-66 HRC it holds an edge three to five times longer than traditional carbon or stainless alternatives, meaning less time at the stones and more time cooking. HAP40 is semi-stainless - highly resistant to corrosion under normal kitchen conditions without giving up the edge characteristics of carbon steel.
The santoku at 165mm is the compact all-purpose knife in the HAP40 line - three virtues (slicing, dicing, mincing) in a format that suits home cooks and professionals who prefer a shorter blade. San mai construction with stainless cladding keeps the blade road low-maintenance. The geometry is notably thin - reviewers describe it as approaching laser territory with near-zero wedging. At this thinness HAP40 delivers extraordinary food release and slicing performance. The oak octagonal handle with urushi lacquer finish gives the knife a traditional Japanese aesthetic that the performance more than supports.
What Customers Are Saying: One reviewer rated it across five categories: edge retention 5+ (exceptional even for HAP40), wedging nearly 5 (thin geometry approaching laser levels), food stickiness 2 (a trade-off of the thin grind), sharpening difficulty 3+ (HAP40 takes more patience than carbon but rewards the effort), and profile a solid 4. Another reviewer who owns a Takeda AS gyuto and a Kohetsu nakiri calls the Gihei a new feeling - arrived extremely sharp and cuts like nothing he has used before, and he can hardly believe how it performs.
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. Sharpens more readily than its hardness suggests - consistent angle and light pressure are the keys. Strop regularly. The extraordinary edge retention means less frequent sharpening than any other steel in the lineup.
The santoku at 165mm is the compact all-purpose knife in the HAP40 line - three virtues (slicing, dicing, mincing) in a format that suits home cooks and professionals who prefer a shorter blade. San mai construction with stainless cladding keeps the blade road low-maintenance. The geometry is notably thin - reviewers describe it as approaching laser territory with near-zero wedging. At this thinness HAP40 delivers extraordinary food release and slicing performance. The oak octagonal handle with urushi lacquer finish gives the knife a traditional Japanese aesthetic that the performance more than supports.
What Customers Are Saying: One reviewer rated it across five categories: edge retention 5+ (exceptional even for HAP40), wedging nearly 5 (thin geometry approaching laser levels), food stickiness 2 (a trade-off of the thin grind), sharpening difficulty 3+ (HAP40 takes more patience than carbon but rewards the effort), and profile a solid 4. Another reviewer who owns a Takeda AS gyuto and a Kohetsu nakiri calls the Gihei a new feeling - arrived extremely sharp and cuts like nothing he has used before, and he can hardly believe how it performs.
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. Sharpens more readily than its hardness suggests - consistent angle and light pressure are the keys. Strop regularly. The extraordinary edge retention means less frequent sharpening than any other steel in the lineup.
- Maker: Gihei (Atsushi Hosokawa)
- Location: Sanjo City, Japan
- Est: 1928
- Construction: San Mai
- Edge Steel: HAP40 (Voodoo Steel)
- Cladding: Stainless
- HRC: 65-66
- Handle: Octagonal Oak with Urushi Lacquer
- Blade Length: 165mm
tgreviews.com/yreviews/ssl/yreview_reviews.php?RevID=1846&Score=1')>Yes No
I love this santoku I love this santoku I love this santoku I love this santoku I love this santoku I love this santoku I love this santoku Wow!Posted By: Will Clark - verified customer
5 people found this review helpful
This thing is made of lasers or something. It's incredibly light, and cuts like nothing I've used before! It arrived extremely sharp and I can hardly believe how it cuts. I thought my other CKTG knives were amazing, but this is a new feeling. (I have a Takeda AS Classic Gyuto and a Kohetsu Nakiri which I relly love.)I admit I haven't used it long enough to know about the sharpening properties, but as it stands right now I can't recommend it highly enough.
5 people found this review helpful
This thing is made of lasers or something. It's incredibly light, and cuts like nothing I've used before! It arrived extremely sharp and I can hardly believe how it cuts. I thought my other CKTG knives were amazing, but this is a new feeling. (I have a Takeda AS Classic Gyuto and a Kohetsu Nakiri which I relly love.)I admit I haven't used it long enough to know about the sharpening properties, but as it stands right now I can't recommend it highly enough.
If you are thinking about getting this, DO IT!!!!! BeautifulPosted By: Jeff540 - verified customer
5 people found this review helpful
My first review here. Since there's no review so far for this wonderful knife, I'd like to offer some of the justice it deserves. I'm a passionate home cook, and I've had this for about a month now. it's my second J-knife. Wonderful fit and finish, but the steel is simply incredible. I'm a neophyte sharpener, but even my elementary skills were sufficient to put a hair popping edge on this knife. All this translates to a wonderful experience in use: I find myself relaxing in the kitchen when using this knife; I'm no longer in a rush to get tasks finished quickly, almost a Zen thing.
5 people found this review helpful
My first review here. Since there's no review so far for this wonderful knife, I'd like to offer some of the justice it deserves. I'm a passionate home cook, and I've had this for about a month now. it's my second J-knife. Wonderful fit and finish, but the steel is simply incredible. I'm a neophyte sharpener, but even my elementary skills were sufficient to put a hair popping edge on this knife. All this translates to a wonderful experience in use: I find myself relaxing in the kitchen when using this knife; I'm no longer in a rush to get tasks finished quickly, almost a Zen thing.
