So, this might not be what you are looking for however in 2009 someone from KYUKAEN Bonsai in Omiya Japan posted this on an old thread of mine asking about Masakuni Shears. Hope maybe something like this is what you are looking for-this is all subjective info but it's from a professional in Japan. In my opinion, in terms of overall quality both Masakuni and Kaneshin are very high and you can't really go wrong with either brand. I'd say about half my tools are Masakuni and the other half are Kaneshin. I think you might get a little more bang for your buck with Kaneshin, but it also just comes down to personal preference.
The price of MASAKUNI shears differ according to the quality of steel and finish.
No.1, 8001, 2, 8002, 28, 8028 are products of basic line.
They are made of high quality steel and perfectly do
for not only ordinary customers but also professionals.
No.8001- series (silver ones) are covered with anti-rust coating
and the price is about 10% higher.
No.201, 8201, 202, 8202, 228, 8228 are made of steel of better quality
which ensures the long-lasting sharpness.
They costs almost 2 times as much as shears of the basic line
simply because they are made of better steel.
I use neither No.1 nor 2 because their handles are too large for me.
Instead, I use No.103 bud trimming shears (same quality as No.1, 2, 28)
and No.228.
At first, they seemed exactly the same to me
while No.228 was 2 times as expensive as No.103.
After 2 years, I recognized the difference between No. 103 and No.228.
When I close shears, the ends of handles hit each other.
Using No.228, I feel the shock is somehow absorbed,
while No.103 gives me direct shock.
And No.228 weighs light and the balance seems better in the hand.
The diffence will count for something after very long time of use.
But I don’t strongly recommend No.201-.
The price of a single pair of No.201- will cover the combination of
basic MASAKUNI shears and concave cutters.
Two different tools covers wider range of work than a single pair of No.201-.
I recommend No.201- for the customers
who are not satisfied with the basic line or
those who require “more”.
Anyway, it is up to you what to think about the difference.
Some are satisfied with $77,800 basic car of PORCHE 911 and
some require $132,800 PORCHE 911 GT3 RS.
If you are a top racing driver, basic PORCHE may seem dull to you,
while basic PORCHE is out of reach of ordinary citizens.
No.51, 52, 53 are made of steel which is still better than that
used for No.201- to ensure extraordinary durability against repeated use.
They cost more than 3 times as much as the basic line.
I have not used No.51, 52, 53.
They must be excellent tools, but I am very satisfied with No.103 and No.228.
No.101, 102, 128 are basically the same as No.1, 2, 28.
But they are finished by hand-polish and
the signature of "MASAKUNI" is written in golden letters.
They costs almost 5 times as much as the basic line
because of the cost of fine finish.
They are so-called "luxurious models",
similar to a car with leather seats and special ornaments.
They are not the features for practical use,
but they surely satisfy the joy of ownership.
The outlines and details of shears of similar design of different lines are
slightly different, so that you can tell the product number from the appearance.
Compare No.2, 201, 52 and 102.
http://www.masakuni.com/g/g2.htm
http://www.masakuni.com/g/g201.htm
http://www.masakuni.com/g/g52.htm
http://www.masakuni.com/g/g102.htm
It possible to tell the number from the details and
this is important for the manufacture and distributors.
While they are not on MASAKUNI web site, I have to mention SS series.
They are made of corrosion-resisting special steel.
It is not easy to produce tools which cut well by anti-rust steel.
So SS trimming shears cost about 2 times as much as No.1, 2, 28 and
slightly more expensive than No.201, 202, 228.
But you have to make sure that “corrosion-resisting” does not mean ”care-free”.
Even corrosion-resisting steel needs appropriate use and cleaning to keep sharpness.
Frankly speaking, SS series are not profitable
from the manufacturer’s and distributor’s point of view.
The price does not reflect the cost of production.
SS series also have a special feature on their blades.
They can be sharpened with their blades closed,
while you have to open ordinary shears when sharpening them.
Shears made of the same steel as No.1, 2, 28
with this special feature are available as S series.
S series are a little more expensive than No.8001-
because of the cost of production.
This is the price chart of MASAKUNI Shears.
(price high)
Custom made MASAKUNI (best steel, hand finish)
Luxury MASAKUNI No.101, 102, 128. (fourth best steel, hand finish)
Professional MASAKUNI No.51, 52, 53 (second best steel)
SS MASAKUNI SS-1, SS-2, SS-28… (corrosion-resisting steel, special feature)
Advanced MASAKUNI No. 201, 8201, 202, 8202, 228 8228
(third best steel, anti-rust coating models are available for the same price)
S MASAKUNI S-1, S-2, S-28… (fourth best steel, special feature)
Anti-rust coated MASAKUNI No.8001, 8002, 8028… (fourth best steel, anti-rust coating)
Basic MASAKUNI No.1, 2, 28… (fourth best steel)
(price low)
You catch the drift. I went with high-end stainless years ago. But I agree they are very nice.
