I am quite interested but I am in the UK, the shipping and customs is bit of a issue for me.
I heard Showatou were usually electrolysis steel and oil quenched Monosteel which are quite interesting for me, usually this means a softer but less fragile steel with a much lower failure rate at quenching which means much lower cost to make one, hamon with strong contrast but lacking some complexity, somewhat different feel on the whetstone too.
I collect and polish honyaki Kitchen knives regularly and if the condition and price is right...pretty exciting to get one to compare with Shirogami steel, no way I'll try to polish one of course.
