CStan
I do very much appreciate the fact the the Japanese manufacturer you mentioned recognizes how out of hand all of this 'stuff' has gotten. And it is out of hand.

I read some of the threads on Japanese tools in the various forums purely for their comedic value - guys who have owned Japanese tools for two months are all of a sudden 'experts' and offering advice on makers, tool steels, blacksmithing methods, etc. It's a joke.

I've asked of some of these folks, a time or two, where all of their information is coming from and they don't seem to be able to point me to any source beyond tool catalogs and other marketing materials, or what appears to be outright hearsay or just passing along something they heard somebody else say in another thread or on another forum.