Joe,

I've noticed the good and bad formed Matzuo Sickle octopus hooks as well.

Care to enlighten us of the other companies making similar sickle octopus hooks now?

The only other sickle octopus type hook that I know of are the Gamakatsu Big River Bait hooks. Good heavy wire hooks, but 1/0 is the smallest Gamakatsu makes in them so far. I have asked them, it would be great to make them in smaller sizes. We'll see if they do.