Seki Kyuba RYU Santoku Chef’s Knife 18cm
RYU is our Damascus line: a VG10 core in 33 layers of stainless Damascus, hand-forged in Seki. The 18cm Santoku is the nimble all-rounder — “three virtues” means slicing, dicing and chopping. A gently curved edge suits a rocking cut; the tall profile gives knuckle clearance and easy scooping. 62 HRC, hammered Damascus to shed food.
Lifetime warranty
Every knife we have ever made, covered for life.
Free UK delivery
Included on every order over £90.
100-day returns
Use it for three months. Send it back if it isn’t right.
Hand-finished box
Hanko-stamped certificate, 5 yen coin tucked alongside.
Why this knife
The blade, and the thinking behind it.
A more nimble chef's knife: Santoku
“Santoku” means “three virtues” — slicing, dicing and chopping — and the 18cm blade does all three with easy control. Its shorter length and flat profile make it light and well-balanced; the gently curved edge accommodates a natural rocking motion, and the tall blade gives knuckle clearance and easy scooping of chopped ingredients.
The Blade
It’s forged with a VG10 steel core wrapped in 33 layers of stainless Damascus, hand-forged in Seki, Gifu. At 62 HRC the VG10 core holds a razor edge and sharpens easily, while the layered cladding adds durability, stain resistance and a flowing, water-like grain.
The full Damascus pattern is finished with a subtle hammered texture that keeps food from clinging as you work. Available in Mediterranean Blue, Olive Green or Natural Brown.
The blade
Specifications.
| Weight | 0.7 kg |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 45 × 10 × 6 cm |
| Knife Type | |
| Blade Length | |
| Steel Type | |
| HRC | |
| Knife Bevel | Double |
| Hand Feature | Ambidextrous |
| Handle Waterproof | Yes |
| Made in | Japan |
| Maker | Oishya, Seki Kyuba |
| Knife Handle Material |
The hands that make it
Seki. Seven hundred years of blade-making.
Seki, in Gifu, has been forging blades since the fourteenth century — first samurai swords, then kitchen knives. The workshop we work with forges five of our six lines.
The handle is finished in Małopolska, Poland, by craftsmen who shape every handle by hand: a stabilised maple burl body and a bog oak ferrule — the kakumaki. The blade and handle meet at a single hand-fitted copper ring, set with a soft tap of a wooden mallet, in an octagonal profile.
Care, briefly
Three habits, and it outlasts you.
01.
Hand wash, dry immediately.
Never the dishwasher. Sixty seconds at the sink, then a soft towel. Water on hard Japanese steel is the only thing that rusts it.
02.
Wood boards only.
Glass, stone and marble are harder than the steel and dull the edge in a week. End-grain hardwood is the right choice — hinoki cypress if you can find it.
03.
Sharpen on a stone.
Never a honing rod — the steel is too hard, it chips the edge. A 1000/6000 whetstone every three or four months keeps it keen.
What you receive
In the box.
- The knife, sharpened, oiled, wrapped in cloth.
- A hand-finished box for the knife.
- A Certificate of Authenticity, hand-stamped with the maker’s hanko, naming the smith and certifying the blade.
- A 5 yen coin tucked alongside. “Go en” — the Japanese for five yen — is the homophone for luck, connection and bond. Returning the coin to the giver turns the gift-knife into a symbolic purchase, neutralising the old superstition that a knife as a gift cuts the bond between giver and receiver.
- A care card with the sixty-second wash routine and a link to Knife School.
- Your lifetime warranty, registered to you automatically when the order ships.
Frequently asked.
Is it dishwasher safe?
How often will I need to sharpen it?
Can I use it to cut meat?
How long does shipping take?
What if it isn't right for my kitchen?
From the people who cook with it
Reviews.
Purchased as a gift for my wife who cooks daily. She absolutely loves it. The size is ideal for smaller hands and the blade is incredibly sharp. Packaging and presentation were excellent — felt like opening something truly special.
This santoku has become my go-to knife for everything. The flat profile is perfect for chopping vegetables and the tip is precise enough for detail work. Beautifully crafted and a joy to use every day.
Not sure this is the one?
Take two minutes.
Six questions about the way you actually cook. We’ll point you to the knife that fits.