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Seki Kyuba · Knife line
SHIN
An SG2 (R2) powder steel core in a 31-layer Damascus blade: the hardest steel in our range, and the only line with a Kiritsuke. Forged in Seki. The line for the cook who sharpens rarely and wants the edge to last longest.
Six knives
Choose your SHIN.
Same steel and the same handle across the line. The difference is the shape, and what it does best.
…
Side by side
The two sets
Each set pairs a main knife with the Nakiri and the Petty. Choose the one whose main knife suits how you cook.
The blade · Forged in Seki, Japan
The finest grain we work with.
SG2, also called R2, is a powder metallurgy steel. Its grain is finer than conventional steel, so the edge can be ground sharper and stays sharp for longer between sharpenings.
It is wrapped in 31 folded layers that surface as a flowing Damascus pattern. Each blade carries the line name, engraved by hand.
The handle
Made in Poland, for a Japanese blade.
Every Oishya knife shares the same handle. The body is stabilised maple burl, waterproof and premium-cut, so every handle carries its own grain. The ferrule (kakumaki) is bog oak around 2,500 years old, joined to the burl by a hand-fitted copper ring.
The profile is octagonal and symmetrical, so it sits firmly in either a left or a right hand.
The hands that make it
Seki. Nearly eight hundred years of blade-making.
Seki, in Gifu, has forged blades since the thirteenth century, first swords, then kitchen knives. The workshop we work with there forges five of our six lines.
Meet our craftsmenSpecifications
What’s inside every SHIN knife.
Blade
| Cutting core | SG2 / R2 powder steel |
|---|---|
| Outer layers | 31-layer Damascus |
| Hardness | HRC 62–63 |
| Bevel | Double, for either hand |
| Forged in | Seki, Japan |
Handle
| Body | Stabilised maple burl, waterproof |
|---|---|
| Ferrule (kakumaki) | Bog oak, around 2,500 years old |
| Ring | Hand-fitted copper |
| Profile | Octagonal, for left or right hand |
| Made and mounted in | Poland |
| Colours | Mediterranean Blue, Natural Brown, Olive Green |
Care. Hand wash and dry straight away. Use a wooden cutting board. Sharpen on a 1000/6000 whetstone three or four times a year. The full method is in Knife School.
The six lines
How SHIN compares.
Every line shares the same handle. What changes is the steel, the layers and the finish.
| Line | Steel | Layers | Hardness | Finish | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Sakai Kyuba KYU | AUS10 | 46 | HRC 62 | Hammered Damascus | View KYU | |
 Seki Kyuba KATA | VG10 | 3 | HRC 62 | Hammered | View KATA | |
 Seki Kyuba RYU | VG10 | 33 | HRC 60–61 | Damascus | View RYU | |
 Seki Kyuba NIJI | 12Cr18MoV | 37, with brass and copper | HRC 60–61 | Shot-blasted rainbow Damascus | View NIJI | |
 Seki Kyuba SHINThis line | SG2 (R2) | 31 | HRC 62–63 | Damascus | ||
 Seki Kyuba PAN | 1K6 | Single steel | HRC 56–57 | Serrated bread knife | View PAN |
Questions
About SHIN.
What is SG2 powder steel?
SG2, also called R2, is made by powder metallurgy, so its grain is finer than conventional steel. The edge can be ground sharper and stays sharp longer between sharpenings. At HRC 62–63 it is the hardest steel we work with.
Is harder steel more fragile?
It is less forgiving. Hard steel holds an edge longer, but it can chip where a softer blade would bend. Keep SHIN to wooden boards, slice with a forward stroke rather than twisting, and keep it away from bones and frozen food.
What is a Kiritsuke?
A long knife with a flat edge and an angled, pointed tip. It slices and push-cuts much like a Gyuto, and the tip is made for fine work. SHIN is the only line with one, in 21cm and 24cm.
21cm or 24cm?
21cm for almost everyone: it fits a normal home board. The 24cm Gyuto and Kiritsuke are for large boards and for cooks who already know they want the length. If you are between the two, take the 21.
How often does SHIN need sharpening?
Less often than our other lines, because SHIN holds its edge the longest. When it does need it, use a whetstone, never a honing rod. Lifetime sharpening is included: send it to us, and you cover the shipping both ways.
Still deciding?
Answer a few questions and we’ll suggest a knife and a line.