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Seki Kyuba · Knife line
PAN
A serrated bread knife in 1K6 carbon-rich steel, with our stabilised maple burl handle. Forged in Seki for the loaves that deserve a clean slice. The bread knife for the cook who already owns the rest: the same handle, a serrated edge for crusts.
One knife
The PAN bread knife.
One knife, made for bread: crusty loaves, soft brioche, and tomatoes too.
…
The blade · Forged in Seki, Japan
One smooth pass.
Every tooth of the serrated edge is set by hand in Seki. It goes through a crackling crust and leaves the crumb intact, with the weight of the knife doing the work.
1K6 is a carbon-rich Japanese steel chosen for serrated blades: it holds an edge under the repeated drag of bread cutting. 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 PAN knife.
Blade
| Steel | 1K6 carbon-rich |
|---|---|
| Construction | Single steel |
| Edge | Hand-set serrated |
| Hardness | HRC 56–57 |
| 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. A serrated edge doesn’t need a whetstone; if individual teeth dull, they can be re-set professionally.
The six lines
How PAN 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 SHIN | SG2 (R2) | 31 | HRC 62–63 | Damascus | View SHIN | |
 Seki Kyuba PANThis line | 1K6 | Single steel | HRC 56–57 | Serrated bread knife |
Questions
About PAN.
Why do I need a bread knife if I have a Japanese chef's knife?
A hard Japanese edge can chip on a crackling crust. The PAN's serrated edge goes through the crust and leaves the crumb intact, so your chef's knife stays sharp for everything else.
Does a serrated knife need sharpening?
Not on a whetstone. A serrated edge holds up for a long time, and if individual teeth dull, they can be re-set professionally.
Why is the PAN softer than the other knives?
On purpose. At HRC 56–57, 1K6 steel holds a serrated edge under the repeated drag of bread cutting. The harder steels in our other lines suit a smooth edge, not teeth.
What else can it cut?
Crusty loaves, soft brioche, and tomatoes too. The 23.5cm blade is long enough for a wide loaf, and the weight of the knife does most of the work.
Still deciding?
Answer a few questions and we’ll suggest a knife and a line.