Global Knives - Buyers Guide for the Best Kitchen Knife

Since the first Global knives were designed in 1985 the Global range of knives and accessories has grown to a family of over 100 different items. So how do you know what to get?

Years ago, cooks only had a couple of knife designs from which they could choose. Now, there are more knives of different designs than one could ever need. Still, for most cooking, a good, large knife and a good, small knife are all one really needs. With a good sharp chef's knife and a small paring knife, one should be ready to conquer the world.

If I could only have one knife, it would be the 8" Chef's Knife.
Having used this knife for several years now this is still my favorite knife for most tasks. I maintain it regularly with a diamond dusted steel and it is as sharp as it ever was.

In addition to the Chef's Knife I regularly use a small utility/paring knife.

So, you've heard about those nifty little Santoku knives, maybe even seen Rachael Ray using one? The Santoku knife is similar to the Chef's knife, but with a thinner blade and a thinner bolster than the Chef's knife.

These popular Japanese style Santoku knives are handy in the kitchen. These all-purpose knives can chop, slice, and dice. Santoku knives with a fluted blade (sometimes called a granton edge or hollow edge) allow food to easily slip off the blade.

Global have a large range of flexible knives. If you have never used a flexible knife, you should ! They are a really useful tool to have in your collection.

The way the knife blade has been manufactured means that it flexes and returns to its normal straightness after use - a great knife to bone poultry and fish. If you want to remove the skin from a fish fillet, a flexible blade will do it easily and ensure little or no flesh remains on the discarded skin.

For most types of food preparation in the home or in the professional kitchen, a knife that is sharp and well-maintained should suit the job. There are times, however, when a serrated blade is more suitable.

One of the most difficult food types to cut is bread...a loaf normally has a hard crust exterior and a soft interior. Any pressure on the crust when cutting means that the resulting slice is often squashed and misshapen.

A deba knife is similar to a western style chef's knife and features a broader blade and heavier weight.

The deba knife is a thicker, heavier sashimi knife that is ideal for boning poultry, fish, and meats. Ideal for cutting through fish, bones and all.

You will notice that the deba features a one-sided blade (it is only ground and sharpened on one side) and it is a wonderful choice when starting your sushi knife collection.

A yanagi sashimi knife is the Japanese equivalent to a western utility knife. The yanagi sashimi knife is perfect for everyday slicing and dicing. The long blade makes a perfect slicer or carving knife for long pieces of fish or vegetables.

A tako sashimi knife is the Japanese version of the western style carving knife. Tako sashimi knives have a long, slender, fine edge used for slicing thick cuts of fish and meats with skins or very fine bones.

Both of these knife styles, yanagi and tako, are similar to many traditional Japanese knives as they are sharpened on one side to produce optimal results.

There are various types of waterstones & ceramic stones available and normally a medium grit stone is sufficient to start with. However, if the blade is blunt or damaged, it may be necessary to start with rough grit.

There are several differences between waterstones and ceramic stones.

A waterstone must be placed in water and allowed to soak for 10-15 minutes to allow it to absorb sufficient moisture. A ceramic stone also requires water, but only needs to soak in water for 3-5 minutes.

A ceramic whetstone is harder than a waterstone, so it will sharpen your knives more quickly. A ceramic stone will last longer and will not develop valleys or grooves as easily as a waterstone.

Regardless of the size or type of stone you are using, the procedures for sharpening are as follows:

1. The stone should be soaked for the required amount of time before use.

2. Hold the knife so that the blade meets the stone at a 10-15 degree angle, then push back and forth across the stone in smooth steady strokes maintaining the same angle. Maintaining the same angle is most important and you will know that you are maintaining the same angle from the sound the knife makes against the stone. If you are making the same sound with each stroke back and forth against the stone, you are maintaining the same angle.

3. Repeat the stage above on both sides of the blade going from one side to the other until your knife is sharp and there are no burrs on either side.

4. During sharpening a certain amount of wet powder will appear, but do not wash or wipe this residue and continue sharpening. Although this powder appears unsightly, it is this residue which sharpens the knives.

5. After sharpening, your knives should be washed in hot water and then towel dried.

Stone sharpening is the best way to sharpen any knives, not just Global knives.

In between stone sharpening you can use ceramic or diamond rods. These sharpeners are used in the same way that traditional 'steels' are used to sharpen other knives and, as they are made from the two hardest materials known to man, are suitable for sharpening all good quality knives.

The diamond rod is harder than the ceramic rod and will bring back an edge quicker. The diamond rod also will not break if it is hit or dropped like the ceramic rod. However, the ceramic rod will give a finer edge if used regularly and replacements may be purchased if you break your ceramic rod.

NOTE - Do not use traditional steels made from other materials as they are likely to damage your Global knives!

For some people, learning the skill of intermediate sharpening with a ceramic or diamond rod is difficult.

It is essential that you maintain your knives on a regular basis and it will be easier to maintain them for the long term.

MinoSharp are hand held ceramic sharpeners and no experience or skill is required to use them - simply fill the reservoir with water and run your knife backwards and forwards a few times. The ceramic wheels ensure the blade is sharpened at the correct angle.

Too much information? Get the standard 8" French-style Chef's or a 7" Santoku knife, a utility/paring knife, and - if you can afford a little every day luxury, - the serrated bread knife. These are the basic knives EVERY kitchen should have. Oh, and get the diamond dusted steel rod for sharpening.

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