Global Knives and the Best Global Chef Knife

The Best Global Chef Knife for 2018

Global is a Japanese knives company that is considered one of the top knife companies in the world. Global has one of the most expensive knives in their collections. In fact, the price of some Global knives can go for more than one hundred dollars. Apart from knives, the company makes other many products including flatware, plates, cutlery, dinnerware and spoons. The Global chef knife is a result of merging three major elements: Japanese precision, German durability and Italian design aesthetics. This makes the global chef knife offer an innovative design and perfect balance. Making it one of the companies titled for one of the best Japanese knives on the market. Global always ranks at least one best chef knife between the rest.

Global G2 Chef’s Knife

The Global knives G2 Chef’s knife is one of the top rated Japanese knives on the material. In fact this 8-inch all purpose chef’s knife is Global’s most popular knife. The G2 Chef’s knife from Global is known for its deceptively simple design and craftsmanship. Stamped from a single piece of Cromova 18 stainless steel and strengthened with 18% chromium, this chef’s knife is a knife for the faint of heart. If you are certain of what you are doing and are confident enough in your knife skills to know you will not be dropping it every few seconds, then the G-2 knife is a perfect for you.

The thin, incredibly sharp blade allows you to slice through foods easily and maintain the integrity of the ingredient. Since the blade is made with a single piece of metal, there are no any crevices to allow bits of food to get stuck while in use. The blade comes with a long taper rather than a short bevel. This helps the cutting edge to maintain its sharpness for long. The blade is also lightweight, meaning you won’t suffer from hand fatigue if you are going to use the knife for long.

Another amazing feature of the Global G2 Chef’s knife is the stainless steel handle. Handles made from stainless steel are more sanitary. Additionally, the handle is dimpled for an easier firm grip too. Inside of the handle sand flows as the blade is maneuvered. This helps to give balance in every phase of the cutting motion. The handle is lighter than traditional metallic metals. This chef’s knife has a smooth contour and seamless, all stainless construction that eliminates food and dirt traps.

Overall, the design of the Global G2 Chef’s knife has a few departures from the classic western chef knives. It comes with a thinner, lightweight blade with a more acute cutting edge. This makes it feel less hefty than a traditional chef knife. The materials and aesthetics give the G2 a distinct appearance compared to its competitors. As for cost, it fits comfortably into the mid range while still offering a few high end design features.

Pros of the Global G2 Chef’s knife

• Hollow stainless steel handle filled with sand for ultimate balance
• Finger notch near the blade for enhanced safety and comfort
• No crevices or divots for food to get trapped
• The stainless steel handle has darkened dimples for a non-slip grip
• The knife is extremely lightweight to reduce hand fatigue
• Forged from a piece of CROMOVA 18 stainless steel for enhanced durability, stain resistance and excellent edge retention
• It retails at an affordable price when compared to other Japanese chef knives in the same class

Cons of the Global G2 Chef’s knife

• The single stamp design makes the knife extremely fragile
• Handle is smaller than most chef knives

Global GF-33 8 ¼-Inch Heavyweight Chef’s Knife

Made in Niigita, Japan, this unique chef’s knife is crafted of a single plate of CROMOVA 18 stainless steel for the perfection combination of vanadium, molybdenum and chromium to maximize stain resistance and edge retention. Its heavyweight construction and razor sharp cutting edge makes it ideal for cutting hard ingredients. The high-tech stainless steel used in this knife is not only sharp, but also durable too. Just like other chef knives, the Global G33 Heavyweight knife is not meant for the dishwasher.

For maximum balance and weight distribution, Global did away with a bolster and instead used a hollow handle. The handle is made of stainless steel and is filled with a precise amount of sand inside to give the knife’s blade ample weight and balance at all times. The molded handle is very sleek in design, yet it performs very well too. The black dimples provide extra grip compared to some of the typical laminated handles present on other cook’s knives.

The Global G-33 is typically one of the lightest knives of its size. This partly due to its unique, ergonomic design and party because of the high quality materials used to make the knife. Despite its heavyweight, fatigue will not be much of a factor since the G-33 is quite agile. Due to its unique features and design, the Global G-33 8 ¼ inch Chef’s knife comes at a higher price compared to the G-2 Chef’s knife.

Pros of the Global G-33 8 ¼ inch Chef’s knife

• Forged from a single piece of CROMOVA 18 stainless. The vanadium/molybdenum stainless steel is used.
• High-tech materials create a rust and stain resistant blade
• The hollow stainless steel handle is filled with sand for perfect balance and weight distribution
• The knife is heavyweight making it easy to cut via hard ingredients
• The long taper helps the cutting edge to remain incredibly sharp for long
• The large and prominent edge allows for cleanly slicing via food while maintain the integrity of the ingredients

Cons of the Global G-33 8 ¼ inch Chef’s knife

• Vanadium/ molybdenum stainless steel is lightweight, but tends to need more frequent sharpening
• The blade is not as sharp as some of the of the other top rated Japanese chef knives

Global Knives Company Profile

The development of Global started back in 1978 with a two-pronged approach. In this approach, the artisans mainly concentrated on two knife aspects: the cutting technology and the overall design of the knife. Later the company improved this approach and introduced the concept of crafting a knife from a single piece of stainless steel, from the point of the blade to the butt of the handle, without adding other foreign materials. Komin Yamada, an industrial designer used this approach to create a new Japanese cook’s knife and this lead to creation of the Global knives.

Initially, the company only constructed sashimi knives and santoku knives, but has since then expanded to incorporate a wide range of Global chef knives and other more specialized global products around the world. Today, Global are used both in home kitchens and professional chefs around the world. In his book Kitchen Confidential, Chef Antony Bourdain, a renowned world chef and writer, implores his readers to replace all their kitchen knives with a Global Cook’s knife of their choice.

There are many other celebrity chefs who use a Global chef knife. Of course these professional cooks not only use the best, but prefer Global knives due to their credibility. Among these chefs are Giada De Laurentiis and Susur Lee who are some of the most popular celebrity chefs in the world. The future of Global looks good. The company is launching new technologically advanced knives every year. This has continued to keep Global ahead of their competitors. The high price tag of these knives is also well worth it.

How are Global Knives Made?

The manufacturing process of knives is very different than other mainstream brands, such as Wusthof. The main difference is that Global knives are made from a unique construction of special steel and they are significantly thinner than most kitchen knives. These knives are actually constructed by silversmiths, making them one of the expertly crafted kitchen knives in the world. This also reassures buyers that they will be of the highest quality and design. The fact that these knives are crafted by silversmiths makes them the most costly knives on the market. Here are some of the critical steps followed during the manufacture of Global knives.

Step 1: Stamping and Heat Treatment

During the initial stages of knife creation, blank stainless steel metal is stamped into the shape of the blade. The metal is then heat treated at around 1000 degrees Celsius.

Step 2: Sub-Zero Treatment

In this stage, the metal undergoes rapid cooling at minus 80 degree Celsius. This process is known as, sub zero treatment. It helps to increase the hardness of the blade and the uniformity of the stainless steel crystalline structure. The results into a blade with enhanced cutting capabilities.

Step 3: Tempering

Tempering is done after the sub-zero treatment. Here the knife is once again passed via another heat treatment, which lasts for about four hours. This tempering process helps to make the completed Global knife sturdy and virtually unbreakable. Tempering also ensures that the knife reaches its correct softness level. It helps to increase the flexibility of the blade and creates a beautiful and distinctive hamon pattern on the blade.

Step 4: Straightening and Honing

After tempering, the blade is straightened again using copper mallets. This is done to ensure that the final blade is perfectly straight and easier to use. Next, the blade is honed using a revolving whetstone. The blade is then polished suing a mirror like finish. Polishing makes the knife more rust resistant and hygienic.

Step 5: Assembly and Packaging

The Silverman attaches the best handle to the knife. Company brand and insignia are then engraved on the blade. Lastly, the knife is packaged and delivered to the market.

Features of the Best Global Knives

Construction

Global knives offer a combination of innovative design and perfect balance. These knives are forged from a single piece of high carbon stainless steel. This makes it seamless between the blade and the handle. The knives are significantly thinner than most chefs’ knives. They all follow the 5-step manufacturing process discussed above.

What is the Hardness of Global Knives?

These kitchen knives are usually made with an incredibly hard steel ally and are ground to a narrower angle. The blades utilize Cromova 18 stainless steel, ice tempered and hardened to a Rockwell rating of 56 to 59. These high hardness ratings allow them to maintain their razor sharp cutting edge for long and have excellent stain, rust and corrosion resistance properties.

Blade Edges

The blades are ground at a more acute angle for razor sharpness. The cutting edge has a convex cross-sectional shape. This makes highly effective when it comes to cutting and the foods easily separate from the blade.

Handle

Global knives are fitted with stainless steel, slip resistant handles filled with sand or metal for proper balance. The handles have a distinctive appearance with black dimples present on the handle and on one model of their storage block. Apart from providing a firm comfortable grip, these dimples are divisive on an aesthetic level.

Even Balance and Lightweight

Another great feature of Global knives is their even balance and their lightweight. In fact, these are best known for their supreme balance and this crucial for chefs. Their even balance is because of the hollow handle design. The stainless steel used to make these knives is lightweight. This helps to reduce the risk of hand fatigue. The shortened handle is ideal for cooks with smaller hands.

7 Valuable Tips on to Select the Best Global Chef Knife

Global chef knives are the best kind of knives that majority of people would love to own. They come in many different types depending on what you may need to use in the kitchen. They are the most preferred knives for chopping and slicing. When looking for a new Japanese chef knife, it is important to know which one will be good and which will be subpar. Here are some of the tips on how to pick the best Japanese chef knife:

1. Choose the Correct Size
   The right size of a knife depends on the size of your hand. Most common Global knives range from 6 to 10 inches in size, with the 8-inch knife being the common in selection. However, the 6-inch knife has the ability of a paring knife, but it is not up to the challenge of slicing through something large. A 10-inch knife has a longer blade that can handle a watermelon without a problem. However, it has a size that can make it feel like it is too more for the cook to handle.
2. Go for the Best Quality
   You may wonder why Japanese craftsmen usually harden their knives .The main reason that concerns us is the quality of steel. The thinner and harder the steel is tempered, the lesser the tolerant it becomes of certain kind of irregularities. Imagine you are building a wall out of stones. If you want a thin wall to stand up, the stones need to be accurately laid, but a thick wall can be made out of the rubble. Well, when you want various elements of the steel, such as stones in the wall, the more costly the steel is to produce. Therefore, if Wusthof began using really high-grade steels that would withstand thin grinding and great, the prices would have to increase.
3. Select the Best Handle
   Unlike most Japanese chef knives, Global knife handles are often made of steel that won’t become wet and slippery. Apart from that, they also have a porous and fine-grained shape that enables them to hold knives and improve their grip
4. Know the Type of Materials Used
   Most Japanese blades are made of steel, but there are some which are coated in different materials for extra hardness. Others are made of dissimilar types of nickel and steel. These materials matter a lot because some of them will make the knives more rust-proof than others. The materials used to make handles are also crucial. Depending on the material used, handles can be easier to grip, comfortable and sturdier when using. Read our section on Features of the Best Global Knives to understand more about the knives’ handles.
5. Consider the Thickness
   Thicker blades are highly preferred for cutting harder foods and ingredient, while thinner blades aren ideal for making fantastic cuts, and they are amazingly precise. At times, Japanese chef knives have thin blades to allow them to make precise cuts which are valued when cooking in Japanese. If you care more about cutting through ingredients which are larger, you should find a thicker blade. Similarly, if you want to make fine precise cuts you should go for a thinner blade.
6. The Weight of the Knife Matters Too
   Global knives can be built lighter and thinner than their Western counterparts, such as Wusthof that are thicker and heavier. If you want a lightweight knife that can be used for slicing things like butter with very small effort, a Global knife fits you good.
7. Choose the Right Shape
   The shape of your blade will have a serious impact on the ingredients you will be cutting. Most Global chef knives have a straighter knife blade that can be used for fine precise cuts and chops; this is how food in Japanese is usually prepared. When blades are curved or rounded, they won’t usually be as round as Western-design chef knives that are used for rocking chops.

Why Global Chef’s Knife are Some of the Best

Global chef’s knives are known for deceptively simple, design and craftsmanship. They are highly maneuverable and ultra-light, ultra-thin. Stamped from one-piece of CROMOVA 18 stainless steel and strengthened with 18% chromium, molybdenum and vanadium, this knife have an excellent rust/stain resistance, outstanding edge retention and extremely durable. Global knives come with a wide range of styles and sizes meaning you will not lack a knife for your needs. Browse our site to see Major Japanese Chef Knives in the same class with the Global Chef Knives.