Ahh! Oww! I looked down at the wound on my finger ; a result of my favorite old chef’s knife slipping when I leaned on it. It had been a gift from my mother but now was impossible to keep sharp. Despite my attachment to this knife, even an amateur cook such as myself could realize that I needed a good 8 inch chef’s knife to develop my skills. If my old knife couldn’t keep its edge, it was just dangerous, as I had just discovered.
I discovered there was a lot of choice available when I started searching for a replacement for my old favourite. I found knives made of steel, ceramic, and many other materials for prices ranging from bargain basement to top-of the range expensive. Fortunately, my friend, who is also a professional chef, offered me some advice. He pointed me in the direction of his preferred product, Global Knives, which are made by a Japanese company called Yoshikin.
I decided to research the company after listening to my friend’s advice. Komin Yamada set up Yoshikin in 1985, creating the Global kitchen knives in order to produce quality cutlery using modern technology. He started from scratch and reimagined how the modern cook’s most important tool should be produced. His knives were made from a single piece of steel, integrating all the criteria standard kitchen knives were missing.
This remodeling of the standard 8” (20cm) chef’s knife led to the Global Chef knive, version G-2. The most important improvement was in the material used in the knife. The G-2 uses CROMOVA 18 stainless steel. This material is specially designed for Global knives and is a mixture of chromium, molybdenum, vanadium and stainless steel. The metal retains its brightness and resists staining due to the chromium. The edge retention is aided by the mixture of vanadium and molybdenum with the stainless steel. Altogether, the result is a robust yet light as a feather knife that remains sharp for a long time due to its high tech alloy.
I discovered each blade is hand crafted at the YOSHIKIN factory, based in Niigata, Japan. A process called ice tempering also helps each stainless steel blade retain its sharpness for longer. On the Rockwell scale (measuring a blade’s resistance to wear, knives with a higher rating are more resistant to wear), the blade has a C56-58 rating. Food slides away from the blade easily after each cut, making the job easier, due to the face ground, the special steep grind and gradual curving edge.
What you end up with is a thin, extremely sharp non-stain blade with a long sharpness retention period. However, you should take time to get used to the feel of the knife, especially if you have been using “dull blades”. Otherwise, you may end up nicking your support hand, as the blades on these knives will slice through food as easily as water. You will no longer need to force your way through food.
From the tip of the blade to the end of the handle is just one single piece of steel. The balance comes from the sand or metal used to fill the hollow handle. This sand shifts as you move the blade, which gives the knife a solid feeling. Black dimples on the handle will give you a firm grip on the knife. No matter how wet my hand got, it didn’t slip, despite the metal handle. I also found the handle size perfect for my mid-size hands, though I could forsee people with large hands might find the handles too small. The knife is also very easy to hand clean after use, thanks to the single piece construction (I would discourage using dishwashers to clean quality knives, as they could be damaged in the machine).
I decided, after all my research, that this would be my next chef knife. The Global Chef Knife, I can honestly say, was the best addition to my kitchen equipment for quite some time. As soon as I took it out of the box, I noticed its sleek design of the long stainless steel blade tapering into the black dimpled handle. I immediately put it to the test by making homemade stew that night. The potatoes and carrots were the first step. I took out the carrots, set up my wooden cutting board and took out the G-2. Cutting all the ingredients for a stew had always been a chore with my old knife. However, with the G-2, it was a breeze : it sliced through the carrots with no resistance, and the thin blade left thinner slices than the blade of my old knife could produce, while also being so much easier to handle.
It was a similar story with the potatoes, which my new knife cut through with ease. It was while cutting the potatoes I discovered I would have to adjust to the sharpness of Global Kitchen Knives after my old dull blade. I was soon an expert in finding cheap bandages after not paying attention while I was slicing.
Soon, it was time to add meat to the stew. For stews, I usually use a cheaper grade of beef, which makes it also harder to cut. However, I soon found the Global G-2 was well able to cut the beef into the small chunks I needed for my stew. My hand did not get tired out or fatigued either, thanks to the fine balance of the blade. I was very impressed with the performance of the blade, and the stew tasted great.
Three months after getting the Global Chef Knife, it still has a razor sharp edge. I do have plans to get a diamond sharpener from Global in the next few months. ( You will need the proper sharpener for Global knives, as a generic sharpener may do damage). My Global G-2 will have pride of place in my kitchen from now on.
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