Knives

[Ronin]

I went to the local kitchen shop here in my swampland, which has a very nice selection of cutlery. I have played with Henckel and Wustoff blades before... but never have I been so impressed by the Global knives.

They're so thin, so sharp so LIGHT. I am defintely sold, and what's great is that I get a discount at that store for being a professional cook. The Global knives are also the same price as I find them online. So I really can't go wrong with a Global 8 inch for 70 dollars flat out.

Now my delima comes in...

I want the 8 inch Chefs knife, though I liked the 7.25 inch Oriental Chefs knife...

Ahhh!!!

What am I to do... buy both!

No... that would be ludicrous...

I must say I like the 8 inch Chefs knife blade, but there was something about the way the Oriental version balanced in my hand.

Someone must help me decide.

Now...

I want to keep my blade in tip top shape, so I might as well get a diamond honing rod.

Does anyone have a sight on how to properly hone and or sharpen a Global knife?

I would greatly appreciate the wisdom of the forum once more.

[-d-]

but there was something about the way the Oriental version balanced in my hand.

I think that you say it here, buy the oriental version of the knife. If it feels great in your hand, you're more likely to use it.

As for sharpening (or honing actually), there's a
special angled ceramic water sharpener that Global offers.

[Ronin]

Hmm...

I was thinking about it and the Oriental was heavier than the regular 8 inch Chef knife. I remember the 8 inch Chef knife being exceedingly light.

I believe the final test will be tomorrow when I cash my pay check and go purchase the knife. I more than likely will get the Chefs over the Oriental.

Inevitabely I will get them both...

If any of you here on the forum own either knives , please drop in your input. It will be most appreciated.

~Peace Out~

[Suzanne]

I agree with -d- on both which knife to get, and on the sharpener. I'm not all that fond of Global for myself, but they ARE great knives. And I got that sharpener recently -- it works really well!! Also works on Messermeister blades.

[Ronin]

Globals come with a warranty. I have seen people posting otherwise, yet on their site, they say that there is a warranty.

Strange...

In any event, I know the cost of something doesn't amount to everything , yet the ceramic sharpener is only 30 dollars, where the Global Diamond Honing rod is over 100 dollars.

Why wouldn't I want the honing rod over the ceramic sharpener?

I must say this is quite embarrassing to say, but I really do not feel like I know how to sharpen and or hone knives.

I have been shown many ways, but my Henckel feels dull... Maybe it's just me and the Henckel isn't sharp enough for me.

The Global is such a fine knife, that I don't want to screw it up at all. My Henckel is my first knife I have basically destroyed over the years.

I do not want that to happen to my Global from incorrect honing or sharpening.

I am too embarrassed to realy have asked anyone till now, but I know I will not learn any other way. Not only that, but I do not trust many of the people I have worked with, to know what they are talking about. I have been shown conflicting methods of honing and sharpening.

Please help this poor neophyte knife sharpener/honer out.

Thank you all once again

[Mezzaluna]

I bought the Shinkansen Water Sharperner for my Global, and I love it! I got it from Sur la Table, I think. It was less than $30. Did a GREAT job of refreshing the edge. It has two little double wheels and a guard above the wheels- you just fill the reservoir with water, put the slotted guard over the wheels, pull the blade through the slot and over the wheels (one slot at a time), and that's all there is to it. I also have a pull-through Henkel's sharpener for other knives, but I do NOT use it for the Global.

[Suzanne]

Mezz is right -- the way that thing works, it's really hard to mess up. You can only put the blade in the right way. Of course, nothing takes the place of a REAL stone and all -- but that little gizmo is terrific. I usually finish the Globals with the ceramic rod.

[amw5g]

If I remember correctly, the blade is at a 15-18 degree angle, which makes it a little tougher to touch-up, if you are used to german/french style knives.
I, too, have the Shinkansen and find that it gives my global (8" chef's) a little "bite". I can't decide whether I prefer that to the scalpel-like edge that it came with. That being said, my fingers seem to always be healing from one nick or another from them. And you don't even feel it when they go in!
The following link is a review of the Shinkansen system that I've seen tossed about from time to time. Take it for what you will.
http://www.ameritech.net/users/knive...htm#shinkansen
Regards,
Andrew

[Mezzaluna]

Interesting- thanks for the link, Andrew. I've been happy with the Shinkansen, so I guess I'll stick with it. But I'm glad to know there's a $2 product out that that might correct a mistake if it comes to that! I'll keep my eyes open for one of the Normarks.

[phatch]

For easy sharpening I find the Spyderco Sharpmaker the easiest system I have used with hairsplitting results. Quick too. As the knife wears in over time, you can even back bevel the knife and regrind it a bit to keep it useful.


http://www.spyderco.com/online_produ...G4WREUTMFQ3QM2

A really cool thing is it's ability to sharpen serrations. No, not those rotten ginsu serrations, but the real good ones on quality bread knives and that sort of thing. They should know, they are credited with inventing that serration pattern in the knife industry.

Their kitchen line of knives are good too. http://www.spyderco.com/online_produ...G4WREUTMFQ3QM2

Phil

[chiffonade]

The Global Veggie Cleaver was the first "cooking related" gift I purchased for my husband. (So much for the superstition you're not supposed to give knives to those you love.) For me the Globals took some getting used to...but not much...LOL.

A Global veggie cleaver is great but I wouldn't put it in a category with a chef's knife. I wouldn't cleave into a lobster body with a Global because it's simply not meant for such jobs. This is a clear case of "the right knife for the job." And yes, the solution might be to buy both.

[Ronin]

I got my Global 8 inch Chef knife and have never been happier with a knife before in my entire life.

It is so light, sharp and THIN!

In any event, the instructions that Global gives for sharpening their knives is a Ceramic whetstone with the blade held at a 10-15 degree angle, pushing back and forth accross the stone in smooth, steady strokes maintaining the same angle.

To achieve the best results, the front of the blade should be polished about 70% and the back of the blade about 30%

I assume that the front of the blade is the side that says Global, and the back is the side that does not.

Apparently Global sells a guide rail to clip onto the back of your knife to help maintain this 10- 15 degree angle.

Another question of mine is, how often should I sharpen my knife?

I more than likely will get a ceramic whetstone and a guide rail, though I have been doing some researching and some say that stone sharpening doesn't need to be done but every 6 months or so.

To maintain the edge between this, the rods are good.

*sigh*

It isn't as sharp as when it came out the box since I have been using it at work for the past few days, so I am wondering what steps I should take now.

It seems a steel is a good choice, I simply don't know how to use a steel properly.

I assume if I should try and achieve a 10 - 15 degree angle with the Global on a steel, though I believe on most HEnckels and Wustoffs a 45 degree angle is wanted.

Knife sharpening is so chaotic. I have read so many different and conflicting things.

[phatch]

The following link is to a forum of knife knuts. This is their sharpening FAQ. http://www.bladeforums.com/features/faqsharp.shtml

It goes on for several pages and is quite enlightening. These guys are sharpening lots more than kitchen knives, but their kitchen knives are probably as sharp or sharper than many chefs' knives.

440C stainless steel flat ground full tang knives with carbon fiber/Rosewood handles





Phil

[ziggy]

Thanks for posting that link, phatch. Interesting and timely as I have been struggling to learn how to properly steel and sharpen my knives....This is hte best explanation I've found yet and quite a few lightbulbs went off while reading.