Based on zknives Global Cromova 18 is actually 440B steel which is much better than X50/1.4116 used by German knife companies. HRC does not equal edge retention so the stated assumption is plain wrong. You can check the viewing CATRA test results. HRC prevents flexing but not abrasion.
Excellent review! My first Japanese knife was one of these, and you have described its pros and cons very well - for instance I've got moderately large hands and found the handle a bit too small. I had (note the past tense) a G2 Gyuto as well, and liked the blade geometry better than a Santoku - but the handle size issue remained. I then bought a GF33 which I think is an ideal choice for someone new to Japanese knives that wants a more beefy knife (it is heavier than a comparible Wustof and cuts better, plus has a bigger handle).. I loved these knives as they were very sharp, nice to use and very forgiving for a beginner (which I was at the time). While I've sold all my Globals and use more crazy hand made Japanese knives now, I am still occasionally tempted to get a GF33...it is that good :-)
The Global has a special place in me. It is one of the first knives I got to use while I was doing my apprenticeship program in the Sushi restaurant. (It was the first knife they gave me to use, and now I also understand why as I don't borrow any of my high carbon knives to others but rather give them a Global/Wusthof/Victorinox if they forgot their knife roll or there is a new apprentice). The same with Zwilling. It was the first knife I got to use when I worked in a french restaurant. However, I prefer the Wusthof over Zwilling. These little things have more of an emotional value for me because of the history that they created for me. So not really a brand loyal focus, more of an emotional one. Global did some good things, but some are not for me, like the Sai series. They removed everything I liked about the Global, sure it has the san-mai construction; however, they were thicker, heavier, and have a fixed/forced thumb rest. I do want to try their Global Ni series: The Global ''Ni'' series. I think they are called Global ''Ukon'' in America. The Sai series is the complete opposite of the ''Classic'' (heavy, forced thumb rest, thick). Ni series has some adjustment, especially since the handle has been changed, but overall it matches the Global Classic series. The naming of the Global knives are also interesting: Ichi = ''One'' so the first knife they offered the Classic series. Ni = ''Two'' second version adjusted handle. Sai = Normally San = ''3'' but since they use ''3 layers'' = San Mai combined ''Sai'' If I'm correct Global offers a complete knife restore option for a small fee in Japan. They completely restore it, remove scratches, thins the knife if necessary, resharpen it, and if the logo faded away, they restamp it.
@@markir9 when I picked it up, I noticed the weight immediately, and then the thumb rest I directly disliked (but holding it in other positions was fine, so not a big deal). However, they removed everything I liked about the Classic and Ni series. (indeed ''what were they thinking?'' pretty much describes my first-time experience with it) We got the Global Gyuto ''Sai'' for free (they gave us 2) from our commercial equipment supplier at the restaurant (stove, teppanyaki, plate, fridge, etc., and sometimes they add a free knife for us). They sometimes give us something for free to keep our business relationship intact as it is very easy to go for another commercial equipment supplier. (the same with our fish, meat and vegetable suppliers we sometimes cook our staff meal based on what we get for free).
@@chefpanko I'd be interested in what you thought of the Global GF range - heavier than the classic but not stupidly heavy like the Sai! Also - I can't verify this, but the edges on the GF range seem to be better than the G range (e.g I bought a G16 and a GF33 and immediately sold the G16 as the GF33 was so much better)!
@@markir9 I did not try the GF range if I remember correctly so I can't say much about it. The following knife I actually use (tested at the restaurant and not holding it at the store): Global: G2, G46, G14, G18, GS5 SAI: SAI-06 and a Santoku version but can't find it anymore. What I did notice was that the G series has more of a convex grind where the SAI is a flat grind. And the G2 handle was bigger than the Santoku G46 if I remember it correctly. (but one thing they did great is that they have an extremely wide range of knives that will suit a specific audience but it is harder for those that don't know where to start or what they themself prefer). In terms of SAI vs G series edge retention, they are very similar. Despite them saying that the SAI has a harder Rockwell, I think that the weight and the thicker knife do not make the higher Rockwell shine as they wanted. The only difference is that the Convex grind from the factory is holding the lower angle very well, but once that convex is gone you need to add a higher angle as the edge will be rolled over. I noticed it when I added the same 12-degree angle on them and the edge retention was gone very fast while prepping beef tenderloin at work compared to the original convex grind. After adding a 17-degree angle I could finally enjoy the longer edge retention. I had a very long conversation about this with someone else, about the sharpened angle and convex grind, and more and how it affects the edge retention including knife style, weight, and impact. It is a very long chain of email replies with pages worth of content. But here is a snippet (may add in another comment if it is too long): It is not about the sharpest performance at the point of 17 degrees, but a combination of strength, durability while having the sharpest performance possible to maintain the strength. If you want the sharper performance you go for a lower angle but you simply will lose the strength, and you reduce the edge retention. There is a big difference in how we use it and how home cooks use it. As for the performance/ sharpness, you can go for 70/30 for right-handed use and vise versa for left-handed. It was to mimic a Yanagiba (single bevel) but by doing this the edge could not be held longer than a 50/50. This is not practical for home use since a Yanagiba purpose is to slice fish and nothing else. It is used for delicate tasks and not for everyday all-purpose usage. Even on beef, the Single bevel edge would not hold the edge, therefore a Yanagiba is for fish and fish only without any bones. And you see that they have a very low angle of 10 to 12 degrees. For beef, we use a Sujihiki (slicer double bevel), this is to compensate for the different structures in produce. The edge would roll over way too fast on a Yanagiba so that is why we don't use that on beef. If you go for the 17-degree angle 1 convex adds extra steel and 2, 17 degrees higher angle adds more steel too. It compensates for the impact. Lower angles and the thinner the blade (thinner blade sections? probably the better English word?) hone and re-sharpen much faster and with less effort than wide angles and thicker blades. As long as the failure rate isn’t substantial chipping or bending, a low-angle blade is typically much easier to re-sharpen and can be re-sharpened more times (before needing to add a new face). To compensate for rolling and bending I recommend 17 degrees on pretty much all knives for home cooks and they don't have to sharpen or hone that often anyway so a longer edge lifespan compensates rolling and chipping and the wrong usage. It is the failure rate and chipping and bending that we try to compensate with the higher angle and by adding the thinner face you don't compensate for the knife impact and wrong handling. Therefore you see lower angles on knives that have the sole use of delicate slicing and not all-purpose use. This is more apparent with harder steels, and why I recommend 17 degrees on even the harder steel. I don't know how the person is handling their knives but that is also the reason why I came up with the chart/guideline. Home cooks guideline does not go below a 15-degree angle. While the professional cook's angle goes as low as 12 degrees for Japanese styled knives with higher Rockwell. The harder the steel and thinner the blade the higher the risk of stress fractures due to impact on the thinner face section (same principle as not smashing things with Japanese knives) however Japanese knives compensate the impact with more surface contact and therefore reducing the impact on a small section compared to the more rounded belly of western chef's knives which concentrate a higher impact force on a small contact area. There is no wrong or good it all depends on how you use it and why. The reason for me to recommend a 17 degree is that it takes out all the guesswork, while in return gives the best sharpness that does not compensate for edge rolling, chipping, and impact. For low and hard Rockwell knives. One of the reasons I added a different angle for professional cooks: www.chefpanko.com/best-sharpening-angle-for-kitchen-knives/ I advise a lower angle for a Japanese knife for professional use (assuming they know what they do). 12 to 15, while the home cook advises is 15 and not lower than 15 based on the knife Rockwell and design. While for western chef's knife I even went for a 17 to 20 for professional cooks recommending a higher angle as for home cooks 17. The reason for this is when I was in the french restaurant we made full use of the thicker more durable german knife this includes going through small bones (20 if they use it on bones too otherwise keep 17-degree angle). Keep in mind that I advise 15 degrees on Japanese styled knives with a Rockwell above 60 and not 17 this is because of the knife style and weight. (and the reason for buying a higher Rockwell) The curvy profile belly in many western knives reduces the surface area in contact and therefore increases the stress on the edge when compared to straighter Japanese knives. However, I may even recommend a 17-degree angle on higher Rockwell too knowing how some home cooks use their knives I don't know how they manage to chip even an AUS10/VG10 (so for those I definitely recommend a 17-degree angle).
Hello Chef Panko, I just watched your video on the Santoku Global knife. I’m interested in this knife but I have medium to large hands. Is the NI series the exact same as the Classic series except made for a larger hand?
The handle is longer, they say that the Ni series have a higher Rockwell but I did not notice the difference. I prefer the Ni over the Classic since my hands are leaning towards the large size. I absolutely don't like the SAI series they are thick and very heavy.
As a dude with a pigeon-hole sized kitchen (that storing more than one knife is by all means, super difficult), who prefers oriental style of cutting meat and vegetables, santoku knife is my best choice. With all else performing at a pretty high level , this Global santoku lacks what it takes to handle the task of cutting through light bones as per seen at 3':04; is it possible to recommend another santoku that checks the box of cutting through light chicken or fish bones in the next video? Thank you so much.
Currently, I have not seen on that can but through chicken bones, Japanese knives are not suitable for that while the Japanese stainless steel versions like the AUS10 or VG10 can handle to go trough fish pin bones, and spine (the spine of the fish depends on how thick the knives are). The only one that is somewhat sturdier is the 440C from Xinzuo: ruclips.net/video/PAgGpLy1r_s/видео.html For chicken bones, the thickness of the knife plays a huge role. Most Japanese style knives are just too thin for that task. I would say that the thickness should be around 2.3mm or higher (of course with a core material that is not as brittle so usually a knife with a Rockwell of 58 or lower). The Wusthof or the Zwilling premium knife line has a thickness of around 2.5mm, therefore, more suitable for the chicken bone but also the extra weight helps with the force. Since most Japanese knives are thin and lightweight I don't think that there is one that checks the box of performing that task. There is a positive side more and more non-japanese manufacturers are making Japanese style knives. So I would not be surprised if they Make a Santoku with the same thickness as the western knives. (But currently, I have not found one). The only one that surprised me in thickness was Grandsharp but that was a Kiritsuke and a VG10 core and not suitable for chicken bones. ruclips.net/video/t6hx79X8EI8/видео.html The Global Sai series is thicker and may be able to handle the task of small chicken bones but I have not tested that so I can't be sure.
I really like to use the Gyuto G2 from Global. The knife feels so light and agile in the hand. Sharpness is enogh for me and do not fear to damage it as when I use an Aogami knife.
Indeed, not 100% sure but if I'm correct the handle of the Global Gyuto G2 is slightly bigger than the Santoku Classic version. I could have gone back to the restaurant and asked my ex-colleague to let me compare his Gyuto G2 with this Santoku but right now we are in a lock-down everything is closed for the next 3/4 weeks.
I'm thinking about which Santoku I should buy. This one from Global because I have a G-100 but also a Masutani VG1-Gyuto or Takamura Migaki. I'm totally torn about it.
With the Masutani you will have a similar knife in terms of feel vs. the Global Santoku. Both of them have a handle that is more suited for those with a small to medium hand size. If you have a large hand size which I have, I don't like both, but it is in line with a Santoku-styled knife. Takamura Migaki I have not tested so can't say much. Masutani has longer edge retention and I prefer wood over steel handle. Takamura Migaki R2/SG2 will have a better edge retention than both. Global will be the most durable but in return less edge retention. Hope that this helps in making a decision :)
@@chefpanko Thank you very much for the answer, which helped me a lot. I will buy the Santoku from Masutani and the 15cm petty from Takamura. Because of your channel I bought the Masutani and I'm getting along well with it. I even use it more often than my Shiro Kamo. A real asset, keep it up.
@@chefpanko Hello and thank you again. I have now decided. It was a Hokiyama Ginga Gingami Nashiji with silver steel 3 and a Takamura Migaki 15cm Petty.Your channel is a real asset to RUclips.
Hi Chef Panko, thank you for the great review! Please can you shed some light on the differences between the G46 and the G80? I can't find any differences between them. -Thanks
Do you mean double-sided whetstone? Or a 2 sided honing rod? Honing rod will work for a while but once you start noticing that the edge can't be hold for a longer period that is an indication that you need to grind a new edge with a whetstone.
@@G..G.. aah those (pull-through sharpeners?), it is fine for this knife but to get a sharper edge a whetstone is needed (you most likely won't get the same sharpness as out of the box sharpness with the pull-through ones). Also, I don't recommend the 2in1 pull-through sharpeners for knives with a High Rockwell. (for the Global it is fine). Minosharp looks very interesting, did not try it myself but I may try it in the future. (I think with good regular maintenance with the Minosharp you can avoid sharpening on a whetstone).
I don't have the Global G2, but if I can get my hands on it then a review will follow :) I have used the g2 plenty of times but that was years back and a borrowed knife from a colleague. If I remember correctly the G2 handle is bigger than the Santoku G46.
I definitely wanted to point that out since when I started using the Global Classic I had some cramps and discomfort after hours of use. (I have medium and on the edge of large hand size) The Global is also one of the most used knives for apprentice sushi cooks in the western part, the difference is that when I was an apprentice the chef's that was teaching me the Japanese cuisine all had small to medium hands and my hand was definitely bigger. And they did not like the Global ''Ni'' and the ''Sai'' series. But after working at different Japanese restaurants I had the luck that colleagues had the other series too. Therefore the Global ''Ni'' was a better fit for me, Thew Global ''Sai'' was not liked by any of us because of the weight and forced thumb rest and thicker blade. (And they also added cladding and hammered finish on the ''Sai'' series). I haven't tried the Global Ukon series but that one is not available yet in Europe. (But it looks like that the Ukon would have been my personal favorite instead of the ''Ni'' but did not try it yet so it is all speculations).
@@AGC828 The Global does sell the Sai Naikiri, it is under the ''SAI-04'' that is the serie name for the Nakiri. Keep in mind that the blade is thicker on the Sai, heavier than the Classic and the handle is something that I advise you to try in a store since the fixed thumb rest is not what everyone likes. Also because of the fixed thumb rest, it is for right-handed people.
The G5 is a Nakiri styled knife, and the G46 is a Santoku. The main differences are the shape and profile of the knife. The G46 Santoku has a slanted front where the G5 is more of a rectangular form factor. The Global G46 Santoku has a curvier profile, where the G5 is a bit more straighter. Material wise the same, but how they are used in terms of comfort differs, so each caters to a different cutting style. The slanted tip on the Santoku is great for trimming the fat from meat (Global GS46). It makes it easier. Despite the less slanted front and more of a rectangular form factor on the G5 Nakiri, this does not mean it is only suitable for vegetables. (The Santoku just does meat a tiny bit better in terms of timing fat, etc., but the G5 Nakiri styled knife will shine more with veggies).
@@chefpanko Thank you so much fpr the quick response. Which blade would you recommend to someone who already has a kai shun knife and a zwilling santoku?
@@stephansickmann2758 Depends on what you prefer and why you want to switch. As for the Kai Shun, if it is their VG10 version, it will have long edge retention and can take a sharper edge than the Zwilling. So between those two, the Kai Shun VG10 gives you longer edge retention, sharper performance. The Zwilling will give you a more durable knife that can take a beating. So why you want to switch what balance point you prefer, your primary gripping style, etc.? What do you cook the most? In Japanese cuisine, you have a lot of raw or less dense food, preferring sharpness over durability. For example, I at the restaurant won't use a Santoku because of the length, not that the knife is bad but because most of the food prep is larger than the knife length. Complete beef tenderloin is huge and large, or doing a complete salmon is simply not practical if the knife length is smaller than the things I need to prep. Home use is no problem as most meat or fish cut comes pre-filleted or pre-portion cut. (For example, Pork shoulder comes pre-portion cut, but if you want a complete pork shoulder, it is most likely for special occasions with a larger gathering of family and friends like a BBQ party, etc.). So recommending a blade or knife without more information is very hard as I don't know how you hold your knife, what you prepare, your cutting style, your preference, etc. So what are you seeking and why? is important for me to understand. So that I can recommend a knife style, steel-type, balance point of the knife, etc.
@@chefpanko Hello Chef, again, thank you so much for answering to my comment. The zwilling Santoku is a bit too heavy for me and i dont find using it is that much fun, even tho i consider it to be a super good blade. The Kai Shun is only 14cm in length and i love to use it, but since its more of a normal chefknives form, i find myself having trouble to cut large portions of vegetable or salads. What im looking for is something in the middle. Now what ive heard is, that Globals are very light in comparison to western chefs knives and also a bit sharper (even tho i dont think it gets any sharper than the zwilling... dont know why but when i get it on my diamond stone in fine, it is so ridiculously sharp..). Also, they offer the Santoku in a nice size for me. My only problem now is, that im confused with the G5 vs the G46, since the G5s design i think is better for cutting things like this, but also it is a bit heavier. Can u elaborate, why and which type of blade you prefer, the nakiri or the santoku? Thanks again so much.
@@stephansickmann2758 The G5 Nakiri is great for a forward and up motion. Julienning task will be great for it, especially on lettuce or cabbage. Dicing an onion requires a slight modification due to the Nakiri knife style (G5 does not have an abrupt unsharpened/rounded tip, but most Nakiri's do). Lengthwise it is indeed, as you said, if the food you are cutting is larger than your knife, it will be harder to split it open in one go (so you need to portion size it and then cut it how you want). The Global is thinner and sharpened on a lower angle, giving you the perceived sharper performance over a Zwilling, which is thicker and not sharpened on a low angle. The G5 Nakiri is indeed better with Julienning tasks, and it is a joy to use. (for your salads with very thin Julienning it is perfect) While it is still great for everything else and can pretty much do the same as the G46 Santoku, the Santoku simply does the other task slightly better. Julienne - better on the Nakiri (G5) Peeling a cucumber - better on the Nakiri G5 due to the straighter profile. But a Santoku can do the same, but that particular task will feel more comfortable on a Nakiri. Rocking motions/dicing task: better on a Santoku G46 Tip work/scoring: better on the Santoku G46 The Nakiri has no tip, so tip work is not the best, but scoring can also be done with a different motion (Nakiri can do it but requires a different technique). Keep in mind that the Global handles are on the smaller side, so you may want to hold the knife in person before buying (especially if you have a medium to large hand size). While I love the Nakiri for what it does, I prefer a Santoku because it is slightly more versatile for home use. However, when I'm at work and I have a lot of julienning tasks to do I prefer the Nakiri or a Chinese Vegetable cleaver. (we simply prep a lot more at work vs home kitchen, julienning 7 lettuces a day, and more like radicchio Rosso, etc). Hope that this helps.
I did use the Santoku and Gyuto version of the Sai series. I did not like them mainly because of the things they changed. They added hammered patterns and san-mai layers, making the knife thicker than the Classic and Ni (also named Ukon in NA) series. It not only was thicker, but they also are a lot heavier, and there is a fixed thumb rest that I personally dislike. Everything I liked about Classic and Ni is gone on the Sai series. (lightweight and thin and a forced thumb rest that I dislike). The difference is the following: Global Classic: Small to medium hand sizes (special convex factory edge) Global Ni: Longer handle and thicker but very similar to the Classic series (special convex factory edge) Global SAI: Hammer finish, Cladding heavier with a fixed thumb rest. (Flat ''V'' factory edge, higher Rockwell of 59 instead of 58?*) Global UKON: Bigger, longer handle, thicker blade, thumb rest. (special convex factory edge) *claimed by retailers not confirmed by Global (but due to the heavier knife, the edge retention feels the same as the Classic or Ni series, maybe slightly better but not worth mentioning).
@@chefpanko Thank you. From your comments the SAI does seem like a regression. I generally like thin blades with a flat belly (like the Santoku, Kiritsuke, or Chinese chopper) for dicing veg. They don't currently sell the NI range in my country. I have a bunch of knives from the Global Classic range, which I like as they are good for the price, but for some of their knives (as I find is the case with most JPN knives I've used) the handles and clearances are too small (I purchased the first one at age 14/15 but I don't exactly have gorilla hands now).
@@TheAndreArtus Classic range is indeed on the smaller side, not suitable for my hands either since I have fairly large hands. If I'm correct, the Ni series is sold as Ukon in NA. The Ukon is not available for retail in Europe. I know what you mean the clearance is less in some ranges, but lately, I have seen many changes due to western influence. Since the Ukon is the only one I did not try, I can't say much about them, but I think they are pretty much the same as the Ni series. Global Classic (Ichi = One) Global Ni (Ni = Second) Global Sai (Sai a combination of the 3 layers and three, three = San 3 layers = San Mai, so they name it Sai meaning the third version with 3 layers) Gyuto's, for example, the old traditional ones had less knuckle clearance, but they were mainly sold in Japan where they used to slice through softer, less dense food. They were slicing more, and you will see the fingertip grip as their main grip giving you enough knuckle clearance with that grip. In western cuisine, you see the pinch grip a lot more, and with that grip, you will have less knuckle clearance; they now made the Gyuto's wider to fix that problem. And for some home cooks, you see more of a thump/fist grip at the handle. (we are seeing more and more fusion knives combining the Japanese knives with Western preferences and vice versa). One of the reasons you see a balance point shift, which I understand why they did it but something I personally dislike since they changed the knives so much, changing the feel of a knife so that it performs like a Chef's knife instead of a Santoku for example.
Watched many reviews on the Wusthof and global as been considering both. Still leaning towards the Wusthof as the global manufacturing process seems a little less precise as the global is stamped rather than forged. Also the Rockwell rating on the global ranges from 56-58 where as the Wusthof is stable at 58 for all their knives...
The Rockwell on the Global is 58. It is just widely misunderstood. The knife comes pre-stamped on a Rockwell of 56 that they heat treat to 58. When it comes between Global and Wusthof, it can be narrowed down to personal preference. Global is a Japanese-style knife meaning it is lighter in weight, thinner, and sharper in performance. However, while still sturdy, it is not as sturdy as a Wusthof. Wusthof is the opposite, but it is also a lot sturdier there will be more splitting on certain food since it is thicker, but it will perform well and is very durable. Of course, there are many more factors to consider, like the balance point, blade profile, etc. You need to understand your own preference for a more personalized fit, what you cook the most, how you grip the knife, what motion you use the most, etc. Both good knives, but they are catering to different preferences. If you know your preference and what you cook, and the cutting style is, I would love to point you in a direction and suggest a few knives that might suit you. It can be Global, Wusthof, or other brands and knife styles. Would love to help you in guiding you while you search for a perfect knife for yourself :)
@@badmuppet6532 that is strange as I have spoken to them to clarify this before uploading the review. You can email them at: info [@] mastercutlery.co.jp
@@badmuppet6532, that is strange. I have no idea why they are telling me pre-stamped 56 heat-treat to 58. But the version I tested definitely is 58 (which is a new batch produced in 2020). Very interesting, as the knives I have tested from Global ranging from Classic, Ni, and Sai, the Rockwell was pretty much the same (58). Where they say that the Sai is 58/59, but it was more in line with 58 as I could not spot or feel the differences between Classic and Sai (or not even worth mentioning) But this can clarify the differences others have in terms of experience since I did see mixed camps. But still, keep the following in mind what I replied to in the earlier comment, you may want to look at other brands based on your own preference. Thick or Thin, Sturdy or Sharper performance, etc.
You may want to look at the Global ''Ni'' series. I think they are called Global ''Ukon'' in America. The Sai series is the complete opposite of the ''Classic'' (heavy, forced thumb rest, thick). Ni series has some adjustment, especially since the handle has been changed, but overall it matches the Global Classic series. The naming of the Global knives are also interesting: Ichi = ''One'' so the first knife they offered the Classic series. Ni = ''Two'' second version adjusted handle. Sai = Normally San = ''3'' but since they use ''3 layers'' = San Mai combined ''Sai''
@@chefpanko Thanks so much for such a detailed reply, incredibly helpful and thank you kindly for taking the time to write it! When I wrote the above comment I'd actually just bought a Wusthof, so it'll be interesting to see how that turns out. If for whatever reason I change my mind I'll defo look at the above in more detail. Huge thanks for the time and effort!
Global is like the Iphone of knives. Futuristic look, easy to use, good performance but overpriced in relations with others and it has the most arrogant fan boys...
I love the iPhone Analogy :) Something that a lot of people forget is how important the handle Choices are, especially with the Global knives it is not really a one size fits all/most. The Classic, in particular, will probably not fit many western hand sizes especially if they are male hand sizes. But I hope that everything is included in this review so that others get the correct information instead of brainlessly following others' advice that only tells them that the knife is perfect.
@@chefpanko yeah well... Your review as always was on point. The Ni part i didn't know it, tbh I only saw classics and Sai... Never noticed Ni.. And yeah... It was a breath of fresh air hearing someone else actually having something other to say than veneration for this brand.
@@orlandolzr I wasn't sure if people would understand if they are not familiar with the Global brand, I only knew about Classic untill the other restaurants started using the ''Ni'' and ''Sai'' so I also never heard of the ''Ukon'' series but seems like the Global ''Ukon'' is currently only sold in America.
If I'm correct the G5 is a Nakiri. A Santoku is more versatile compared to the Nakiri. You can still rock on the Nakiri but it is less comfortable. The Nakiri is suitable for the forward chopping motion, compared to the Santoku that still has a curved profile for rocking. The Nakiri also misses a point, so finely chopping an onion requires a different technique but has a better width for a better knuckle guide and better to transfer food with it. A Nakiri is more limited in usage so I would say that the Santoku is a better option (finely cutting onion is a weak point because of the missing point part at the front). I'm actually making a video for Friday about the Nakiri, it is not finished yet so if you want to know anything extra about it then I will try to include it in the video. However, while the Santoku is more versatile, the Nakiri while being limited is doing the forward chopping motion better (it performs that particular task amazing).
@@chefpanko I think you explained it pretty well. I would love to see a comparison of the two but I understand that this may not be something you're wanting to do. Thanks.
@@Nyle95 It is in the planning but I don't have a specific upload date yet. So a comparison video will be made but currently having a lot of video request for sharpening, Chinese cleavers and more, I will put the comparison video in my to-do list thank you for the suggestion :)
@@danielc2874 I asked about general use. I stated that so that it was clear that I won't need it for chopping meat etc. I'm glad you took the time to reply, thanks.
It is a global misunderstanding that harder steel is better, NOT! Harder steel like HRC 60+ is great for Japanese use but not for European uses. There are many complains from Europe users that f.eks Shun-knives chip's more often than other knives and that is because of the hardness of these knives is NOT made for our kind of uses. No matter what the manufactures says, they want to sell..... The best steel for us in EU-USA is somewhere between 56-59 in hardness..... Exceptions are out there, but those knives will cost you a lifetime.....
"... there are many complaints* from European* users that for* example* Shun knives chip* more often ..." That harder blades chips more than softer-steel blades is not due to the hardness itself but because of abuse. Many people think hardness means robustness and cut frozen food or bones with their Japanese "wonder" knives or even open cans with them. You can definitely make use of a +60 HRC blade even if you cook European cuisine only, you just need to follow some rules.
Imo gobal is one of the most overrated knife brands. I work as a chef and I see so many chefs use them. Most of the time the blades are bent and the they have ridicoulus sharp corners everywhere like yours in the video. The handles on the classic series are way to thin like you mentioned in the video. And I have small hands but still dont find the handles comfortable. I think they have a better feel on the whenstone then the knives out of that typical german stainless steel but they do feel worse on the honing rod. The success of these knives definetly relies on the futuristic design.
Thank you for sharing your experience. Back then the classic series was basically the only knives we could buy they now have expanded their line up a lot. Some good but some questionable like the Sai series, a forced thumb rest is something I don't like. The Ni or Ukon series suits me a lot better in terms of comfort. The Global is a knife that I advise people to test in a store before buying, preferably a store that sells all the different series so that you can choose the right one.
LOVE my Global knives. They've been going strong and held their edge for the past seven years!
Based on zknives Global Cromova 18 is actually 440B steel which is much better than X50/1.4116 used by German knife companies. HRC does not equal edge retention so the stated assumption is plain wrong. You can check the viewing CATRA test results. HRC prevents flexing but not abrasion.
Excellent review! My first Japanese knife was one of these, and you have described its pros and cons very well - for instance I've got moderately large hands and found the handle a bit too small. I had (note the past tense) a G2 Gyuto as well, and liked the blade geometry better than a Santoku - but the handle size issue remained. I then bought a GF33 which I think is an ideal choice for someone new to Japanese knives that wants a more beefy knife (it is heavier than a comparible Wustof and cuts better, plus has a bigger handle)..
I loved these knives as they were very sharp, nice to use and very forgiving for a beginner (which I was at the time). While I've sold all my Globals and use more crazy hand made Japanese knives now, I am still occasionally tempted to get a GF33...it is that good :-)
The Global has a special place in me. It is one of the first knives I got to use while I was doing my apprenticeship program in the Sushi restaurant. (It was the first knife they gave me to use, and now I also understand why as I don't borrow any of my high carbon knives to others but rather give them a Global/Wusthof/Victorinox if they forgot their knife roll or there is a new apprentice).
The same with Zwilling. It was the first knife I got to use when I worked in a french restaurant. However, I prefer the Wusthof over Zwilling.
These little things have more of an emotional value for me because of the history that they created for me.
So not really a brand loyal focus, more of an emotional one.
Global did some good things, but some are not for me, like the Sai series.
They removed everything I liked about the Global, sure it has the san-mai construction; however, they were thicker, heavier, and have a fixed/forced thumb rest.
I do want to try their Global Ni series:
The Global ''Ni'' series. I think they are called Global ''Ukon'' in America.
The Sai series is the complete opposite of the ''Classic'' (heavy, forced thumb rest, thick).
Ni series has some adjustment, especially since the handle has been changed, but overall it matches the Global Classic series.
The naming of the Global knives are also interesting:
Ichi = ''One'' so the first knife they offered the Classic series.
Ni = ''Two'' second version adjusted handle.
Sai = Normally San = ''3'' but since they use ''3 layers'' = San Mai combined ''Sai''
If I'm correct Global offers a complete knife restore option for a small fee in Japan.
They completely restore it, remove scratches, thins the knife if necessary, resharpen it, and if the logo faded away, they restamp it.
@@chefpanko I did try out a Global Sai (06 gyuto). It weighs in at 320g, crazy stuff - what were they thinking?
@@markir9 when I picked it up, I noticed the weight immediately, and then the thumb rest I directly disliked (but holding it in other positions was fine, so not a big deal).
However, they removed everything I liked about the Classic and Ni series. (indeed ''what were they thinking?'' pretty much describes my first-time experience with it)
We got the Global Gyuto ''Sai'' for free (they gave us 2) from our commercial equipment supplier at the restaurant (stove, teppanyaki, plate, fridge, etc., and sometimes they add a free knife for us).
They sometimes give us something for free to keep our business relationship intact as it is very easy to go for another commercial equipment supplier. (the same with our fish, meat and vegetable suppliers we sometimes cook our staff meal based on what we get for free).
@@chefpanko I'd be interested in what you thought of the Global GF range - heavier than the classic but not stupidly heavy like the Sai! Also - I can't verify this, but the edges on the GF range seem to be better than the G range (e.g I bought a G16 and a GF33 and immediately sold the G16 as the GF33 was so much better)!
@@markir9 I did not try the GF range if I remember correctly so I can't say much about it.
The following knife I actually use (tested at the restaurant and not holding it at the store):
Global: G2, G46, G14, G18, GS5
SAI: SAI-06 and a Santoku version but can't find it anymore.
What I did notice was that the G series has more of a convex grind where the SAI is a flat grind.
And the G2 handle was bigger than the Santoku G46 if I remember it correctly. (but one thing they did great is that they have an extremely wide range of knives that will suit a specific audience but it is harder for those that don't know where to start or what they themself prefer).
In terms of SAI vs G series edge retention, they are very similar. Despite them saying that the SAI has a harder Rockwell, I think that the weight and the thicker knife do not make the higher Rockwell shine as they wanted.
The only difference is that the Convex grind from the factory is holding the lower angle very well, but once that convex is gone you need to add a higher angle as the edge will be rolled over. I noticed it when I added the same 12-degree angle on them and the edge retention was gone very fast while prepping beef tenderloin at work compared to the original convex grind. After adding a 17-degree angle I could finally enjoy the longer edge retention.
I had a very long conversation about this with someone else, about the sharpened angle and convex grind, and more and how it affects the edge retention including knife style, weight, and impact.
It is a very long chain of email replies with pages worth of content.
But here is a snippet (may add in another comment if it is too long):
It is not about the sharpest performance at the point of 17 degrees, but a combination of strength, durability while having the sharpest performance possible to maintain the strength.
If you want the sharper performance you go for a lower angle but you simply will lose the strength, and you reduce the edge retention.
There is a big difference in how we use it and how home cooks use it.
As for the performance/ sharpness, you can go for 70/30 for right-handed use and vise versa for left-handed.
It was to mimic a Yanagiba (single bevel) but by doing this the edge could not be held longer than a 50/50.
This is not practical for home use since a Yanagiba purpose is to slice fish and nothing else. It is used for delicate tasks and not for everyday all-purpose usage.
Even on beef, the Single bevel edge would not hold the edge, therefore a Yanagiba is for fish and fish only without any bones.
And you see that they have a very low angle of 10 to 12 degrees.
For beef, we use a Sujihiki (slicer double bevel), this is to compensate for the different structures in produce.
The edge would roll over way too fast on a Yanagiba so that is why we don't use that on beef.
If you go for the 17-degree angle 1 convex adds extra steel and 2, 17 degrees higher angle adds more steel too.
It compensates for the impact.
Lower angles and the thinner the blade (thinner blade sections? probably the better English word?) hone and re-sharpen much faster and with less effort than wide angles and thicker blades.
As long as the failure rate isn’t substantial chipping or bending, a low-angle blade is typically much easier to re-sharpen and can be re-sharpened more times (before needing to add a new face).
To compensate for rolling and bending I recommend 17 degrees on pretty much all knives for home cooks and they don't have to sharpen or hone that often anyway so a longer edge lifespan compensates rolling and chipping and the wrong usage.
It is the failure rate and chipping and bending that we try to compensate with the higher angle and by adding the thinner face you don't compensate for the knife impact and wrong handling.
Therefore you see lower angles on knives that have the sole use of delicate slicing and not all-purpose use.
This is more apparent with harder steels, and why I recommend 17 degrees on even the harder steel.
I don't know how the person is handling their knives but that is also the reason why I came up with the chart/guideline.
Home cooks guideline does not go below a 15-degree angle. While the professional cook's angle goes as low as 12 degrees for Japanese styled knives with higher Rockwell.
The harder the steel and thinner the blade the higher the risk of stress fractures due to impact on the thinner face section (same principle as not smashing things with Japanese knives) however Japanese knives compensate the impact with more surface contact and therefore reducing the impact on a small section compared to the more rounded belly of western chef's knives which concentrate a higher impact force on a small contact area.
There is no wrong or good it all depends on how you use it and why.
The reason for me to recommend a 17 degree is that it takes out all the guesswork, while in return gives the best sharpness that does not compensate for edge rolling, chipping, and impact.
For low and hard Rockwell knives.
One of the reasons I added a different angle for professional cooks: www.chefpanko.com/best-sharpening-angle-for-kitchen-knives/
I advise a lower angle for a Japanese knife for professional use (assuming they know what they do).
12 to 15, while the home cook advises is 15 and not lower than 15 based on the knife Rockwell and design.
While for western chef's knife I even went for a 17 to 20 for professional cooks recommending a higher angle as for home cooks 17.
The reason for this is when I was in the french restaurant we made full use of the thicker more durable german knife this includes going through small bones (20 if they use it on bones too otherwise keep 17-degree angle).
Keep in mind that I advise 15 degrees on Japanese styled knives with a Rockwell above 60 and not 17 this is because of the knife style and weight. (and the reason for buying a higher Rockwell)
The curvy profile belly in many western knives reduces the surface area in contact and therefore increases the stress on the edge when compared to straighter Japanese knives.
However, I may even recommend a 17-degree angle on higher Rockwell too knowing how some home cooks use their knives I don't know how they manage to chip even an AUS10/VG10 (so for those I definitely recommend a 17-degree angle).
Hello Chef Panko, I just watched your video on the Santoku Global knife. I’m interested in this knife but I have medium to large hands. Is the NI series the exact same as the Classic series except made for a larger hand?
The handle is longer, they say that the Ni series have a higher Rockwell but I did not notice the difference.
I prefer the Ni over the Classic since my hands are leaning towards the large size.
I absolutely don't like the SAI series they are thick and very heavy.
As a dude with a pigeon-hole sized kitchen (that storing more than one knife is by all means, super difficult), who prefers oriental style of cutting meat and vegetables, santoku knife is my best choice. With all else performing at a pretty high level , this Global santoku lacks what it takes to handle the task of cutting through light bones as per seen at 3':04; is it possible to recommend another santoku that checks the box of cutting through light chicken or fish bones in the next video? Thank you so much.
Currently, I have not seen on that can but through chicken bones, Japanese knives are not suitable for that while the Japanese stainless steel versions like the AUS10 or VG10 can handle to go trough fish pin bones, and spine (the spine of the fish depends on how thick the knives are).
The only one that is somewhat sturdier is the 440C from Xinzuo:
ruclips.net/video/PAgGpLy1r_s/видео.html
For chicken bones, the thickness of the knife plays a huge role. Most Japanese style knives are just too thin for that task.
I would say that the thickness should be around 2.3mm or higher (of course with a core material that is not as brittle so usually a knife with a Rockwell of 58 or lower).
The Wusthof or the Zwilling premium knife line has a thickness of around 2.5mm, therefore, more suitable for the chicken bone but also the extra weight helps with the force.
Since most Japanese knives are thin and lightweight I don't think that there is one that checks the box of performing that task.
There is a positive side more and more non-japanese manufacturers are making Japanese style knives. So I would not be surprised if they Make a Santoku with the same thickness as the western knives. (But currently, I have not found one).
The only one that surprised me in thickness was Grandsharp but that was a Kiritsuke and a VG10 core and not suitable for chicken bones.
ruclips.net/video/t6hx79X8EI8/видео.html
The Global Sai series is thicker and may be able to handle the task of small chicken bones but I have not tested that so I can't be sure.
I really like to use the Gyuto G2 from Global. The knife feels so light and agile in the hand. Sharpness is enogh for me and do not fear to damage it as when I use an Aogami knife.
Indeed, not 100% sure but if I'm correct the handle of the Global Gyuto G2 is slightly bigger than the Santoku Classic version.
I could have gone back to the restaurant and asked my ex-colleague to let me compare his Gyuto G2 with this Santoku but right now we are in a lock-down everything is closed for the next 3/4 weeks.
I'm thinking about which Santoku I should buy. This one from Global because I have a G-100 but also a Masutani VG1-Gyuto or Takamura Migaki. I'm totally torn about it.
With the Masutani you will have a similar knife in terms of feel vs. the Global Santoku. Both of them have a handle that is more suited for those with a small to medium hand size.
If you have a large hand size which I have, I don't like both, but it is in line with a Santoku-styled knife. Takamura Migaki I have not tested so can't say much.
Masutani has longer edge retention and I prefer wood over steel handle.
Takamura Migaki R2/SG2 will have a better edge retention than both.
Global will be the most durable but in return less edge retention.
Hope that this helps in making a decision :)
@@chefpanko Thank you very much for the answer, which helped me a lot. I will buy the Santoku from Masutani and the 15cm petty from Takamura. Because of your channel I bought the Masutani and I'm getting along well with it. I even use it more often than my Shiro Kamo. A real asset, keep it up.
@@chefpanko Hello and thank you again. I have now decided. It was a Hokiyama Ginga Gingami Nashiji with silver steel 3 and a Takamura Migaki 15cm Petty.Your channel is a real asset to RUclips.
Hi Chef Panko, thank you for the great review! Please can you shed some light on the differences between the G46 and the G80? I can't find any differences between them. -Thanks
As far as I can see everything is the same but G80 has grantons/scallops wich helps with food release. Food will stick less to the blade.
Hi Chef. Are you still here for a question hihi? I am thinking about G-80 and G-81. Which one do you recommend if I already have G-2 and GS-5?
Great review. I recently received these as a gift. I have a two part sharpening thingie. Is that good enough for sharpening them?
Do you mean double-sided whetstone?
Or a 2 sided honing rod?
Honing rod will work for a while but once you start noticing that the edge can't be hold for a longer period that is an indication that you need to grind a new edge with a whetstone.
@@chefpanko I have a 2-n-1 basic knife sharpener. I just ordered the Minosharp ceramic wheel water sharpener.
@@G..G.. aah those (pull-through sharpeners?), it is fine for this knife but to get a sharper edge a whetstone is needed (you most likely won't get the same sharpness as out of the box sharpness with the pull-through ones).
Also, I don't recommend the 2in1 pull-through sharpeners for knives with a High Rockwell. (for the Global it is fine).
Minosharp looks very interesting, did not try it myself but I may try it in the future. (I think with good regular maintenance with the Minosharp you can avoid sharpening on a whetstone).
@@chefpanko Thanks so much for responding.
Thank you for this informative video :) it helped me choose the right knife.
Thank you for the nice comment :) I really appreciate it!
I would really love to see a review on the Global G2 :D
I don't have the Global G2, but if I can get my hands on it then a review will follow :)
I have used the g2 plenty of times but that was years back and a borrowed knife from a colleague.
If I remember correctly the G2 handle is bigger than the Santoku G46.
Great point about the handle size. Something I don't think most people know. I didn't. :) I think I have medium to large sized hands. .
I definitely wanted to point that out since when I started using the Global Classic I had some cramps and discomfort after hours of use. (I have medium and on the edge of large hand size)
The Global is also one of the most used knives for apprentice sushi cooks in the western part, the difference is that when I was an apprentice the chef's that was teaching me the Japanese cuisine all had small to medium hands and my hand was definitely bigger. And they did not like the Global ''Ni'' and the ''Sai'' series.
But after working at different Japanese restaurants I had the luck that colleagues had the other series too. Therefore the Global ''Ni'' was a better fit for me, Thew Global ''Sai'' was not liked by any of us because of the weight and forced thumb rest and thicker blade. (And they also added cladding and hammered finish on the ''Sai'' series).
I haven't tried the Global Ukon series but that one is not available yet in Europe. (But it looks like that the Ukon would have been my personal favorite instead of the ''Ni'' but did not try it yet so it is all speculations).
@@chefpanko Was going to ask you about the SAI.. Heh... Not sure if there's a nakiri in the No series
@@AGC828 The Global does sell the Sai Naikiri, it is under the ''SAI-04'' that is the serie name for the Nakiri.
Keep in mind that the blade is thicker on the Sai, heavier than the Classic and the handle is something that I advise you to try in a store since the fixed thumb rest is not what everyone likes. Also because of the fixed thumb rest, it is for right-handed people.
Nice and honest review
Thank you for watching :)
Thank you very much for your good review
Great review!
Thank you :)
Hello Chef!
Do you, by any chance, know what the differences between this and the G5 are? It says its a vegetable knife and im kinda curious. Thanks!
The G5 is a Nakiri styled knife, and the G46 is a Santoku. The main differences are the shape and profile of the knife.
The G46 Santoku has a slanted front where the G5 is more of a rectangular form factor.
The Global G46 Santoku has a curvier profile, where the G5 is a bit more straighter.
Material wise the same, but how they are used in terms of comfort differs, so each caters to a different cutting style.
The slanted tip on the Santoku is great for trimming the fat from meat (Global GS46). It makes it easier.
Despite the less slanted front and more of a rectangular form factor on the G5 Nakiri, this does not mean it is only suitable for vegetables.
(The Santoku just does meat a tiny bit better in terms of timing fat, etc., but the G5 Nakiri styled knife will shine more with veggies).
@@chefpanko Thank you so much fpr the quick response. Which blade would you recommend to someone who already has a kai shun knife and a zwilling santoku?
@@stephansickmann2758 Depends on what you prefer and why you want to switch.
As for the Kai Shun, if it is their VG10 version, it will have long edge retention and can take a sharper edge than the Zwilling.
So between those two, the Kai Shun VG10 gives you longer edge retention, sharper performance.
The Zwilling will give you a more durable knife that can take a beating.
So why you want to switch what balance point you prefer, your primary gripping style, etc.?
What do you cook the most?
In Japanese cuisine, you have a lot of raw or less dense food, preferring sharpness over durability.
For example, I at the restaurant won't use a Santoku because of the length, not that the knife is bad but because most of the food prep is larger than the knife length.
Complete beef tenderloin is huge and large, or doing a complete salmon is simply not practical if the knife length is smaller than the things I need to prep.
Home use is no problem as most meat or fish cut comes pre-filleted or pre-portion cut. (For example, Pork shoulder comes pre-portion cut, but if you want a complete pork shoulder, it is most likely for special occasions with a larger gathering of family and friends like a BBQ party, etc.).
So recommending a blade or knife without more information is very hard as I don't know how you hold your knife, what you prepare, your cutting style, your preference, etc.
So what are you seeking and why? is important for me to understand. So that I can recommend a knife style, steel-type, balance point of the knife, etc.
@@chefpanko Hello Chef,
again, thank you so much for answering to my comment.
The zwilling Santoku is a bit too heavy for me and i dont find using it is that much fun, even tho i consider it to be a super good blade.
The Kai Shun is only 14cm in length and i love to use it, but since its more of a normal chefknives form, i find myself having trouble to cut large portions of vegetable or salads. What im looking for is something in the middle. Now what ive heard is, that Globals are very light in comparison to western chefs knives and also a bit sharper (even tho i dont think it gets any sharper than the zwilling... dont know why but when i get it on my diamond stone in fine, it is so ridiculously sharp..). Also, they offer the Santoku in a nice size for me. My only problem now is, that im confused with the G5 vs the G46, since the G5s design i think is better for cutting things like this, but also it is a bit heavier. Can u elaborate, why and which type of blade you prefer, the nakiri or the santoku? Thanks again so much.
@@stephansickmann2758 The G5 Nakiri is great for a forward and up motion. Julienning task will be great for it, especially on lettuce or cabbage.
Dicing an onion requires a slight modification due to the Nakiri knife style (G5 does not have an abrupt unsharpened/rounded tip, but most Nakiri's do).
Lengthwise it is indeed, as you said, if the food you are cutting is larger than your knife, it will be harder to split it open in one go (so you need to portion size it and then cut it how you want).
The Global is thinner and sharpened on a lower angle, giving you the perceived sharper performance over a Zwilling, which is thicker and not sharpened on a low angle.
The G5 Nakiri is indeed better with Julienning tasks, and it is a joy to use. (for your salads with very thin Julienning it is perfect)
While it is still great for everything else and can pretty much do the same as the G46 Santoku, the Santoku simply does the other task slightly better.
Julienne - better on the Nakiri (G5)
Peeling a cucumber - better on the Nakiri G5 due to the straighter profile.
But a Santoku can do the same, but that particular task will feel more comfortable on a Nakiri.
Rocking motions/dicing task: better on a Santoku G46
Tip work/scoring: better on the Santoku G46
The Nakiri has no tip, so tip work is not the best, but scoring can also be done with a different motion (Nakiri can do it but requires a different technique).
Keep in mind that the Global handles are on the smaller side, so you may want to hold the knife in person before buying (especially if you have a medium to large hand size).
While I love the Nakiri for what it does, I prefer a Santoku because it is slightly more versatile for home use.
However, when I'm at work and I have a lot of julienning tasks to do I prefer the Nakiri or a Chinese Vegetable cleaver. (we simply prep a lot more at work vs home kitchen, julienning 7 lettuces a day, and more like radicchio Rosso, etc).
Hope that this helps.
Hi ChefPanko, have you used the Global SAI range at all?
I did use the Santoku and Gyuto version of the Sai series. I did not like them mainly because of the things they changed.
They added hammered patterns and san-mai layers, making the knife thicker than the Classic and Ni (also named Ukon in NA) series.
It not only was thicker, but they also are a lot heavier, and there is a fixed thumb rest that I personally dislike.
Everything I liked about Classic and Ni is gone on the Sai series. (lightweight and thin and a forced thumb rest that I dislike).
The difference is the following:
Global Classic: Small to medium hand sizes
(special convex factory edge)
Global Ni: Longer handle and thicker but very similar to the Classic series
(special convex factory edge)
Global SAI: Hammer finish, Cladding heavier with a fixed thumb rest.
(Flat ''V'' factory edge, higher Rockwell of 59 instead of 58?*)
Global UKON: Bigger, longer handle, thicker blade, thumb rest. (special convex factory edge)
*claimed by retailers not confirmed by Global (but due to the heavier knife, the edge retention feels the same as the Classic or Ni series, maybe slightly better but not worth mentioning).
@@chefpanko Thank you. From your comments the SAI does seem like a regression. I generally like thin blades with a flat belly (like the Santoku, Kiritsuke, or Chinese chopper) for dicing veg. They don't currently sell the NI range in my country. I have a bunch of knives from the Global Classic range, which I like as they are good for the price, but for some of their knives (as I find is the case with most JPN knives I've used) the handles and clearances are too small (I purchased the first one at age 14/15 but I don't exactly have gorilla hands now).
@@TheAndreArtus Classic range is indeed on the smaller side, not suitable for my hands either since I have fairly large hands.
If I'm correct, the Ni series is sold as Ukon in NA. The Ukon is not available for retail in Europe. I know what you mean the clearance is less in some ranges, but lately, I have seen many changes due to western influence. Since the Ukon is the only one I did not try, I can't say much about them, but I think they are pretty much the same as the Ni series.
Global Classic (Ichi = One)
Global Ni (Ni = Second)
Global Sai (Sai a combination of the 3 layers and three, three = San 3 layers = San Mai, so they name it Sai meaning the third version with 3 layers)
Gyuto's, for example, the old traditional ones had less knuckle clearance, but they were mainly sold in Japan where they used to slice through softer, less dense food. They were slicing more, and you will see the fingertip grip as their main grip giving you enough knuckle clearance with that grip.
In western cuisine, you see the pinch grip a lot more, and with that grip, you will have less knuckle clearance; they now made the Gyuto's wider to fix that problem.
And for some home cooks, you see more of a thump/fist grip at the handle. (we are seeing more and more fusion knives combining the Japanese knives with Western preferences and vice versa).
One of the reasons you see a balance point shift, which I understand why they did it but something I personally dislike since they changed the knives so much, changing the feel of a knife so that it performs like a Chef's knife instead of a Santoku for example.
Watched many reviews on the Wusthof and global as been considering both. Still leaning towards the Wusthof as the global manufacturing process seems a little less precise as the global is stamped rather than forged. Also the Rockwell rating on the global ranges from 56-58 where as the Wusthof is stable at 58 for all their knives...
The Rockwell on the Global is 58. It is just widely misunderstood.
The knife comes pre-stamped on a Rockwell of 56 that they heat treat to 58.
When it comes between Global and Wusthof, it can be narrowed down to personal preference.
Global is a Japanese-style knife meaning it is lighter in weight, thinner, and sharper in performance. However, while still sturdy, it is not as sturdy as a Wusthof.
Wusthof is the opposite, but it is also a lot sturdier there will be more splitting on certain food since it is thicker, but it will perform well and is very durable.
Of course, there are many more factors to consider, like the balance point, blade profile, etc.
You need to understand your own preference for a more personalized fit, what you cook the most, how you grip the knife, what motion you use the most, etc.
Both good knives, but they are catering to different preferences.
If you know your preference and what you cook, and the cutting style is, I would love to point you in a direction and suggest a few knives that might suit you. It can be Global, Wusthof, or other brands and knife styles. Would love to help you in guiding you while you search for a perfect knife for yourself :)
@@chefpanko unfortunately that’s not what global says as they have only confirmed a rating between 56-58.
@@badmuppet6532 that is strange as I have spoken to them to clarify this before uploading the review. You can email them at: info [@] mastercutlery.co.jp
@@chefpanko I know though I did email them which is when they confirmed the 56-58 rating.
@@badmuppet6532, that is strange. I have no idea why they are telling me pre-stamped 56 heat-treat to 58. But the version I tested definitely is 58 (which is a new batch produced in 2020).
Very interesting, as the knives I have tested from Global ranging from Classic, Ni, and Sai, the Rockwell was pretty much the same (58).
Where they say that the Sai is 58/59, but it was more in line with 58 as I could not spot or feel the differences between Classic and Sai (or not even worth mentioning)
But this can clarify the differences others have in terms of experience since I did see mixed camps.
But still, keep the following in mind what I replied to in the earlier comment, you may want to look at other brands based on your own preference.
Thick or Thin, Sturdy or Sharper performance, etc.
Good knives.
Great review, love the detail and really helped. Loved the look of this one but I have massive hands haha
You may want to look at the Global ''Ni'' series. I think they are called Global ''Ukon'' in America.
The Sai series is the complete opposite of the ''Classic'' (heavy, forced thumb rest, thick).
Ni series has some adjustment, especially since the handle has been changed, but overall it matches the Global Classic series.
The naming of the Global knives are also interesting:
Ichi = ''One'' so the first knife they offered the Classic series.
Ni = ''Two'' second version adjusted handle.
Sai = Normally San = ''3'' but since they use ''3 layers'' = San Mai combined ''Sai''
@@chefpanko Thanks so much for such a detailed reply, incredibly helpful and thank you kindly for taking the time to write it! When I wrote the above comment I'd actually just bought a Wusthof, so it'll be interesting to see how that turns out. If for whatever reason I change my mind I'll defo look at the above in more detail. Huge thanks for the time and effort!
Global is like the Iphone of knives. Futuristic look, easy to use, good performance but overpriced in relations with others and it has the most arrogant fan boys...
I love the iPhone Analogy :) Something that a lot of people forget is how important the handle Choices are, especially with the Global knives it is not really a one size fits all/most.
The Classic, in particular, will probably not fit many western hand sizes especially if they are male hand sizes.
But I hope that everything is included in this review so that others get the correct information instead of brainlessly following others' advice that only tells them that the knife is perfect.
@@chefpanko yeah well... Your review as always was on point. The Ni part i didn't know it, tbh I only saw classics and Sai... Never noticed Ni.. And yeah... It was a breath of fresh air hearing someone else actually having something other to say than veneration for this brand.
@@orlandolzr I wasn't sure if people would understand if they are not familiar with the Global brand, I only knew about Classic untill the other restaurants started using the ''Ni'' and ''Sai'' so I also never heard of the ''Ukon'' series but seems like the Global ''Ukon'' is currently only sold in America.
Which would be better for general use, this G46 or the G5 vegetable chopper? (I'm vegan)
If I'm correct the G5 is a Nakiri.
A Santoku is more versatile compared to the Nakiri.
You can still rock on the Nakiri but it is less comfortable.
The Nakiri is suitable for the forward chopping motion, compared to the Santoku that still has a curved profile for rocking.
The Nakiri also misses a point, so finely chopping an onion requires a different technique but has a better width for a better knuckle guide and better to transfer food with it.
A Nakiri is more limited in usage so I would say that the Santoku is a better option (finely cutting onion is a weak point because of the missing point part at the front).
I'm actually making a video for Friday about the Nakiri, it is not finished yet so if you want to know anything extra about it then I will try to include it in the video.
However, while the Santoku is more versatile, the Nakiri while being limited is doing the forward chopping motion better (it performs that particular task amazing).
@@chefpanko I think you explained it pretty well. I would love to see a comparison of the two but I understand that this may not be something you're wanting to do. Thanks.
@@Nyle95 It is in the planning but I don't have a specific upload date yet. So a comparison video will be made but currently having a lot of video request for sharpening, Chinese cleavers and more, I will put the comparison video in my to-do list thank you for the suggestion :)
Haha vegans can't even post a youtube comment without mentioning they're vegan.
@@danielc2874 I asked about general use. I stated that so that it was clear that I won't need it for chopping meat etc. I'm glad you took the time to reply, thanks.
It is a global misunderstanding that harder steel is better, NOT! Harder steel like HRC 60+ is great for Japanese use but not for European uses. There are many complains from Europe users that f.eks Shun-knives chip's more often than other knives and that is because of the hardness of these knives is NOT made for our kind of uses. No matter what the manufactures says, they want to sell..... The best steel for us in EU-USA is somewhere between 56-59 in hardness..... Exceptions are out there, but those knives will cost you a lifetime.....
"... there are many complaints* from European* users that for* example* Shun knives chip* more often ..." That harder blades chips more than softer-steel blades is not due to the hardness itself but because of abuse. Many people think hardness means robustness and cut frozen food or bones with their Japanese "wonder" knives or even open cans with them. You can definitely make use of a +60 HRC blade even if you cook European cuisine only, you just need to follow some rules.
Imo gobal is one of the most overrated knife brands. I work as a chef and I see so many chefs use them. Most of the time the blades are bent and the they have ridicoulus sharp corners everywhere like yours in the video. The handles on the classic series are way to thin like you mentioned in the video. And I have small hands but still dont find the handles comfortable. I think they have a better feel on the whenstone then the knives out of that typical german stainless steel but they do feel worse on the honing rod. The success of these knives definetly relies on the futuristic design.
Thank you for sharing your experience. Back then the classic series was basically the only knives we could buy they now have expanded their line up a lot. Some good but some questionable like the Sai series, a forced thumb rest is something I don't like. The Ni or Ukon series suits me a lot better in terms of comfort.
The Global is a knife that I advise people to test in a store before buying, preferably a store that sells all the different series so that you can choose the right one.
... way too* thin / better feel (...) than*