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Global kitchen knives—types, how to choose, sharpening, FAQs

In this guide, we:

  • look at the different types of Global kitchen knives available
  • tell you how to choose the right one for your purposes
  • answer some common questions about Global knives

Quick links:

What types of kitchen knives does Global make?

Global makes kitchen knives for the chef’s every need, whether it’s general-purpose cutting, carving meat, or peeling fruit or vegetables, for example. Its range includes the following:

Global steak knives

Global GT-001 Cutlery Steak Knife

Price: £37.46 (+ VAT)

Click here to buy

Global butcher’s knives

Global NI Series GNM-10 Carving Knife 21cm

Price: £99.96 (+ VAT)

Click here to buy

Global G28 Butcher’s Knife 18cm

Price: £99.96 (+ VAT)

Customer reviews

Click here to buy

Global GF27 Butcher’s Drop Forge Knife 16cm

Price: £108.29 (+ VAT)

Customer reviews

Click here to buy

Global chef’s knives/cook’s knives

Global G-2 Cook’s Knife 20cm

Also available:

Global G16 Cook's Knife 24cm

Price: £99.96 (+ VAT)

Customer reviews

Click here to buy

Global NI Series GN-009 Oriental Cook’s Knife 20cm

Also available:

Global NI Series GN-010 Oriental Cook's Knife 26cm

Price: £116.63 (+ VAT)

Click here to buy

Global GF-33 Drop Forged Chef’s Knife Blade 21cm

Price: £158.29 (+ VAT)

Customer reviews

Click here to buy

Global knife sets

Global 3 Piece Knife Set With Canvas Roll Case Limited Edition M.R.

Set includes:

  • G-58 Global Cook’s Knife 16cm
  • GS-3 Global Cook’s Knife 13cm
  • GSF-46 Global Paring Knife 8cm
  • Global canvas roll case—fits up to 9 knives

Price: £165.00 (+ VAT)

Click here to buy

Global 7 Piece Knife Set Limited Edition M.R.

Set includes:

  • GS-5 Global Vegetable Knife 14cm
  • GS-38 Global Paring Knife 9cm
  • GS-20 Global Fishbone Tweezers
  • G-73 Global Carving/Slicing Knife 22cm Fluted
  • G-55 Global Cook’s Knife 18cm
  • Global Ceramic Sharpening Steel 22cm
  • G607/9AC Global knife case—fits up to 9 knives
  • FREE Global Tasting Spoon

Price: £270.00 (+ VAT)

Customer reviews

Click here to buy

Global 9 Piece Knife Set Limited Edition M. R.

Set includes:

  • G-2 Global Cook’s Knife 20cm
  • G-20 Global Filleting Knife 21cm
  • G-65 Global Ham/Salmon Slicer Fluted 27cm
  • G-74 Global Ceramic Steel 22cm
  • GS-3 Global Cook’s Knife 13cm
  • GS-5 Global Vegetable Chopper 14cm
  • GS-21/8 Global Palette Knife/Spatula 20cm
  • GS-29 Global Fishbone Tweezers
  • GS-38 Global Paring Knife 9cm
  • G607/9AC Global knife case—fits up to 9 knives
  • FREE Global Tasting Spoon

Price: £350.00 (+ VAT)

Click here to buy

Which Global knife should I buy?

Deciding which knife to buy means considering what you’ll be using it for. Different knives serve different purposes, and using a knife for a purpose it’s not suited to can be inefficient, not to mention dangerous.

The table below explains what each kind of Global knife is best used for.

Type of knife Purpose

Boning knife

Removing bones from cuts of meat

Bread knife

Slicing bread and some hard-rind fruit

Butcher’s knife

Cutting, sectioning, and trimming large pieces of meat

Carving knife

Slicing lean cuts of meat

Cheese knife

Cutting cheese

Chef’s/cook’s knife

All-purpose knife for preparing food (although the blade is broad enough to serve as a cleaver)

Filleting knife

Filleting and preparing fish

Palette knife

Spreading one ingredient onto another (e.g. frosting on a cake, or butter onto sandwiches)

Paring knife

Peeling and chopping fruits and vegetables, removing corn from the cob, breaking up heads of lettuce, garnishing

Peeling knife

Peeling and slicing vegetables and fruit

Santoku knife

All-purpose knife for slicing, dicing, and mincing

Slicing knife

Cutting smaller, thinner slices of meat, sushi etc.

Tomato knife

Cutting and slicing tomatoes

Utility knife

Slicing softer fruits and vegetables

Vegetable knife

Chopping or shredding harder vegetables, garnishing

How should I sharpen my Global knife?

The best way to sharpen a Global knife is with a whetstone. You lubricate the whetstone with either water or oil (the instructions will tell you which one to use) then repeatedly run the knife over it to sharpen the blade.

Read how to sharpen knives with a whetstone here.

However, any of the standard ways of sharpening a knife will work, including the following:

  • Steel—most steels are designed simply to hone the knife blade (realign the microscopic shards of metal on the edge of the blade, rather than remove material to create a newer, sharper edge)
    Read how to sharpen knives with a steel here
  • Tabletop sharpener—these are simple to use and require no previous knowledge or skill
    Read how to sharpen knives with a tabletop sharpener here
  • Professional sharpening (grinding wheel)—many chefs send their knives to professional sharpeners, who sharpen the blades using a special grinding machine

In this YouTube video made by Global, a professional chef demonstrates how to sharpen Global knives using a whetstone, steel and sharpener.

Frequently asked questions

How should I clean my Global knives?

Wash your knives immediately after using them with slightly warm water and a mild liquid soap. Don’t leave them out to dry—dry them by hand and put them away. This will stop the blades getting damaged or blunted by other kitchen equipment.

Don’t put the knives in a dishwasher!

Are Global knives dishwasher-safe?

No. All Global knives are made from Cromova 18 stainless steel. When exposed to the heat and detergent inside a dishwasher, these blades can lose their sharpness or suffer damage by coming into contact with the other items in the dishwasher trays.

Are Global knives any good?

Global knives are famous for being among some of the finest kitchen knives in the world. Made in Japan, their blades are precisely sharpened on both sides, allowing for an extremely clean cutting technique. They are also equipped with very finely balanced, perfectly weighted handles.

Chefs value Global knives because they are:

  • extremely strong
  • well-balanced and comfortable to grip
  • razor-sharp
  • very resistant to wear
  • stylish

How are Global knives made?

Global makes all its knives at the Yoshikin factory in Niigata, Japan. The manufacturing process is as follows:

  • The stainless-steel blank is stamped into the shape of the blade.
  • The metal is heat-treated at about 1,000°C, and then cooled rapidly to -80°C. As well as increasing the blade’s hardness, it gives it a more uniform structure, which makes it sharper.
  • The knife is tempered by going through a second heat treatment, which takes around four hours. This gives the knife even more strength.

Do Global knives rust?

Global’s own brand of stainless steel—Cromova 18—is made from a high-carbon alloy, which helps keep the knives free from rust. However, this doesn’t mean your Global knife will never rust—all steel, including stainless steel, can rust in certain circumstances.

You can protect your Global knives from rust and rust stains by:

  • washing, drying and storing them away immediately after using them
  • using a washing-up liquid or liquid soap that doesn’t contain any acids or abrasive substances
  • avoiding soaking them in water

How can I remove rust from my Global knife?

If your Global knife is stained with rust, it’s OK. You can clean these stains using a plastic scourer (don’t use a metal one) and a paste made with baking soda.

Are my Global knives fake?

Make sure you buy your Global knives from an authorised distributor/seller. Not only can be sure the knives are genuine, but you’re also protected by Global’s official guarantee. You can find your nearest authorised seller here.

If you buy a knife from a third‑party website, you risk receiving a fake product which has no guarantee.

Are Global knives single-bevel or double-bevel?

Most Global knives are double-bevel, which means they are sharpened on both sides of the blade.

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