High tech from tip to handle, Global knives from Japan created a sensation when they burst onto the world's culinary stage as an alternative to traditional European-style cutlery. Blades are made of hard molybdenum/vanadium stainless steel and "face-ground" with a long taper rather than a short bevel so edges remain sharp longer than high-carbon stainless-steel knives. Edges are ground razor-sharp at a more acute angle than traditional European-style knives. Although Global also makes a "heavyweight" line, its original knives--of which the three knives in this set are examples--have thinner blades and are lighter than traditional knives. Balance is achieved by injecting a precise amount of sand for a particular blade style into a hollow handle. To ensure balance is continuous, the sand flows inside the handle as a blade is maneuvered. A finger notch between blade and handle provides safety. Stainless-steel handles are molded to fit the hand and dimpled to resist slipping. Smaller around than many European-style handles, they're easy for small-handed cooks to grasp and seamless for sanitation. These three knives--an 8-inch chef's knife, a 5-1/2-inch cook's knife, and a 4-inch paring knife--equip a cook to perform most basic kitchen tasks. The two smaller knives' wedge-shaped handles are particularly well engineered for grasping securely with a relaxed hand. Global recommends using a ceramic sharpener or a diamond steel instead of a metal sharpening steel for its knives, supplemented by a synthetic whetstone, a ceramic whetstone, or a Shinkansen sharpener. Global also makes a Sharpening Guide Rail so blades can be honed on a whetstone at the proper angle. Global knives should be hand washed to protect edges. They carry a lifetime warranty against defects and breakage. --Fred Brack
