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 even the best high-carbon stainless-steel knives. Edges also are ground at a more acute angle than traditional European-style knives and arrive from the factory razor-sharp. Although Global's original knives have thinner blades and are lighter than traditional European-style knives, Global also makes a European-style "heavyweight" line for cooks who prefer hefty cutlery--like this 3-inch paring knife for cleaning and peeling vegetables and fruits. Global also dispensed with bolsters on most of its knives, including this one. Most Global knives have hollow handles, but the handle on this knife is solid. Stainless-steel handles are Global's most striking feature. They're 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. 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
