Thoughts on Global knives?

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i was looking at this flexible fillet knife by Global and wanted to ask about what everyone thinks about global knives. Says it uses its signature CROMOVA 18 steel while this one is flexible.
 
Most here don’t like them. Steel is kinda meh, not the best to sharpen and soft enough that it doesn’t hold an edge long. I personally hate the handles. Mac would probably be the default mass market pick in that general price range.
 
Most here don’t like them. Steel is kinda meh, not the best to sharpen and soft enough that it doesn’t hold an edge long. I personally hate the handles. Mac would probably be the default mass market pick in that general price range.
the only mac flexible knife i could find was only 7 inches and most had a full bolster
 
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What fish do you cut mainly? My Co-worker have the global gyuto, the steel is very soft, handle...erm... I don't like it at all, but is very easy to sharpen.
 
Global's have really sharp spines on top of all the other shortcomings already mentioned
 
As others have said, Globals are not ideal for this sort of application. I'd strongly recommend Mora/Frost, instead, myself:

Frosts PG Series

Mora Fillet

Frosts 8.6" Fillet

Steel is much better than the norm (12C27 HT'd pretty well. Takes a near-carbon edge on a lot of different sharpening media, holds it better than average, and doesn't really have massive deburring issues like Global, or most mass-market European makes.), handles are excellent (Especially when your hands are wet/dirty.), prices are great, they're tough, easy to clean... These are 'user' knives. Not 'show off' knives. It's what you get when you actually want to fillet some fish.

If you're looking for a western fillet for the home kitchen that's a little prettier, then maybe something like the Mora 1891 fillet would be good (Pretty/comfortable handle, good HT on their 14C28N, which holds an edge really surprisingly well. Needs sharpening OOTB as factory edges aren't great, but they're easy to reset the bevel on, and maintain various ways.). They're pretty, and still low-maintenance/well priced... I'd still be tempted to save some money, and get one of the cheaper 12C27 Frosts/Mora's listed above, though. They're just better for the application.

Flexy, western-style fillets will never be my favorite to sharpen, but if these suit your filleting style, at least go with something that's secure to hold, and is made from a steel that won't be the biggest nightmare to maintain. Hope this helps.
 
I used to think Global was the bee's knee's of knifes....until I discovered proper knifes, My Gf still uses her Global knife in the kitchen, the rare moments I pick it up the first thing I do is swapping it for a different knife.
 
I love my Global Gyuto.
It’s the only knife I use to crack coconuts with.
I use the spine of course. I’m not an animal.
 
i still have a g2 from 1994. practiced sharpening on it and now use it as a beater. gf and daughter likes it so i keep it sharp. can’t say i like anything about it, but it’s siblings have prepared far more michelin star meals than my good knives’ families.

.
 
What fish do you cut mainly? My Co-worker have the global gyuto, the steel is very soft, handle...erm... I don't like it at all, but is very easy to sharpen.
Have you sharpened it yourself??
My experience with Globals is very different. Amongst the most difficult to sharpen on stones. Main problem are the huge carbides in a soft matrix. There is some plasticity in it. Hard to raise a burr, even harder to get rid of it. Once you think you're done, wait and see a new burr popping up somewhere else after 15 minutes.
By the way, it is the only soft steel (58Rc) I know where spontaneous chipping is perfectly common.
At the time they were introduced, around 1985, they were quite a revelation. Much lighter than what the general public was used to, sharp OOTB, with an appealing design (to some at least). Easily available in a time where there was no distance shopping. Thin, sharp, and soft enough so that the users hadn't to change their -- poor -- habits. Nowadays there are plenty alternatives of much better stainless.
 
never had a problem with the handle, fairly sturdy knife and steel is usually easier to sharpen than tojiro DP.

For cheap J-knives i prefer masahiro VC or tojiro for stainless.
 
For a flexible western style fillet knife Rapala and Victorinox are the way to go. They're totally functional and aren't so expensive that you can't use the hell out of them. Not the sexiest of options out there though.
 
Have you sharpened it yourself??
My experience with Globals is very different. Amongst the most difficult to sharpen on stones. Main problem are the huge carbides in a soft matrix. There is some plasticity in it. Hard to raise a burr, even harder to get rid of it. Once you think you're done, wait and see a new burr popping up somewhere else after 15 minutes.
By the way, it is the only soft steel (58Rc) I know where spontaneous chipping is perfectly common.
At the time they were introduced, around 1985, they were quite a revelation. Much lighter than what the general public was used to, sharp OOTB, with an appealing design (to some at least). Easily available in a time where there was no distance shopping. Thin, sharp, and soft enough so that the users hadn't to change their -- poor -- habits. Nowadays there are plenty alternatives of much better stainless.

I got one recently and I don’t think it’s that bad. My post below shows my feeling for the sharpening. I’ve used it for some meals and the edge is still sharp. The geometry is also effective enough. The spine is indeed sharp though. The balance is at the neck which I don’t like.

https://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/...and-did-you-absolutely-hate.55352/post-845742
 
I think Globals are a good choice for certain people. I had the g2 chefs knife for many years, it wasn't horrible. I preferred a knife with more of a workhorse profile, so it never got a ton of use. Sometimes I'd take the global when we traveled and got reacquainted with it, not bad at all. I kept it sharp with the gentle use of a ceramic honing rod. From what I'm reading here I was lucky it never chipped, but it didn't. In my last professional cooking gig one of my closest colleagues used them and was quite happy and productive with them.
 
I’m sharpening global knives on regular basis for friends and family. Shapton pro/glass eat this steel easy. I do SG320+SP2k+strop.

for me, vg10 sharpening is more time consuming.

victorinox also not a bad option. Easier steel than wusthof &Zwilling
 
Yea I think it only took a few passes to raise a burr on Chosera 800, then I did some edge leading strokes to remove the majority of burr, then a few edge trailing strokes on a leather strop, then a few very light edge leading stroke on Chosera 800 again. The edge in result is toothy and clean. I didn’t even need to use cork or scotch pad which I sometimes use for very soft steels for deburring.
 
And regarding the geometry and cutting feeling, it feels like a heavier Victorinox. The primary bevel is not flat like on some of the zwilling/wusthof. There’s some subtle convexity on it. And it’s very convex nearing the edge. There’s no clear edge bevel. It cuts tall carrots ok and the food release is decent. The one I got is G-16 which is 240mm and 255 gram. If the balance is more forward I would think it’s a decent knife. Still usable with the current balance.

I got mine for 50 bucks only which might inflate my impressions on it though.
 
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If the question is about Global, IMO they suck - the handles suck, the blades suck, the steel sucks, merde. You could not give me one.

If the question is about flexible fillet then you would do well to remember that the traditional flexi fillet is a western concept and you should look to western makers. For $50 or less the options include DR, Vnox, and several others. If you want to class up then you can go $200 and up for one with some bling - not necessarily a better knife but a better looking, maybe better feeling knife and forego the plastic handle.
 
Misono Suji is pretty flexible IME(UX10 line), used to be my best knife for fileting fluke fish, and still was if I haven’t sold it.
 
They work well in a crowded area ;) . I still think Global are good knives with a good honing rod and thinned they are hard too beat.
SirCutALot
Sure, with that overly convexed factory edge it will need a serious thinning. If you were only to maintain the very edge (some 17 degree per side I guess) without thinning performance won't be impressive after a few sharpenings. Just out of curiosity: what kind of rod do you use with it? I could imagine a very smooth steel one like the Dickoron Micro, or a really fine ceramic one.
 
Misono Suji is pretty flexible IME(UX10 line), used to be my best knife for fileting fluke fish, and still was if I haven’t sold it.
So is the Misono Swedish Carbon 270. The degree of flexibility is still very different from a Western flexible filet knife.
 
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