Global GS-7 Paring knife; a great addition to any kitchen.
Written: Feb 20 '06
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Pros: Global quality of construction, great looks
Cons: Care needs to be taken to keep out of reach of children and careless choppers
The Bottom Line: Global has a good design, and this knife is no exception. This is great for the small cutting jobs in your kitchen.
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| ivplay's Full Review: Global Paring Knife, 4 In. GS7 |
A short while back I took the plunge and bought a good knife for the kitchen, the Global hollow edge Santoku knife. After using this knife for a very short time it was quickly apparent what a difference a sharp, good quality knife can make in your food preparation. The Santoku took the place of almost all of the other knives in our block, an older Chicago Cutlery set that we received for our wedding. I tried to force this knife to perform every cut job I needed, but it just didn't fit well with slicing and dicing some smaller fruits and vegetables. When you have a knife that is very sharp you don't want to be using it in unwieldy applications as you may just end up with some skin and flesh in your food! As such, I still had to use the small paring knife from our old set, and it was hell to revert. I went shopping online and found the Global counterpart, the GS-7.
I found the Global brand while shopping for the Santoku knife and have been very happy with the results. Global is not the most expensive knife on the market, yet they carry a good edge and have a good reputation. Global knives have been forged by Yoshikin Steel of Japan since 1983. The edge of the blade is straight as opposed to beveled, creating a much longer cutting surface in comparison to lower quality, more cost-conscious knives. The steel used is a proprietary alloy called CROMOVA 18 consisting of a mixture of 18% Chromium (CRO) as well as some Molybdenum (MO) and Vanadium (VA). The composition of the blade and the forging technique are what make these a high quality, long lasting knife. As happy as I was with the Santoku, I could see no reason to jump ship and move to another brand.
The GS-7 has a four inch (10 cm) blade while the total length of the knife is eight inches (20 cm). The weight of the knife is a little over 3 ounces (90 grams). The knife is composed on one solid piece of steel and perfectly balanced via a hollow handle filled with exactly the right amount of sand and then sealed. The knife is nice and lightweight, balanced well for cutting almost anything. The blade is completely straight and almost triangular in shape, somewhat different than any other paring knife I have seen to date. The handle mirrors the triangular shape of the blade, sloping back to a narrow end which flares out in the z-axis to allow for firm control. The handle of the GS series knives are dimpled and these dimples are black in color, increasing the functionality and design appeal of the knives. Global knives are particularly easy to keep clean as there are no seams for food and other bits to collect in as you will find on tang-and-hilt type knives.
When transitioning from a cheaper knife to an upper-end knife care must be taken to ensure the long life of the knife as well as your fingers. A global knife is very sharp, and you will want to learn the cutting technique of curling your fingers back to avoid cutting off the tips of them with a sharp knife. Watch the Food Network for a while and you will see that most of the chefs employ this technique, and it has served them well. If you have kids in the house make sure that the knives are kept up and away from wandering hands, as these knives can quickly and effortlessly cut a hand, a brother or a cat. Thankfully we haven't had to learn that lesson the hard way. Cleaning the knife should never be done via the dishwasher, but rather with a warm soapy rag. If you want the knife to look its best at all times, I recommend drying with a towel right away and storing it in the knife block. This will keep water spots from forming and also will minimize the time in which the blade is exposed to water.
I am very pleased with my purchase of the 4" GS-7 Paring knife from Global although this knife is more of a specialty player in my arsenal versus the utility player, the Santoku G-48. After using these knives for some time I wish I would have taken the plunge to a higher quality, more expensive knife much earlier. The food preparation takes much less time and the cuts are precise and accurate. The only downside is the extra awareness required to ensure you don't slice your hand open, but with a little concentration this paring knife will speed up your dinner preparations significantly. I don't think I need a wide assortment of knives anymore, as just a few high quality knives should be more than enough. The Global 4" paring knife is a great knife with wonderful balance, a quality blade and good looks. I recommend this knife with a five star rating!
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 44
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