I’ve always used Globals, I have 3 of them: a chefs knife, a santoku, and a nakiri. Then last year I picked up a Zwilling chef’s knife cheap at an estate sale.
I love them all. Here’s the difference: The Globals hold their edge much longer, both regarding honing and sharpening. The Zwilling needs a hone every 4-5 days while the Globals can go a week or more; the Zwilling needs a touch up sharpening every month or so, and the Globals pretty much never need a touch up.
Not that it matters; the Globals are a real PITA to sharpen. The touch-up sharpenings do almost nothing, and I have to get out the Work Sharp. And then it usually takes twice as many passes than are recommended in the Work Sharp instructions. Thankfully that’s about once a year, as opposed to twice a year (in addition to the touch ups) for the Zwilling.
With all of them, when they’re sharp, they’re wonderful. Every time I switch, I feel like the knife I switch to is the one I like the best. I started using the Zwilling, and liked it so much I used it exclusively for a solid year; then a month ago I started using one of the Globals (the nakiri), and haven’t touched the Zwilling since. All of them feel great in my hand, all are easy to use. They are all about the same price on Amazon, around $120-$130, so they’re pretty basic first-level knives, nothing really designer or exclusive about any of them.
I also have some of the (extremely sharp) Restaurant Depot/Sam’s Club* knives, and Victorinox. The blades on the cheaper knives are excellent, and they’re a really great value. The Zwilling and the Globals feel better to me, and I’m more comfortable using them. I don’t know if they’ll last longer than the cheaper knives; all of them will outlast me. I just like them better than the cheaper knives.
*Those freakin’ blister pack Sam’s Club knives come out of the plastic as sharp as a surgeon’s scalpel. You can cut yourself and not feel it; you just notice the blood. I know this for a fact.
I love them all. Here’s the difference: The Globals hold their edge much longer, both regarding honing and sharpening. The Zwilling needs a hone every 4-5 days while the Globals can go a week or more; the Zwilling needs a touch up sharpening every month or so, and the Globals pretty much never need a touch up.
Not that it matters; the Globals are a real PITA to sharpen. The touch-up sharpenings do almost nothing, and I have to get out the Work Sharp. And then it usually takes twice as many passes than are recommended in the Work Sharp instructions. Thankfully that’s about once a year, as opposed to twice a year (in addition to the touch ups) for the Zwilling.
With all of them, when they’re sharp, they’re wonderful. Every time I switch, I feel like the knife I switch to is the one I like the best. I started using the Zwilling, and liked it so much I used it exclusively for a solid year; then a month ago I started using one of the Globals (the nakiri), and haven’t touched the Zwilling since. All of them feel great in my hand, all are easy to use. They are all about the same price on Amazon, around $120-$130, so they’re pretty basic first-level knives, nothing really designer or exclusive about any of them.
I also have some of the (extremely sharp) Restaurant Depot/Sam’s Club* knives, and Victorinox. The blades on the cheaper knives are excellent, and they’re a really great value. The Zwilling and the Globals feel better to me, and I’m more comfortable using them. I don’t know if they’ll last longer than the cheaper knives; all of them will outlast me. I just like them better than the cheaper knives.
*Those freakin’ blister pack Sam’s Club knives come out of the plastic as sharp as a surgeon’s scalpel. You can cut yourself and not feel it; you just notice the blood. I know this for a fact.
Comment