Harts of Stur Kitchen issue 09, spring 2019 | Page 35

Harts Kitchen Icon - Global Knives
4
Cutting it Fine
What makes Global
Knives the sharpest tool
in the box?
A
knife is only as good as the material
it’s made from. Yoshikin uses its own
proprietary stainless steel called Cromova 18
Stainless Steel, which was made exclusively
for Global Knives. Compared to conventional
European knives, Global are stronger, thinner
and are ground to a narrower angle. The alloy
of steel they are made from is hard enough for
the knives to hold their cutting edge for a long
time yet soft enough so they are not too difficult
to sharpen. Additionally, the ‘cro’ in Cromova 18
stands for chromium and the 18 is the percentage
of chromium in the steel. This high percentage of
chromium contributes to Global’s excellent stain
resistance. The narrower angle is all-important.
A steeper 15° makes for a sharper blade that
keeps its edge for longer. Most Global knives are
sharpened on both sides, like Western style knives.
They are ground to a steep point at an acute angle
rather than European knives’ bevelled edge. You
can easily see the edge on a Global knife with your
own eyes as it extends a quarter of an inch up
from the tip of the knife.
3
What’s your angle?
On the left, you can see the traditional
blade shape of a Western or European knife. On the right, the more
acute angle of Global’s knives which need sharpening less often.
35
www.hartsofstur.com
One of Global knives’ most impressive
characteristic is how long they stay sharp without
sharpening. Partly, this comes down to the unique
secret combination of elements molybdenum and
vanadium (the ‘mo’ and ‘va’) in the Cromova 18
steel. But also the steeper angle of the edge stays
sharper than a thicker bevelled edge even as it
gets duller through use.
To balance their knives, Global’s expertly
designed hollow handles are filled with just the
right amount of sand to counter the weight of the
blade. Global uses this method rather than using
a full tang and a bolster to balance their knives
for two reasons. Firstly, it is far more precise than
using a tang and a bolster. Secondly, Asian knives
typically do not have bolsters, since they only
serve as a hindrance to cutting and sharpening.
The smooth contours and seamless construction
eliminates food and dirt traps, offering the
ultimate in safety, hygiene and good grip.
Still handcrafted in Yoshikin’s factory in Japan,
Global knives are manufactured to extremely
high and exacting standards. So it’s perhaps no
surprise they continue to win multiple awards and
endorsements from professional chefs. Truly, an
icon in any kitchen.