Asian Knives Reviews

This knife is sharp, amazing see thru slices. A notch above the Boker Titanium knife. It comes with a sheath, which I use everyday to protect it. I use it to cut everything, from twigs to potato chip bags. It keeps it edge.

This ceramic Knife opens a new world in cooking. It's light weight, and sharpness actually makes prep work in the
kitchen something to look forward to. It is actually fun to use and the light weight feels like like it floats in your hand.
In slicing tomatos, it is possible to make the slices as thin as 1/32th of an inch, with total control. In decorating with
carrots, radishes, or any vegatables, and apples , oranges and all fruit, your creation is unlimited. This type cutting
equipment really spoils you from wanting to use other regular knives. I think we will see more of this type equipment in the future to match all other type knives found in any complete cooking or kitchen area. I notice some of the Master Cooks on the Food TV Network are already using them. For a new experience in the preperation of
food I would recomend these ceramic cutlery highly. Ray ...

As a professional chef, I would buy this knife again and again. The factory edge is amazing, I have never seen a knife as sharp as this, right out of the box. Even with the Deba having only one side it is extremely easy to sharpen. I have used all the major knife brands and I find the steel in all of Global knives to be of the best quality.You can not go wrong if you purchase of this knife!

This knife is simply a joy to use. It's nicely weighted, but not heavy. It feels great in your hand. And it's the sharpest knife I've cut with. It is beveled only on the right side (the side you see in the photo), while the other side is flat. This shape causes what you are cutting to glide neatly off to the right. The Deba is especially fine for cutting fish for sushi or sashimi, or even that basil chiffonade. I find myself using it for almost everything. As long as you're not left-handed, you won't regret this purchase.

I received this knife just a few days ago by accident and was told to keep it. I am extrememly happy for the mess up. I love this knife, it is extremely sharp and makes cutting large quantities of food a dream. It is also well balanced and the handle fits my hand rather nicely. My husband loves the way the knife just "sings" as it is being pulled out of the block. The stainless steel is a very high quality.

It is a very sharp knife. Must use with care.
I am very pleased with it. It is pricey. I hope it last a lifetime.

The Santoku from KAI stands out as I catch myself using it 90% of the time. The main reason being its comfort of handling. Although the handle looks round in the pictures, its really not. Kind of a triangular shape which fits my hand for the right comfort of grip.

The damascus steel is said to be a natural at releasing food from sticking to the blade. Its performance in this respect to the alternating hollows found on Wüsthof Santoku knives is similar. No knife removes this food sticking phenomenon but just reduces it to some extent.

The sharpness of this blade out of the box is amazing. This is the sort of knife that I would definitely recommend as an 'if you had to own only one knife' solution.

I own this knife and two from other Japanese manufacturers...they can NOT be topped in steel, edge and comfort of grip. This is the sharpest blade (out of the box) that I have ever used. I've been a chef for 23 years now and I have always used German and French blades ( and I still love 'em!) but I bought one of these on a whim and I doubt that I will EVER put it down again...(as a matter of fact I bought the paring knife and the chef's knife the day after this one arrived).
This is also one of the most beautiful blades (damascus steel!!!) that I've ever seen and the ergonomic grip is shaped to the palm (although from the picture you can't see that). The blade is a bit wider and more curved than a EurAsian knockoff copy, just as it should be.
The blade is thin...anorexic thin...and not for touching bones...use a heavy Euro blade for that or you will regret it.

We be handin' out 5+mojo*z for this beauty 'cause we know what we're talkin' 'bout!!!

After spending 6 years as a sous chef and using a variety of knifes, I can asure you that this knife is top notch! The Santoku is the knife of choice for vegetable prep because it is so well balanced for "rocking" and "chopping." For those that grip with your pointing finger onto the blade, the shape of the handle is far better than the 5 star series. The cryogentically cured steel stays sharp for months. In the four years that I've used this knife I have never used anything but a worn steel to sharpen the blade. A "must have" for the serious home cook.

Now that I have the kids helping me cook dinner/chop vegetables etc. I needed another "chef" knife. Rather than duplicate the chef's knife, I got this one and am very pleased. It's narrower blade makes slicing easier, the curve of the blade has a nice rocker motion to it. I think of the two styles I prefer the French Chef's over this one but as a second knife this one is great.

Purchased this knife to complete my knife collection. I'm not a serious (or even a great) cook but I love Henckels Four Star knives and have used them for over 20 years. This knife (as well as the others in the Four Star Collection) is well balanced and very sharp. It makes me want to take cooking lessons so my meager skills can match the knife's potential. My efforts in the kitchen may not taste gourmet but I feel like a chef with this knife in my hand. Marian

I got this knife because chef's knives are too wide at the back and wedge the cuts and santoku knives with their ultra thin edges should be saved for softer foods. For cutting squash,carrots and other hard foods this knife is perfect. Great balance, amazingly sharp, cleans easily, and worth every penny.

I loved my 8 inch Global chef knife so much I ordered this veggie knife. Oh wow, this thing is perfectly balanced and because of it's smaller size it is just about perfect for most veggies. It also fits in your hand extremely well. If you are going to cut up a potato, it is hard to beat the chef's knife. However, for cutting up a tomato, carrot, etc. this thing is the best tool I have ever used. Just wonderful!

Until 2 years ago, I used German knives, but even though I steeled with every use, they seemed to dull too quickly. When introduced to the Global line, the first thing that struck me was how well they held a razor sharp edge. Add to that excellent balance and outstanding design and you have top stock!

I've 8 in my collection now and my previous work horse 10" chefs knife has been relegated to cutting pizza!

The only other piece that rates a bit higher is my KASUMI DAMASCUS Japanese SANTOKU Chefs Knife... that is my all time favorite piece.

In summary, this global vegetable knife serves us well everyday. It is simply a pleasure to use, doing its job well while never stressing your grip.

For those of us who love to cook much of our pleasure is experienced in the preparation - whipping egg whites to a perfect frothy peak, cutting cookies into imaginative shapes or slicing cleanly, quickly and neatly the ingredients for casserole or soup.

This Japanese inspired Santuko knife by Wusthof has certainly added to my joy in the kitchen. It's the perfect implement for slicing, dicing or chopping. Alternating indentations prevent food from sticking to the blade, while its heft and balance are perfection.

A razor sharp blade allows me to slice as thinly as I wish, whether it be for carpaccio or the prosciuto we so enjoy. It's ideal for the cheese and ham in panini, and makes quick work of onions and celery for a family recipe for vegetable soup.
Of course, an added bonus is the Wusthof name, which we have learned means quality.

I do recommend that you hand wash it, just as you would a fine piece of silver. Believe me, this knife is sterling in every way.

- Gail Cooke

Forgive the LOTR reference, but this knife really makes most others obsolete.

You've probably already read the great reviews from noted reviewers, but I think there's an important point to mention. Most people end up buying a large block of quality knives b/c they feel it offers the best value. In actuality, most of the set goes unused and they simply stick with a Chef's knife.

This particular knife offers a more convenient shape and style than traditional Chef's knives. It feels more "ergonomic" when slicing, chopping, etc. It is also sharp enough to easily slice meats. The hollow edge doesn't seem to prevent sticking with vegetables (zucchini), but I haven't directly compared this with a non-hollow edge. For those who are looking for a great, all-around knife I really don't see much competition for this product. Big blocks of knives are nice for show, but for the practical-minded this knife makes the most sense.

This knife is fantastic. Makes the boring job of chopping a whole lot easier. One thing to be careful of though, when things stick to the sides of the knife, it is best not to use your finger to slide them off, it will get ya. Otherwise, I highly recommend it. It is worth every penny!

I've worked quite a few kitchens in my life most of them being Japanese restaraunts so I have a little bit of experience with knives and I must say... this Global knife is one of the best I've had the opportunity to use. I first heard about Global in the book "Kitchen Confidential" (Which is a great book, and if you have worked a kitchen or two in your life you will relate to a lot of the stories!). I checked this knife out at the local cutlery store and was immediately impressed. Although not as hefty as my regular 8" chef's, it's balance was amazing. The shaped handle made handling of this knife a true pleasure. The blade truly holds it's edge, and slices and chops like a dream. You will not be dissapointed with this knife, and I have no doubt it will become your knife of choice when working in the kitchen.

One note, although the company recommends using their diamond steel to sharpen due to how hard the steel in the knife is, I found that using my regular steel on occassion works just fine. I know I'm wearing my steel down a little quicker but it realigned the edge just fine.

Yeah, it IS expensive, but knives are man's prime tool with which to rework the world for his intention. While this is an excellent food preparation knife, I have also found that it is a brilliant and expensive tool for the irresponsible, like myself, to pry open jammed doors or open up boxes of books from Amazon. And it STILL makes me happy when it cuts the heck out of some salmon filet or prime loin.

The handle is very nice. You won't slip by sweating on this knife. No siree.

This was my first Global knife, and I've since bought four more. After three years of daily use it's still as sharp as ever, with only a few passes over a diamond steel occasionally. (If you are going to use Global knives, bite the bullet and get a diamond steel.)Global knives are frightenly sharp when they are new, even the serrated knives like the bread knife, which appear more benign. Be careful with these things until you get used to them, even if you've had good German knives before. (No, you won't cut your fingers,you'll be naturally cautious about that, you'll nick an arm or a wrist by brushing the blade, something I never even knew could happen until I got my 10 inch Global chef.)

The eight inch Oriental chef is a great little chopper and slicer, and the very wide blade is nice for lifting slices, but do think about the traditional 8 inch Global chef as your mainstay knife if you're only getting one. This one is balanced for a "push" stroke, rather than the pull stroke that most Western cooks use, the handle is a little high for a good rocker chop -- at least until you get used to it, and the back of the blade is curved, so if you're used to scraping your cutting board with the spine of your blade, this one won't do the trick. Your veggies will escape under the curve. The blade is hollow ground (beveled on both sides) not single sided like the denba, so you don't have to worry about being left or right handed.

None of this makes the knife a bad one, but it does take some getting used to and frankly, I'm more comfortable with the 8 inch chef as my mainstay knife. (The 10 inch chef is a bit of a monster for most tasks. Great for cutting a pizza all the way across in a single rock, but, well... I guess I shouldn't admit I use my good knives on pizza, huh?) You won't go wrong with a Global knife, it's just a question of which one feels right for you.

One more thing: these knives look like modern art, if that sort of thing matters to you. You can see the quality in them as well as feel it.

Yeah, yeah, yeah...I've been way over hyped on this line of knives but you know how it is...marketing is everything.
If you are stuck on buying the name "Wusthof" then buy this in the "Grand Prix" line 'cause the grip on this "Classic" line of blades is the least comfortable of all the riveted scale handles available...too deep and narrow for a 12 hour day in a commercial kitchen or a big hand (grip test it against other brands before you choose, I might be wrong ;-). This Santoku weighs almost 3 oz. less than other brands... a trend that I've found throughout this line. I've tested this one at work and I need something heavier.
No complaints on the blade, edge, and finish though, it's top notch.

If you are just browsing then check out the Kai Santoku...for just $10.00 more you get the best Santoku available. If you want an equal but heavier blade for a GREAT price buy a Henckels 4 Star.

We concede 4 mojo*z for the blade only! Buy the "Grand Prix".

I purchased this on one of the Amazon Friday only sales & couldn't be happier. When my husband first started me on the Wusthof line my first request was for a Santoku knife. Well, the set we purchased here locally was $99 which included the Santoku with oval indentations ("kullens") knife and a smaller paring knife. When I saw this one on the Friday sale I didn't hesitate because I love the one I already have and wasn't about to pass up such a great deal for another one!

Another buyer who submitted a review said that this particular knife has oval indentations ("kullens") on the side of the high-carbon steel blade. I can tell you that this knife does not. I'm not complaining because when we purchased my first Santoku I couldn't decide between the flat blade or the one with the indentations. I was happy when I received this knife from Amazon and found that there were not any indentations on it, now I have one of each of the Santoku knives in my Wusthof block.

I hand wash all of my knives and about the only downside to any of my Wusthof knives is that because I use them so much and hand wash them so often the tiny red "W" sticker on my first Santoku is starting to peel off. Whoop-de-doo, lol! You can't beat the Wusthof Classic line, I love it! You won't be disappointed whatsoever!

This knife is excellent for small hands. Because of arthritis, my grip is not as good as it was, and I've found this knife to be perfect! I use it with ease for everything (except breads) and I plan to buy another for myself and one for my mother who has similar hand problems. I searched for a knife like this for years. I highly recommend it!

I'm sure by now, you're confused by which brand you should choose... is it the Henckels or the Wusthof Santoku? If that isn't your dilemma, skip on down to the next reviewer. I just got the Santoku for a steal of a price... and that is why i went for this over the Wusthof which goes for $5 more (Classic hollow-edge). I was looking at the Wusthof for over a month and was completely impressed w/ the feel and balance. I think the Henckels still comes in just below the Wusthof. There are hundreds of other knife manufacturers in Solingen, Germany... it's only that Henckels spent tons of money on global marketing. Back to the knife... once i got home, I quickly dug for a carrot (tougher to chop) and a cucumber. I tried to chop the carrot like i was banging on a drum... and it chopped fine. As far as the traditional, knuckles out cutting technique, it worked fine. My only advice for you is to definitely try out both knives and look for the most comfortable. You'll notice that one may have a heavy-heel/light-handle feel to it(vice versa)... it is ALL PREFERENCE. I actually got kind of tired chopping the carrots b/c theAlso keep in mind... the hollow edges on the knife really don't make a difference. If anything, it's an aesthetical bonus. So try out the non-hollow edged ones... it may be a few $$$'s cheaper. Also keep in mind, the difference between the Pro 'S', "4-Star" and "5-Star" knives are the handles. I didn't like the "5-Star" knives b/c of the ergonomic handle. Anyone can tell you that you're not supposed to wrap your hands around the whole handle. Instead you should be using your thumb and index to grip the finger guard/bolster. So thus, the Pro 'S' is a good pick, but I'm still going to give the 5-star rating to the Wusthof Classic 7" Santoku.

I bought one of these knives for my wife because she wasn't comfortable with traditional chef's knives, and I didn't like to see her using a pairing knife as a primary kitchen knife. After going to a few different stores and trying out different knives, she decided on the Henckels Pro S 7-inch Santoku. Although I probably would not have picked this knife for myself, I'm now hooked. Here's what I like most: (1) It came with an excellent factory edge. In fact, it was much sharper out of the box than my Global chef's knife. I probably won't use my Global much more until I can get it professionally sharpened. (2) Excellent balance and overall quality. It just feels good in your hand. This is something that everyone needs to try and decide for himself. (3) Versatility. The wide blade is better for scooping up chopped vegetables, herbs, etc than most chef's knives. It is sharp and light enough for relatively delicate work, but long and sturdy enough to handle bigger jobs. (4) Unlike traditional European-style knives, where the blade comes up against the bolster, the entire blade is exposed. This gives you more useful blade space, and is much better for future sharpening (bolsters get in the way of sharpening and stick out once part of the blade has been removed in the sharpening process). The only things I might change are that the 7-inch blade is a bit shorter than I would like, and the handle is relatively small (this is one of the factors that were best for my wife, however). The advice that I would give to anyone purchasing this knife is to please take care of it. Do not run it through the dishwasher, cut on hard glass or marble cutting boards (pure evil), or use any gimmicky home sharpening system. Maintain the edge with a high quality honing steel (a smooth steel is gentlest on the blade), and sharpen only occasionally by someone who knows what they're doing.

If you enjoy cooking Vietnamese, Thai, Chinese, or any other Asian foods you will find this knife a joy to use, and a welcome friend in the kitchen.

In the past I've used my Henckel 8" or 6" Chef's knives to prep veggies and meats for stir fry dishes. They did a fine job..but this knife makes the job so much more effortless. Beautiful for thin slivers of meat or all forms of vegetable cutting...slant cut, diced, nituke, jullianne.

One thing I appreciate about this knife is the 7" length and the lighter feel in my hand. It still has the nice balance that you would expect from a Henckel knife, but with a bit less heft. A pleasure to use!

If you love cooking with great kitchen tools...you'll love this one!

L