Shun vs. Wusthof vs. Global

I love the cutlery. If you know me, you know I can talk about nearly anything with anyone for a good amount of time. But on of my current passions is kitchen knives. There are three main brands that I love, all for different reasons. I've been trying to think about which one is the best. I mean which one would you want to have in hand in a knife fight.

You might notice that brands like Forschener and J.A. Henckels are not on the list. So to dismiss them both I will say this. Both companies have put out some very decent knives in the past, but I personally believe their quality and craftsmanship have since gone downhill.

We'll start with Wusthof. I love the crap out of these knives. Notably, some lines like the Ikon, and the Cordon Bleu, even their Grand Prix series all had there flaws you cannot beat their Classic line. Sturdy, heavy, and always true. However, I will admit that due to the design some of the knives can be hard to professionally sharpen.

With Global you have light weight great designs and durability like no other. Stainless steel handles make for easy maintenance (no oiling needed). And the handles are textured so you don't get the sweaty palm slip factor like with other stainless handles. The one downside is the smaller these knives get the less I like them. They are so light that its uncomfortable to use.

Shun knives are made with the same steel as Kershaw. Many knives are also designed by Ken Onion of Kershaw fame and Alton Brown. I admit I was at first skeptical. But the D-shaped handle is actually much more comfortable then I expected. They have a good wieght to them and are able to cross the bridge between making great European styles knives as well as Japanese. This is not to put down the other brand's santokus, not at all. But I don't think Wusthof even makes a Nakiri.

Overall I think I would rate them in the order of the post's title. My mind might change over time. It usually does. But with what I know right now, I am happy with this.


Also, look at the knife I bought at a thrift store fro 25 cents. I had to sand down the handle, oil it, and put a new edge on the blade, but it is still a good blade. By the look of it I would say it is a Wusthof.