Harts of Stur Kitchen issue 09, spring 2019 | Page 34

Harts Kitchen Icon
The Cutting Edge
The history of Global Knives
T
heir name reflects their presence in
kitchens around the world but Global
Knives could only really come from
one country – Japan. Nowhere else could
combine the traditional sword-smith’s craft
of honing Samurai blades with modern
technology to make knives that are truly on
the cutting edge.
So although the origins of any Japanese
knife should go back to the high art of
sword making started by the craftsmen who
supplied the Samurai warrior caste with
their ‘blades for hire’ a thousand years ago,
Global Knives are actually celebrating 34
years as one of the most successful brands of
professional kitchen knives in the world.
They are made by Yoshida Metal
Industry Co. Ltd. a tableware manufacturer
established in 1954 in Niigata prefecture,
Japan which specialised in producing hollow
handled table knives for Western markets. In
1960, they introduced the Bunmei series of
knives which had a traditional Japanese look
but were made from a rust-resistance new
alloy of molybdenum and vanadium; now
known as Japanese steel.
In 1985, Yoshida commissioned a
visionary designer called Komin Yamada
to work on a new product line. The aim
was ambitious, the budget unlimited. His
task was to develop a range of knives that
was “truly new and revolutionary, using
the best materials available and the latest
manufacturing techniques.” Yamada-san
was asked to make a series of kitchen knives
that would meet the demands of the most
demanding professional chef while being
comfortable and easy enough to handle for
the amateur cook too. The result was the all-
stainless steel, one-piece knife range that had
a huge impact in kitchens across the globe.
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1 Steel Yourself Global Knives are made from
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World Class The Global brand has been winning
awards since 1985. 3 Life on the Edge Global knife
uniquely formulated Cromova 18 stainless steel .
blades are ground to a more acute angle that stays sharper
for longer.
4 Designed for Knife Komin Yamada
was the talented designer who conceived Global’s iconic
looks and revolutionary design.
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