For many people it probably is.
I've had this knife for nine years now, and I also have a full set of Global knives, but this little beauty is the one I reach for most often.
Why?
Because it is superbly sharp,lightweight in the hand and well balanced.Unlike those huge kitchen knives you see on tv cooking programmes,this knife is small enough to be easily manipulated, but large enough to tackle all routine kitchen duties. The 5" blade is long enough for almost all kitchen tasks, but short emough to give the user complete control.
Like all Global knives the GS 3 is SHARP !!!.Try chopping up vegetables, or slicing tomatoes or potatoes.The knife just glides through as if the veges were cooked.
This superb Japanese knife is streets ahead of European knives.
To maintain the blade, I recommend using a ceramic sharpening rod, made by Global (or Kyocera, which is cheaper). Every few months the blade will need resharpening.You can do thisyourself, using Japanese waterstones (King, or Shapton,or Norton in grit sizes 1000 up to 8000) and cheap Mino Sharp guides to maintain the edge angle (check my other reviews for more details).
If you can't be bothered doing this yourself,take it to a competent expert knife sharpener and tell him you need a 12 to 15 degree angle on the edge.
addendum:- since writing this review I have purchased other Japanese kitchen knives from japanesechefsknivesdotcom, and the Hiromoto AS carbon steel knives are even better.
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Global 5 Inch Cook's KnifeProduct Description: This 5.25-in. Utility Knife is hardworking.Excellent for preparing snack, sandwiches or salads.Great all purpose knife for those with small hands or those that feel more confident working with shorter blades.Loved by professional chefs around the world, Global knives are an excellent choice for the serious home cook.The thin and razor sharp Global blade allows the cook to cleanly slice through foods, preserving the integrity of the ingredient and maximizing its flavor.The majority of Global knives are ground to a straight point rather than the western style of beveling the edge. To balance their knives Global uses a hollow handle that is filled with just the right amount of sand to create the correct balance. The handle has its own unique darkened dimples for a non-slip grip.Because the knives are very light weight they reduce hand fatigue.Global knives have a smooth contour and seamless, all stainless construction that eliminates food and dirt traps.Global knifes are forged in Japan from CROMOVA 18 Stainless Steel, a blend of 18 percent chromium for good stain resistance plus molybdenum and vanadium which gives excellent edge retention.
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This Knife is all one piece, so bending and breaking isn't an issue. It has stayed sharp quite a bit longer then other knives we own. (I found this out the hard way by cutting myself)
