Knife Sets

A santoku, a mid-size cook’s knife and a paring knife give a compact kitchen a full range of blade lengths. The 7-inch hollow ground santoku does the main board work, with a flat edge for push cuts and flutes that keep slices of potato and cucumber from sticking.The 5-inch cook’s knife sits between the santoku and the parer. It handles a single onion, a few cloves of garlic or a chicken breast without bringing out the larger knife, and it slices small fruit on the board. The 3.5-inch paring knife covers peeling and coring.
Santoku Set or Asian Chef’s Set?Both sets share the same paring knife. This one suits cooks who want a pointed santoku as their main knife. The Global Classic 3-Piece Asian Chef’s Knife Set builds around a taller, wider cook’s knife instead. The santoku is also sold on its own as the Global Classic 7-inch Hollow Ground Santoku. Our Knife Merchant knife shapes guide explains how a santoku compares with a chef’s knife. Learn More

This set is built around a 7-inch Asian-style cook’s knife, a tall, wide blade made for push cuts and chopping, and adds a small hollow ground santoku and a paring knife. It suits cooks who do most of their cutting on vegetables and prefer the height and flat edge of a Japanese profile over a curved Western chef’s knife.The large knife handles the bulk of the board work, from cabbage and carrots to boneless chicken. The 5-inch santoku takes the smaller jobs, such as a single onion or a handful of herbs, and its flutes help slices release. The paring knife covers peeling and trimming in the hand.
Choosing a Global Three-Piece SetThe Global Classic 3-Piece Santoku Knife Set shares the same paring knife but builds around a 7-inch hollow ground santoku with a pointed tip. Cooks who prefer a Western chef’s knife should consider the Global Classic 8-inch Chef’s Knife as the anchor of their collection. Our guide to kitchen knife shapes compares Asian and Western profiles. Learn More

The Takashi set is for cooks who want a dedicated Global knife for every common job rather than asking a few knives to do everything. Seven knives run from a small peeling knife to a bread knife, and the set adds kitchen shears and a ceramic rod, all held in a single bamboo block.The chef’s knife and the vegetable knife share the main board work, one for rocking cuts and proteins and the other for straight push cuts through vegetables. The flexible boning knife follows the bones of chicken thighs, pork loin and ribs. Three small knives handle peeling and garnish work, and the bread knife takes crusty loaves. The ceramic rod keeps the straight edges aligned between sharpenings, and the shears cover herbs and packaging.
Takashi or a Smaller Set?For a smaller block built on the same chef’s and bread knives, see the Global Ikasu 5-Piece Knife Block Set. Several pieces are also sold individually, including the Global Classic 6.25-inch Flexible Boning Knife and the Global Kitchen Shears. Our kitchen knife shapes guide explains the role of each knife. Learn More

The Ikasu set gathers four Global Classic knives in a compact bamboo block, enough to cover most daily cutting. It is a sensible way to equip a kitchen with Global from the start, and a practical gift for a cook setting up a first well-stocked kitchen.The 8-inch chef’s knife is the center of the set and handles onions, proteins and herbs. The bread knife takes crusty loaves and ripe tomatoes. The vegetable knife’s straight edge makes clean push cuts through cabbage and carrots, and the small utility knife handles shallots and small fruit. The block holds the four knives in a small footprint, so it fits on a crowded counter.
Choosing a Global Block SetThe Global Classic 5-Piece Hashira Knife Block Set has a paring knife in place of the utility knife and a slimmer maple and acrylic block. The Global Classic 10-Piece Takashi Knife Block Set adds a boning knife, small knives, shears and a ceramic rod for cooks who want a complete collection. All of the Global sets are compared below, and our kitchen knife shapes guide explains what each knife does. Learn More