For knives, my dry and analytical thinking views the blade shape, blade material and the ergonomics (handle, balance, grip, total weight, comfort, etc) as different aspects.
And I think its important to recognise that butchery is somewhat different to "general kitchen" usage.
AFAIK, the Victorinox range with plastic handles are economical, give a good grip in messy conditions and sanitise easily.
But they are made from a steel that in comparison to Japanese blades is relatively soft. This means they are also tougher (in the sense of less brittle and easily damaged). But this means that (apart from damage to the blade) the cutting edge will dull faster and need more frequent attention.
Global is one of the most recognised Japanese prestige brands. But although they are 'a cut above' many 'ordinary' kitchen knives, they are (apart from the branding) not all that special, it would seem, compared to some of the spectacular products that the Japanese industry offers.
However, the suitability of these Ferraris for the job of a Ford Transit has to be in question.
However, any knife can only be as good as its edge preparation.
I learned a great deal from the long and detailed tutorial published on eGullet.
http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=26036As this explains, a steel is a great help to *maintain* an edge, but its not the tool to create, repair or restore one.
For butchery, I'd expect that a really good edge on the tip of the blade would be of much more importance than for general kitchen use...
From watching butchers (on view in the front of the shop), I think that they find a nasty, stiff little knife just as useful as I have in my own occasional ragged efforts...
But back to the Victorinoxes. They are downright cheap, especially compared to the fancy Japanese stuff. Cheap enough to try a variety of different shapes of blade, both to allow you to find what works best for you and to have appropriate tools for different tasks. (Good enough excuses for you?
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