Up until last year, the only chef’s knife I used was my mom’s old cleaver that I took from home when I left for college. I can’t imagine how long that cleaver has been in the family, but it has definitely been around for at least two generations. I sharpen it every couple months and it’s still versatile enough to slice tomatoes and cut through cartilage. It even doubles as a scraper to transfer chopped vegetables from the cutting board to the pan.
I experienced first-hand the capabilities of this knife when I was about seven. I stuck my hand up on the counter to grab a piece of carrot on the cutting board while my mom was still chopping away and I nearly got my left index finger cut off! The scar, both physically and mentally, lasted through my adolescence up until high school >< Of course, I eventually got over it and grew to love the thing =P Before I left for culinary school in Paris, I brought the cleaver back home to my mom... for safekeeping 
So, last year I received the Global 8-inch Cook’s Knife as a Christmas present and I’ve been using it ever since =D I actually have to store it in a safety container since it’s so incredibly sharp! No doubt, I cut myself the first time I used it, but since then, I’ve been accident-free Since the blade of this knife is so much thinner than my old cleaver, I can make paper-thin slices of just about anything from ripened grapes to potatoes. Yes, grapes =) I remember cutting up thin slices of black seedless grapes once to decorate cupcakes that were made with wine and chocolate. Yum =D Now I don’t even have to use a mandolin or vegetable peeler to make homemade potato chips!
You know in that movie, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, when Will presents the Governor with a sword in the beginning, he describes it as, “Perfectly balanced. The tang is nearly the full width of the blade…”? I’m still not exactly sure what that means, but that is exactly how I feel when I hold my Global knife… like it’s perfectly balanced! If I wasn’t so scared about dropping the knife on my foot, I bet I could balance the knife on one finger =P
While I do love this knife though, it’s really not a universal knife. I wouldn’t dare cut through cartilage or try to cut through a frozen box of peas for fear of chipping the blade, but for everyday tasks, I definitely recommend this piece of cutlery for the serious home cook (even if you already have a beloved, old family cleaver) =) Just remember to tuck those fingers in when you’re chopping away!
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