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I think the blade quality is comparable. It comes down to whether you want a weighty or light handle. I love the weightiness of my Shun because it helps me break down chickens and do other hefty work. The handle of the Global will not give you so much power.

That's true, Michele - my Wusthof is much weightier than the Global, so I tend to use the Global when I have a lot of veggies and herbs to prep. The lighter weight makes it seem like not-so-much effort.

Yeah, they are very much the same besides the weight. I would guess the Global is a little cheaper. Both have excellent blades. I perfer the power behind a weightier knife but in my experience the Shun doesn't weigh that much more, not like a Wusthof or anything...

Knives are tools. Everyone likes different ones. You need to grab one and feel it in your hand. I have lots of knives but only really use about 3 for meal prep with no special tasks. I feel knives before I buy them.
If you cannot feel it then don't buy it. A name is not a grip. I have a whole lot of japanese knives I bought 7 years ago and they are great in my hand. The name? I have no idea since I do not read Japanese. But the full tang and contoured grip wins every time.
Go to a store that sells knives and touch them.

I love Shun knives. I have a 10" chef knife and a paring knife that I use all the time. They need a steel every now and then, and yearly sharpening (take it to a pro if you're not sure how to use a stone). I've used a friend's Global knives, and they just felt wrong in my hands.

But really, it depends on which feels better for you. Depending on which model you get, the steel will have different hardness, different shape, different bevel, different grip, etc. Go to a cooking store with a good selection and ask to try it out. Lots of places will let you chop celery and give you knife skill tips while you're there.

I have a Global Santoku that I've been very pleased with; it feels like an extension of my hand. But I don't use it for splitting bones as I rarely have occasion to.

That said, I do enjoy the bulbous grip of the Shun Fusion knives. If I had a few hundred to blow on a knife, I'd probably go back to the shop and play with 'em a bit more. (In terms of heft, they feel more like my old Wustof, but with more elegant handling.)

If you're based in NYC, try paying a visit to the Korin shop downtown. They're a pro-supplier of Japanese knives and Western-style Japanese knives and have a fairly extensive selection. I've had my eye trained on their Misono UX10 line as well: http://www.korin.com/models.php?cat=54&subcat=41&subsubcat=46&df=knife&catname=Western+Style&subcatname=Misono&subsubcatname=No.1!+Misono+UX10

My main kitchen knives are Globals and Shuns. I love Global because I do feel like the blade holds up better, but it's light, really light. The Shuns aren't much heavier esp compared to a Wusthof, but there is a difference you will definitely feel when using. Best thing to do is test them out.

I am a petite person and when I'm facing a lot of stuff to cut, I do wish I had a heavier knife, but for most times (ie. cooking dinner for fam), I'm happy with my light knives. If it's cutting through bone that you want to do, go get a meat cleaver from Chinatown. $5 will buy a great one for that type of stuff.

I have some of both. The quality is almost equal, but I liked the Global flexible boning knife better than the Shun equivalent. However, if someone tried to take my Shun 8in chef's knife from me, I'd chop them up (with that same knife) and serve them as stew. :)

One person's knife thrill is another person's nightmare.
Everyone who said "feel the knife" is right on the money.
I LOVE my Shun knives, and the sharpness seems to last forever (well, nothing really lasts forever, but ya know what I mean)
I have small hands and found that a knife I almost didn't buy is the one I use most for chopping... the Shun utility knife, which is really just a small chef's knife.
I do like the offset grip on the Shun Ken Onions, but not everyone is comfortable with that sort of handle.
I have a beautiful set of Westhofs that I never use anymore now that I am stuck on Shun. But if Global feels better in your hand, it is a quality knife and you should go with it.

I second Tam's comment. The conclusion that I've come to after reading numerous of message boards and visiting various knife shops is that Globals and Shuns are decent tools but they are generic and mass manufactured.

As mentioned, Korin has an great selection of Japanese steel. I personally would take a single Nenohi Nenox, Kramer or even a Tojiro over a full set of Globals or Shuns. Knives are like timepieces--they're something that should carry far importance than purely functionality. There's a good reason why you won't find Globals or Shuns at Korin.

Fooded7, I know that doesn't help you decided between Global or Shun, but Korin is definitely worth a visit.

One thing I see not addressed here is the difference between Shun classic and Shun elite. I have had significant exposure to both lines and the Globals. Everyone is correct in saying that the final decision should be made by your hand, but the best steel is the shun elite as far as edge retention is concerned. Anyone who has invested in these high end knives would do best to learn about sharpening them or his or her hard-earned money is only effective for that first month after the "yearly" sharpening. I sharpen professionally and know what these knives are capable of. Using them without honing for long periods of time is like pushing your bmw to the supermarket.

You can learn a bit more about the Global knives here: www.globalknifeset.com