My pro sharpening was 6 dollars for a 8 inch french knife, and an 8 inch carving knife. I am yet to take in the rest of my knives, as I need something to work with, but I definetly will because they are so damn sharp.
Also, Kershaw has come out with new knives named "Shen Series" or something catchy. They are supposedly user-friendly to the left handed crowd. Im not sure.
Link here.
Global knives. I personally dislike them, mainly due to their weight and the lack of an ability to hold an edge for a decent amount of time, as numerous people have told me, altho hey are very lightweight and I feel that it is awkward and semi hard to control. Thats just me. I opted for Wusthof Classic and GrandPrix, and am highly impressed. Shop around, hold the knives and use what feels good.