The real thing carbon steel Chinese cleaver

[Stock Pot]

For $7.95, how can you go wrong? I love carbon steel cutlery, and it is getting harder and harder to find, so this was a great website to stumble across. WOKSHOP.COM: Selling woks and Asian kitchenware for over 40 years | Woks | Wok Accessories | Cleavers & Knives | Rice Cookers & Hot Pots | Sushi & Sake | Chinese Crockery | Stoves | Asian Tableware | Kitchen Tools | Creative Corner (for caterers) | U

 

[Rob Babcock]

I'll have to see what shipping runs. If the cleaver is even decent that's a good deal!

 

[Stock Pot]

Shipping

I think with shipping it was just under $16.00, total, CA to NH. I'll post again when it gets here.

 

[salt and pepper]

Sorry for this, but it's Chinese junk. You could not give it to me. Buy American, Japanese or German, not China.You get what pay for! I have been given some knives made in China and have found the steel is almost like lead, they need constant sharping and just fail to meet any standard in my kitchen. Save you money and think quality if you really have use for it.

 

[buckytom]

Sorry for this, but it's Chinese junk.

you can sail it?

i was wondering what kind of quality could about a lb. of carbon steel be for only $8? you're probably right, s&p, but i am interested in getting a big cleaver so i'm gonna wait for stock pot's review.

 

[puffin3]

I bought this beauty 40+ years ago in Chinatown Victoria. It keeps a razor sharp edge. I use a fine wet stone on it every month but it doesn't really need sharpening. Poor thing has seen same pretty rough action. When I was 'young and dumb' I even used it to cut kindling with hence all the hammer marks on the top. I don't know if the new ones have the same qualify steel. It's my number one favorite. I just checked out the site selling them. Yeah I've seen these in Chinatown and they ARE junk. Notice the difference on the wood handle on mine compared to these new ones? Look for one of these old beauties at swap meets etc.
Also the old cleavers are very thin. The new cheap ones are twice as thick.

 

[chopper]

What is bothering me a bit is that the manufacturer is not listed, but rather that space is blank. Makes it so you cannot check into things further before purchasing.

 

[larry_stewart]

bought one years ago at a martin Yan demo. Probably wasnt the greatest quality, and im sure i paid too much, but it was my ' go to ' knife for a long time, until i decided to use it to crack open a coconut ( blade side first). Lets just say I learned a valuable lesson, and have not purchased another cleaver to replace the damaged on.

 

[puffin3]

I bought this beauty 40+ years ago in Chinatown Victoria. It keeps a razor sharp edge. I use a fine wet stone on it every month but it doesn't really need sharpening. Poor thing has seen same pretty rough action. When I was 'young and dumb' I even used it to cut kindling with hence all the hammer marks on the top. I don't know if the new ones have the same qualify steel. It's my number one favorite. I just checked out the site selling them. Yeah I've seen these in Chinatown and they ARE junk. Notice the difference on the wood handle on mine compared to these new ones? Look for one of these old beauties at swap meets etc.
Also the old cleavers are very thin. The new cheap ones are twice as thick.

Notice how the blade is now a bit curved? When I bought it it was straight. That's a lot of use. LOL

 

[Stock Pot]

Not bad

It just got here today. It looks well enough made and the edge touched up nicely. We'll see how it holds up after I've had a chance to use it a few times.

 

[justplainbill]

you can sail it?

i was wondering what kind of quality could about a lb. of carbon steel be for only $8? you're probably right, s&p, but i am interested in getting a big cleaver so i'm gonna wait for stock pot's review.

My German made butcher's cleaver weighs about 2 lbs, is about 5/32" thick carbon steel with an apple seed / convex shaped edge , and has has a full tang handle with birch scales fastened with 3 pins. The weight provides adequate force by merely letting it drop without having to swing hard. Dexter still sells high carbon, made in USA, butcher tools.
Chinese cleavers typically have stick tangs with thin metal ferrules

 

[Stock Pot]

Stick tang

Yes, it has that and the thin metal ferule, too. Time will tell how it holds up (or not). For now I am using it for edge destroying tasks like cutting up corrugated cardboard boxes for recyling.

 

[Stock Pot]

Good edge taken

OK, the thing arrived just about as I was walking out the door to head up into the White Mountains for an overnight gig. Now that I'm back I have had a chance to get out my sharpening stones and really put an edge on it. Now, this is made of old fashioned carbon steel, not some high carbon stainless steel (entirely different metals). It took a quick and deadly edge (I have the cut on my finger to prove it, lol), like any good carbon steel will do. As I've said, I am using it for edge-destroying duties to see how it holds up. I am giving it the usual attention for this type of steel: frequent touch-ups on the butcher's steel, wash and dry after every use.

The handle, as others have pointed out, is far from high grade. But, remember- this thing cost $7.50. But that is a potential weak point that I will be watching closely. If it loosens up or falls apart or anything, I'll let you know.

I have also recently found similarly priced real carbon steel Chinese cleavers at Abel Kitchens (restaurant supply place).

At this point I would say that if you sharpen your own knives and you are curious about how good old fashioned carbon steel is (it's great), then this is an inexpensive way to find out. Another inexpensive way is to get some Old Hickory knives (Amazon, eBay, ACE Hardware), especially their boning knife. But they come fairly dull. You need to sharpen them before you use them.

I am often amused by how often people rave about new knives based mainly on how keen the factory edge is out of the box. That edge will dull. Then, and only then, when you go to sharpen it, will you find out how good the knife really is.

 

[Stock Pot]

Holding up

Update. It is holding its edge and the handle remains tight. I have been using it as much as possible. A blade like this is not good for everything, imo, but I use it where I can for cooking. I have also sliced up about a dozen corrugated cardboard boxes (well known edge detroyers) with no edge deterioration- it still slides through them like a hot knife through butter, after my initial touch up to the edge.

Again, all I have done is wash and dry after every use and run the edge along the butcher's steel before and after every use. I did the cardboard cutting because it has a lot of silicates in it and it is a well known abrasive, edge destroying thing.

$7.95. Not too shabby, so far.

 

[Stock Pot]

Final word for now

Another couple of weeks of using this cleaver for vegetable mincing, meat cutting and slicing up corrugated cardboard boxes for recycling and it is still holding its edge. It still goes through the corrugated cardboard like butter, for example. All I have done to the edge is to true it up on the butcher's steel.

So, my opinion is that this thing is not junk, by any means, and it is well worth the $7.50 I paid for it.

The handle is holding up, too, btw.

 

[buckytom]

thanks very much, stock pot. i think you've sold me on it.

 

[justplainbill]

Given the employment situation in the US and decline of basic manufacturing capabilities, where I can afford it, I prefer to buy made in America (e.g. Fall River, MA and Titusville, PA).

 

[Addie]

bought one years ago at a martin Yan demo. Probably wasnt the greatest quality, and im sure i paid too much, but it was my ' go to ' knife for a long time, until i decided to use it to crack open a coconut ( blade side first). Lets just say I learned a valuable lesson, and have not purchased another cleaver to replace the damaged on.

Next time heat the coconut up in the oven first.

 

[buckytom]

Given the employment situation in the US and decline of basic manufacturing capabilities, where I can afford it, I prefer to buy made in America (e.g. Fall River, MA and Titusville, PA).

i agree, but i've almost given up on looking for stuff that's made in america.

i'll have to look at dexter as you'd mentioned.

 

[frenchguycooking]

For me the chinese cleaver is a great knife. Cheap, resistant and very very useful.
I use it for chopping, for picking (like a spatula), for bashing veggies on the chopping board, and for splitting light bones.

Even if I know that carbon steel is easier to sharpen and often more sharp, i always take stainless steel knife so that it is easier to clean

great thread for a great value knife