Chinese Cleaver

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I have been using a Chinese Cleaver or Chef’s Knife for over 20 years.
I use it almost exclusively for food prep from chopping or slicing vegetables to crushing garlic and pounding chicken breast’s for Chicken Parm. It also makes a great spatula for carrying ingredients to the pot or pan. To me it is the most versatile tool I have in the kitchen and I would be lost without it.

But when visitors to my kitchen see it, weather they are experienced chef’s or not, many don’t recognize it or have never used one. After they give it a try though, they are hooked and want one of their own.

The one I use was bought in a specialty store in 1980, at the time it cost me $10. It has a blade that measures 8 inches long by 3 1/2 inches high, the handle is 4 inches long. It has a steel blade and though I don’t know what type of wood the handle is, it has a soft feel. The tang goes all the way through the handle so it is very sturdy and has a solid feel. Heck it has lasted 28 years, so far.

There are a few differences between a Chinese Cleaver and the typical cleaver you are more used to seeing. First the uses differ. A Chinese Cleaver is used in the same way a typical Chef’s Knife is used. A typical cleaver is used more for butchering tasks and preparing bone in meats.
Though the shapes are similar, a Chinese Cleaver has a thinner blade and is extremely sharp. It is also lighter then a typical cleaver.

Now you can use a Chinese Cleaver just like a regular Chef’s Knife. You also hold it in basically the same way.
Simply grasp the blade just before the handle with your thumb and index finger. From there lightly use your other fingers to graps the handle.

If you’re interested in using a Chinese Cleaver you can pick one up at Amazon through this link,
Chinese Cleaver