Been a while since we had a Cleaver chat.

Japanese Knives - by Tokushu Knife
Shop Knives and stones on ebay
Advertise with us
Kitchen Knife Forums

Help Support Kitchen Knife Forums:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
I just acquired a new cleaver while visiting Copenhagen and visisting H.W. Larsen. This was new in a display case and aparantly not on the web yet, called "Chef knife 22cm with wooden handle" and sold for 399 DKK:

Cleaver 1.jpg
Cleaver 2.jpg
Cleaver 3.jpg
Cleaver 4.jpg
Cleaver 5.jpg
Cleaver A 2.jpg
Cleaver A 3.jpg


I don't really know much more about it, bought it as a souvenir and as preparation for ARM. If anyone have som insights into the brand or the quality, please feel free to share.

I have not used it yet. :)
 
Last edited:
Classic "#6" proportions and that grind looks really good to my eyes. I'm jealous! For $60? Good deal. Is it High carbon or stainless?

If it's high carbon, just send it to me. You don't want to mess with that stuff. Trust me.
 
gaijin said:
I just acquired a new cleaver while visiting Copenhagen and visisting H.W. Larsen. This was new in a display case and aparantly not on the web yet, called "Chef knife 22cm with wooden handle" and sold for 399 DKK:

View attachment 288755View attachment 288756View attachment 288757View attachment 288758View attachment 288759View attachment 288760View attachment 288761

I don't really know much more about it, bought it as a souvenir and as preparation for ARM. If anyone have som insights into the brand or the quality, please feel free to share.

I have not used it yet. :)
Click to expand...
It looks Taiwanese. Maybe old Chopper King or something similar. Have you gotten to use it yet? Is it reactive?
 
I see that the web links on the box is taiwanese at least. Looks like traditional Chinese writing to my eyes too but I'm no expert.

Does the knife itself show some signs of being taiwanese in profile or something similar?

I have not used it yet due to x-mas travels, only removed the two small brown rust spots you see in the pictures. I'll update here once i've done that.

I still cannot find it on the store web page, otherwise i'd link it here.
 
gaijin said:
I see that the web links on the box is taiwanese at least. Looks like traditional Chinese writing to my eyes too but I'm no expert.

Does the knife itself show some signs of being taiwanese in profile or something similar?

I have not used it yet due to x-mas travels, only removed the two small brown rust spots you see in the pictures. I'll update here once i've done that.

I still cannot find it on the store web page, otherwise i'd link it here.
Click to expand...

The brand is Chinshun or full name 台北西門清順, Taipei Ximen Chinshun.

The label on the knife is 台北西門菜刀王, Taipei Ximen Cai Dao Wang. Presumably named for the Ximen neighborhood of Taipei? Cai dao wang is meant as a generic term for an experienced knifemaker, literally kitchen knife master, or chopper king, but not literally Cai Dao Wang, or Chopper King the brand from Taichung.

Maybe not super helpful, someone here will know more than I do. There are a lot of knifemakers in Taiwan. More info at 清順產品.

Edit: Chinshun appears to be the name of the reseller, which is a restaurant supply store?
 
Last edited:
Hi all, I have really been enjoying this thread for a while, and have taken my time to read trough it for the past couple of weeks. Lots of very interesting cleavers, as well as very valuable insight. Thank you! I am a new member here, and I felt I wanted to join the cleaver chat, as I love my Cleavers as well, after having tried a lot og different japanese knives through the years.

Anyway, quite recently, I was searching youtube for videos of various cleavers in use, and I found this Chinese cook, who has a very interesting cleaver. I have been very fascinated by it, and have managed to get some screenshots as well.

Please correct me if you like, but it looks mid sized (around 200 x 100 mm), fairly heavy, maybe between 400 - 500 grams. It looks like it doesnt have a distal taper, and it has a continous taper from spine to the edge, also at the tip. Looks like a very slightly convex grind, which is sturdier at the heel, as he also use it to hack through a large fish. The profile is slightly curved. The handle looks very interesting as well, as it has a quite heavy brass bolster, Normally I dont like bolsters, but there is something about the way this is shaped that I like. I think it is quite elegant actually. And it just made me very curious, as he seems very skilled.

IMG_2088.png
IMG_2096.png
IMG_2097.png
IMG_2094.png
IMG_2103.png
IMG_2106.jpeg
IMG_2091.png


Do any of you guys happen to know what brand of knife it is? Or is it likely a custom?

A link to a video, where the cleaver gets used, hope you can find it:


🙂🙂🙂🌲
 
Rasde said:
Hi all, I have really been enjoying this thread for a while, and have taken my time to read trough it for the past couple of weeks. Lots of very interesting cleavers, as well as very valuable insight. Thank you! I am a new member here, and I felt I wanted to join the cleaver chat, as I love my Cleavers as well, after having tried a lot og different japanese knives through the years.

Anyway, quite recently, I was searching youtube for videos of various cleavers in use, and I found this Chinese cook, who has a very interesting cleaver. I have been very fascinated by it, and have managed to get some screenshots as well.

Please correct me if you like, but it looks mid sized (around 200 x 100 mm), fairly heavy, maybe between 400 - 500 grams. It looks like it doesnt have a distal taper, and it has a continous taper from spine to the edge, also at the tip. Looks like a very slightly convex grind, which is sturdier at the heel, as he also use it to hack through a large fish. The profile is slightly curved. The handle looks very interesting as well, as it has a quite heavy brass bolster, Normally I dont like bolsters, but there is something about the way this is shaped that I like. I think it is quite elegant actually. And it just made me very curious, as he seems very skilled.

View attachment 289646View attachment 289647View attachment 289648View attachment 289649View attachment 289650View attachment 289651View attachment 289652

Do any of you guys happen to know what brand of knife it is? Or is it likely a custom?

A link to a video, where the cleaver gets used, hope you can find it:


🙂🙂🙂🌲
Click to expand...

That's Dengjia 邓家刀, the particular knife is in 5Cr15MoV, 190mm, Doesn't seems to be sold on Ali, only available in China at the moment. Dengjia makes good budget knives, their carbon series is 65Mn steel, 3mm total hard insert, pretty good for the price.

This guy is a old master of Shangdongese cuisine by the way, he recently took Wang Gang in as an apprentice
 
blokey said:
That's Dengjia 邓家刀, the particular knife is in 5Cr15MoV, 190mm, Doesn't seems to be sold on Ali, only available in China at the moment. Dengjia makes good budget knives, their carbon series is 65Mn steel, 3mm total hard insert, pretty good for the price.

This guy is a old master of Shangdongese cuisine by the way, he recently took Wang Gang in as an apprentice
Click to expand...
Thank you very much @blokey, your response is much appreciated! Because of this, I have since been able to find it through “taobao”. And it seems the model number for this one is 5314. I like the specs. I dont know if its possible for me to get it through taobao, but I will look into it. Could be fun to try, as its quite cheap. Somehow, the appearence of this cleaver really fooled me.. In a nice way I guess🙂
IMG_2152.jpeg
 
Sugi #6 came in. Factory edge was quite good, passed paper towel test cleanly except for first few mm a little more tearing. 220x110 mm, 435 g. Not sure how I like the handle, my Chopper King barrel handle is significantly more comfortable but it's not bad. Grind is definitely more sophisticated than the CK

1000030503.jpg

1000030497.jpg

1000030500.jpg
 
Okubo Kajiya Takenoko.
I've been appreciating these for a long while now, and finally convinced myself to get one.
On the Knife Japan website this is listed as a nakiri, but at 257 by 118mm I assure you it looks and feels like a BIG cleaver.
5.75 at the handle, 5.10 at the heel, 2.85mm at the tip.
Hefty? Yes.
Chonky? Also yes.
Sharp? Yep. (Rolled magazine paper and paper towel cleanly sliced).
Daily driver? Probably not. But that doesn't mean I don't love it.
It will soon be introduced to the stones for some thinning and polishing.
I thought I would immediately replace the handle because I don't love the aesthetics, but now . . . even with the neck it still may work.
I'll decide after some usage.
I made a small pizza for my son. Portioned it with only gentle placement of the blade and slight downward pressure, the weight, sharpness and length did the rest. Not enough of a test to gauge anything, but still rather fun.

20240103_114600.jpg
20240103_114608.jpg
20240103_114715.jpg
 
pavhav said:
Okubo Kajiya Takenoko.
I've been appreciating these for a long while now, and finally convinced myself to get one.
On the Knife Japan website this is listed as a nakiri, but at 257 by 118mm I assure you it looks and feels like a BIG cleaver.
5.75 at the handle, 5.10 at the heel, 2.85mm at the tip.
Hefty? Yes.
Chonky? Also yes.
Sharp? Yep. (Rolled magazine paper and paper towel cleanly sliced).
Daily driver? Probably not. But that doesn't mean I don't love it.
It will soon be introduced to the stones for some thinning and polishing.
I thought I would immediately replace the handle because I don't love the aesthetics, but now . . . even with the neck it still may work.
I'll decide after some usage.
I made a small pizza for my son. Portioned it with only gentle placement of the blade and slight downward pressure, the weight, sharpness and length did the rest. Not enough of a test to gauge anything, but still rather fun.

View attachment 291325View attachment 291326View attachment 291327
Click to expand...
Love it. Nice almost the same specs as mine. I got mine without a handle and added a custom one. I was thinking of thinning, but after sharpening and use I haven’t found the need for it yet. Does a great job in its current girth. Look forward to seeing what you do. What is the weight on yours?
 
I don't think it'll need aggressive thinning, but I do want to clean up the blade road enough for a decent working polish.
For some reason it didn't occur to me that you could order one without a handle. I love the handle @tostadas put on his. If I had the tools I'd like to try making a handle myself, but that isn't likely any time soon.
Rideon66 said:
What is the weight on yours?
Click to expand...
I'm not sure as I don't have a scale at our new place, but it is by far the heaviest kitchen blade I have - including other cleavers.
 
pavhav said:
I don't think it'll need aggressive thinning, but I do want to clean up the blade road enough for a decent working polish.
For some reason it didn't occur to me that you could order one without a handle. I love the handle @tostadas put on his. If I had the tools I'd like to try making a handle myself, but that isn't likely any time soon.

I'm not sure as I don't have a scale at our new place, but it is by far the heaviest kitchen blade I have - including other cleavers.
Click to expand...
Yeah seems the ones I have seen had rougher finish than the one I got. It only saved $7 by not getting the handle, I just already had a plan so didn't want to bother with removing the old one. @tostadas made my custom Koa handle. Only needed to cut and grind a little of the tang with the Dremel and file the tang slot a bit bigger till it was fitting tight, then glue it up. Mine is 254 x 117 and 658g total 4.46mm spine at handle tapers down to 2.7mm. Just remeasured and it is closer to 255 x 118 at its longest and widest point.
I will probably mess with mine at some point, but love this blade so much. If you do sweet potatoes, big thick cabbage, Squash or things of this nature you will love this blade for that. I have been debating if I should try cutting a lobster in two with it or not. I think mine could handle it, but the shell might scratch it up. It can do the small stuff really well too, but i got a small Yoshimitsu Kajiya Nakir-Bocho 155mm shirogami #2 218g for that now.
This is what the finish on mine was like and the beautiful Koa custom handle tostadas did for me.

I got a cheap digital scale of Amazon for like $10. I originally bought it to measure specific gravity of stones though. It comes in handy for stones, knives and even ingredients sometimes.


Okubo polish.jpg
Okubo.jpeg
 
Yeah, your finish definitely looks smoother than mine. And I love that handle.
I'm pretty sure these could split a lobster without any issue.
Did your tang look like A. or B.?
And was it drilled for a pin? (Just planning ahead).
20240104_134820.jpg
 
pavhav said:
Yeah, your finish definitely looks smoother than mine. And I love that handle.
I'm pretty sure these could split a lobster without any issue.
Did your tang look like A. or B.?
And was it drilled for a pin? (Just planning ahead).View attachment 291388
Click to expand...
A. No drill for pin. 614grams with out handle before cutting and grinding. My tang was also pretty even getting thicker from the tail to a little before the choil. I believe Tostadas had a thick bulge in the middle of the tang. So the tang is 6.3mm thick at its thickest on mine. Then right at the handle it thins to 4.46mm. This was the tang specs. 150mm x 22mm x 6mm. I cut about 60mm off the tail and only had to grind a little about 50mm back from the choil to get it to slide into the slot. Probably removed a little over 20grams of tang between cutting and grinding. I went back and forth slowly with rasp files widening the slot and clearing out the inside and grinding lightly on the tang till it was friction fit pretty tight. Then did hot melt glue. Second pic shows tang bottom view and third tang top down view. You can see it starts to thin out a little before the choil.
IMG_0679.jpeg
IMG_0691.jpeg

IMG_0690.jpeg
 
dang. a CCK 1300series seems so boring now. hahah..

my wife is going to Taiwan without me. plane tickets are crazy $$ and I have to watch my stupid dog. our dog sitter is out. and I have an ill-timed work thing. whatever. I'll watch action flicks all day, and go fishing..and eat corn dogs. I had a Cleaver tour worked out in Taiwan with some of my wife's cousins. BOO!!!!
 
boomchakabowwow said:
dang. a CCK 1300series seems so boring now. hahah..

my wife is going to Taiwan without me. plane tickets are crazy $$ and I have to watch my stupid dog. our dog sitter is out. and I have an ill-timed work thing. whatever. I'll watch action flicks all day, and go fishing..and eat corn dogs. I had a Cleaver tour worked out in Taiwan with some of my wife's cousins. BOO!!!!
Click to expand...
With the money you save, you can do a home shopping cleaver tour
 
MrHiggins said:
I really have to commend you on the work you did thinning this blade. I had a Sugimoto #1 a few years ago that I had professionally thinned, but it didn't feel as smooth as this. Thanks again!
Click to expand...
Thanks, took a lot of practice thinning cleavers, lol. Got to get it nice and thin in the front half, leave it thicker in the back, flatten out the convex in some places and maintain it in others and go to a near zero edge.
 
kpham12 said:
Thanks, took a lot of practice thinning cleavers, lol. Got to get it nice and thin in the front half, leave it thicker in the back, flatten out the convex in some places and maintain it in others and go to a near zero edge.
Click to expand...
It would be very interesting to know more about your thinning process. I have seen quite a lot of your videos, which I have enjoyed. Currently I am working on a Sugimoto CM4030, which I have thinned quite a lot, especially in the front part. The left side of the blade is quite flat, like my cck1912, with a very, very slight convexity at around 5mm from the edge. The right side is convexed. I have also thinned the convex side to er certain degree, so that it doesnt “accelerate” as much near the edge. If that maked sense. It is working extremely well, but I might make some small adjustments. Would it be possible to explain your view on your thinned grind? Where to you flatten out the convexity and where would you think its especially important to keep it?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Back
Top