Which Heavy Cleaver?

[Pudu]

Vegetables?

What are those? :scratchhead:

I have a santoku and a nakiri I can use for veg work. Although, honestly for garlic, ginger, and scallions (the only veg in laziji if you don't count the dried chilies) I much prefer to use a chukabocho. This is why I wanted to get a protein and bone specific cleaver, to prevent constantly ruining the chopper edge on something for which it was never intended to be used and then having to re-sharpen it.

However my plan kind of backfired, because now I'm in the market for a needless upgrade to my chopper. :rolleyes2: Looking very pointedly at a Sugimoto this week.

 

[Noodle Soup]

The factory edge on my Sugimoto No. 7 did poorly on chicken bones until I raised the sharpening angle a little bit. Works fine now but it is one heavy knife for fine cutting.

 

[Pudu]

I have been eyeing the #6, purely for chopping and slicing veg and soft protein.

That #7 looks like a beast.

 

[mlau]

I have been eyeing the #6, purely for chopping and slicing veg and soft protein.

That #7 looks like a beast.

Dude, I had trouble with the #6...which is why I sold my custom Heiji chuka and commissioned one at half it's weight.

To the OP, if you're still looking for a heavy cleaver, I'd be happy to check out Chinatown (oakland) to find a very heavy meat cleaver.
It'll likely run about $20 or less, and I'll ship it to you at my cost.

however, I feel that this is something that is very personal.
I'd recommend you go to your local chinese community to hunt for a knife.
These are cheap---soft steel, made in bulk, poorly finished--can smash through bone.

You will definitely want a better cutting board however. Do you have any whole stumps here? I'd be afraid that your boardsmith won't be up to the task.

 

[Pudu]

I think it'll be okay for me. The #6 is only 10g heavier than the chopper I've been using for 18 years. How did you get the weight down so much?

The one thing I would add is that while a cheap chopper will definitely get through chicken bones, a good edge is important to minimize splintering. I know some insist that because chicken bones are round you cannot avoid splintering, but in my experience a good edge makes a significant difference in this respect.

Awesome and generous offer mlau!


Definitely worth checking out your local Chinese or Vietnamese market for a cheap, thick cutting board you can dedicate to cleaving duty.

 

[NO ChoP!]

Look for used Ho Ching Kee Lee. Very similar to CCK, but the price is much more reasonable, similar to CCK before the name took off. This is mine. Also, I would never use this beast on a nice end grain board.

 

[NO ChoP!]

Also, Maxim was selling these for a bit. Heavy Yoshikane cleavers.

 

[mlau]

I bought mine from a friend who goes to China and Hong Kong to replenish ingredients. He always buys extra knives that he resells to friends and students. He once travelled to a remote village in Szechuan to replenish his chili sauce.

Ironically, he is Caucasian, and doesn't speak a lick of Chinese.

I picked what felt good in the hand...which happens to be very light!

 

[mlau]

Also, the guys in Chinatown treat their knives as a disposable tool and sharpen constantly on cheap 80/240 grit stones.

They'll chop their order and resharpen during down time.

 

[mlau]

But yeah, offer still stands.
Just let me know what your cutting and how big a knife.

It may take a while though.
I may be going up to SF Chinatown sometime to help a friend get a cutting board.

 

[mlau]

Oh, just checked prices at the wok shop.

A decent cleaver will be $10-30. Just depends on what you plan to cut.

From my training, the heavy cleaver is a fairly cheap, disposable tool. The fine vegetable cleaver us where to spend the money