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I was wondering what people's thoughts are on neck vs no neck for a light cleaver with a wa handle?

I'm trying to figure out if either it will make general ergonomics, cooking, sharpening or thinning better or worse. The only cleavers I have to compare are CCKs with the tapered bolster and round barrel handle.
 
I was wondering what people's thoughts are on neck vs no neck for a light cleaver with a wa handle?

I'm trying to figure out if either it will make general ergonomics, cooking, sharpening or thinning better or worse. The only cleavers I have to compare are CCKs with the tapered bolster and round barrel handle.
No neck
 
I was wondering what people's thoughts are on neck vs no neck for a light cleaver with a wa handle?

I'm trying to figure out if either it will make general ergonomics, cooking, sharpening or thinning better or worse. The only cleavers I have to compare are CCKs with the tapered bolster and round barrel handle.
The simple answer is no neck, although there could always “possibly” be an exception. But, generally, I would say no neck.
 
Definitely could do. @BillHanna has listed a large 240mm x 100mm 52100 cleaver I made a while back that came it at only 319g. I believe the one I made for @tostadas was 210-220mm x 90mm and it was made of MagnaCut. @Jville has one in AEB-L....220mmx110mm (I think) that came in well under 300g even with a stabilized amboyna handle.
Hey sorry about the delay on commenting. Yes mine is 226x110. I believe when I weighed it initially it was 13 or 14 ounces. It was a really great cleaver. Matt was great to work with. At first I wasn’t totally sure if maybe the balance was a little too forward since it is just in front of my two finger grip. Also initially it seemed to drag a little through onions horizontally, which surprised me because it is very thin and grind seems very nice. But after I sharpened it that went away and it breeezes through no problem. This one has been growing on me and becoming one of my favorites. It’s very practical for me in a pro environment, came out great. Thanks Matt!! At sone time I think I would love to get a small one in magnacut.
As long as we're having a cleaver chat, I'll just tack on here and ask something I've been wondering about for more than a few weeks.

Do you habitual cleaver users find two different sized cleavers helpful? I've been using my shibazi and still go to it for almost everything. The edge measures 208mm. I've been thinning it with a King 300 every time I sharpen it, but it will take forever to get as thin as a CCK 130X. I also can't help but think I also want a larger cleaver for some things.

So I'm thinking of getting a CCK 1302 (just came back into stock from CKTG) to replace my Shibazi, then maybe get a CCK 1102 or 1101 for my "big" cleaver. Choice #2 would be to get the CCK 1103 and forget about having two different size cleavers. Asking for opinions. Silly to have two different sizes or advantageous?

Curious question: Why is it that whenever I read about someone's 1100 series CCK, it's always either an 1102 or and 1101, and usually it's 1102. Why is that? The 1103 is very close to what (as far as I can tell) a "standard" size cleaver, like a #6 in Sugimoto, Gesshin, etc., yet everyone seems to buy an 1102 in CCK. Just wondering.
The simplest way to look at it is just like having different size gyutos is nice to have, having different size cleavers for different purposes or prep lists, ocassions us also nice to have. Of course you will probably have a favorite size, but for me it’s more about what I’m doing. At the minimum I would want one large and one small unquestionably. Also, I have the 1103 cck and it’s a great size imho.
 
Aww what? I asked Manaka San about a year ago if he would make a Chinese style cleaver and he told me it's too difficult to do...
Maybe he got enough requests or finally got the motivation to give it a whirl. That’s the first one I’ve seen or heard of. Pretty much all smiths talk about cleavers being challenging, even extremely challenging.
 
Maybe he got enough requests or finally got the motivation to give it a whirl. That’s the first one I’ve seen or heard of. Pretty much all smiths talk about cleavers being challenging, even extremely challenging.
It’s probably from inexperience with this type of knife, most Chinese makers seems to market their cleaver only slightly higher than Gyuto, unless the material cost a lot
 
The current square lineup

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Andrei Markin
Pig Iron Forge
Ryjenko
Hyde Handmade
Merion Forge
Simon Malliet
Nelson Chen (going to do a pass around for that one soon)
 
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