Minimum board for full size cleaver

[chiffonodd]

My fellow Rectanglers, rejoice, for ARM is nearly upon us!

I am faithfully waiting to be blessed with my first full size rectangle (225x110). Am I gonna be okay with a 14"x20" board? That's the limit of what I can fit in the sink for cleaning so I'd like to keep my current earthly dimensions if possible.

In nomine patris nakiri, et spiritus kanji,

Brother Chiffonodd

 

[Cliff]

What size knives do you generally use? I use a Hasagawa 19.7" x 13.8" all the time with a no. 6 Chuka.

 

[Matt Jacobs]

Honestly, I find I can work with a smaller board than normal with my cleaver (take it with a grain of salt, not much use) because I can pick up so much food with the cleaver and transfer to a bowl, pan, etc.

 

[Cliff]

Exactly, cleavers are more compact -- a no. 6 for me is like using a 270, but I don't need nearly as much space.

 

[chiffonodd]

I normally use 210 and 240 gyutos. The cleaver is in between on length but I dunno something about it just feels like a lot of metal to be waving around.

 

[Cliff]

That board will be fine, unless, you want a bigger board

 

[chiffonodd]

That board will be fine, unless, you want a bigger board

I mean

 

[tostadas]

My main board is 14x20. I also have a smaller 12x17, and 11x16 for simpler tasks. All work fine with cleaver because the length is similar to a compact gyuto.

 

[blokey]

I‘d say it's less about the cleaver but more about how many people you cook for and how you prepare your stuff

 

[Jville]

What cleaver did you end up getting?

 

[chiffonodd]

What cleaver did you end up getting?

Oh this is just a CCK1103 that I ordered for the March rectangle shenanigans. As for the "real" cleaver.... I wrote Lee and put down a deposit to pre-order a new migoto b1 It'll be about a year.

 

[Jville]

Oh this is just a CCK1103 that I ordered for the March rectangle shenanigans. As for the "real" cleaver.... I wrote Lee and put down a deposit to pre-order a new migoto b1 It'll be about a year.

Nice!

 

[chiffonodd]

Nice!

I might get the b2 mini-cleaver too Help.

 

[SwampDonkey]

Scoopability definitely helps the board feel bigger. 2x14 will be fine.

...but if you want to be extra sure everything will fit, maybe have room for a second cleaver for when the rectangle virus consumes more of your brain (and be twinsies) I'll just drop this lil ol link

https://www.walmart.com/ip/TeakHaus...-w-Hand-Grip-Rectangle-24-x-18-x-1-5/42767485

 

[chiffonodd]

Scoopability definitely helps the board feel bigger. 2x14 will be fine.

...but if you want to be extra sure everything will fit, maybe have room for a second cleaver for when the rectangle virus consumes more of your brain (and be twinsies) I'll just drop this lil ol link

https://www.walmart.com/ip/TeakHaus...-w-Hand-Grip-Rectangle-24-x-18-x-1-5/42767485


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That'd a great deal for an end grain board of that size. How's the teak on your edges? I've heard murmurings but probably just the usual scuttlebutt.

Luckily for me the virus will have to find a new host in this regard because 20x14 is the max I can fit in my sink and I don't want to play the "spray water all over my kitchen" game again.

 

[SwampDonkey]

That'd a great deal for an end grain board of that size. How's the teak on your edges? I've heard murmurings but probably just the usual scuttlebutt.

Luckily for me the virus will have to find a new host in this regard because 20x14 is the max I can fit in my sink and I don't want to play the "spray water all over my kitchen" game again.

In my use it's the same as my cherry end-grain, I did a month-long test side by side. Seems it's mostly people fussing about higher silica content in a more theoretical way like how steels get obsessed over and picked apart. Maybe if I were a pure rock chopper and plowing through hundreds of pounds of veggies a week something would come to light, but I'm neither. The higher oil content and stain/warp resistance of teak, plus smell and color, put it over maple for me.

I feel you on the splashing. This one just lives on my countertop and I use a spray bottle/wipe it down.

 

[chiffonodd]

Seems it's mostly people fussing about higher silica content in a more theoretical way like how steels get obsessed over and picked apart.

It always is! I get it - i've been guilty of the neurotic quibbling myself. But there comes a time when a great is a great deal and I think that board qualifies.

I feel you on the splashing.

My last kitchen was so bad for this. Small, bifurcated sink. Impossible to clean anything. At least the new place has a large, basin sink, which feels to me like royalty.

 

[SwampDonkey]

My last kitchen was so bad for this. Small, bifurcated sink. Impossible to clean anything. At least the new place has a large, basin sink, which feels to me like royalty.

They're the worst! When we bought our house, the very first fix was ripping out that stupid double sink and installing the biggest single basin I could drop in. Incredible QOL improvement.

 

[Rideon66]

254mm x 118mm no problems on a 17.5” x 14” board.

 

[chiffonodd]

254mm x 118mm no problems on a 17.5” x 14” board.

That's a big boi right there

 

[chiffonodd]

I‘d say it's less about the cleaver but more about how many people you cook for and how you prepare your stuff

Just me and the wife but sometimes I batch cook for the week. Nothing too crazy though.

 

[tostadas]

254mm x 118mm no problems on a 17.5” x 14” board.

So the blade = same size as board. Got it!

 

[HumbleHomeCook]

Look at the diameter of the typical round boards used by Chinese chefs. I doubt they have as much surface area as what you have.

 

[chiffonodd]

Look at the diameter of the typical round boards used by Chinese chefs. I doubt they have as much surface area as what you have.

They have mad skills tho

 

[HumbleHomeCook]

They have mad skills tho

Don't worry, from what I've seen, half the challenge is to just talk real fast while you cut. A stern look seems to up performance as well.

 

[blokey]

Just me and the wife but sometimes I batch cook for the week. Nothing too crazy though.

The standard 12 x 20 or 18 are good in my experience

 

[Shokupan]

If you have enough prep bowls or sheet trays for cut ingredients, you can get away with almost anything bigger than the knife.