I have a Martell nakiri that is 55mm tall and have been on the hunt for a western cleaver. My question is whether there is a specific height range that is more definitively associated with a cleaver as opposed to merely a tall nakiri?
When is a cleaver not a tall nakiri?
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It's at the exact same point that a long petty becomes a short sujihiki. 
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There are always vagueness issues with this kind of thing, but even most "tall nakiris" are well under 80mm in height, where classic cleaver profiles are in the high 80's or more. And nakiris are usually pretty short (well under 200mm) while cleavers are longer.
BillHanna
Gotta get ready for ARM
When you can smash bones comfortably.
In all seriousness tho, cleavers come in lots of shapes, sizes and thicknesses, but tall nakiri is… well, just a tall nakiri.
As an example
I know it’s a tall bunka and not a nakiri, but you get the idea. It’s a 280g, 180mm, thick knife, but it’s a toy compared to a 980g butchery cleaver. Only one of these knives would survive a full height swing at some rib bones.
In all seriousness tho, cleavers come in lots of shapes, sizes and thicknesses, but tall nakiri is… well, just a tall nakiri.
As an example
I know it’s a tall bunka and not a nakiri, but you get the idea. It’s a 280g, 180mm, thick knife, but it’s a toy compared to a 980g butchery cleaver. Only one of these knives would survive a full height swing at some rib bones.
nakiriknaifuwaifu
Senior Member
I don't think I've seen a nakiri with a profile that curves back from the midpoint of the blade - I've only seen them on cleavers.
Among rectangle cleavers, I think almost if not every single one I've seen has had that "smile" curve back towards the heel.
Among rectangle cleavers, I think almost if not every single one I've seen has had that "smile" curve back towards the heel.
What Bill said ^
Standards must be maintained! 90mm should be our bare minimum here.
(And even then - all the other cleavers will still laugh behind its back and call it a nakiri).
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As an example of my confusion, the following two knives have been offered in the last day or so:
a 65mm tall “cleaver“ from Martin Huber
https://www.eatingtools.com/chef-knives/1485-spalted-beech-cleaver-178mm.html
a 78mm tall “big nakiri“ from Yanick Puig
https://shop.yanick-knives.com/product/big-nakiri-200
a 65mm tall “cleaver“ from Martin Huber
https://www.eatingtools.com/chef-knives/1485-spalted-beech-cleaver-178mm.html
a 78mm tall “big nakiri“ from Yanick Puig
https://shop.yanick-knives.com/product/big-nakiri-200
BillHanna
Gotta get ready for ARM
No
Yes
In my opinion
Yes
In my opinion
nakiriknaifuwaifu
Senior Member
Another difference I would like to note is the presence of "handle stuff" reaching all the way to the choil (such as the metal wrappings on the usual cai daos).
Note the tang space between the handle and the choil here.
https://shop.yanick-knives.com/product/big-nakiri-200
Compared to handle flush with choil and no tang space. This I would say is a cleaver.
https://shop.yanick-knives.com/product/big-nakiri
Note the tang space between the handle and the choil here.
https://shop.yanick-knives.com/product/big-nakiri-200
Compared to handle flush with choil and no tang space. This I would say is a cleaver.
https://shop.yanick-knives.com/product/big-nakiri
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Cleavers. You know 'em when you see 'em.
What do you call a tall Sujihiki, or a short Gyuto? A gyuto-hiki of course! Perhaps it’s time for a new knife name.
Cai-kiri? Nakiver?
Cai-kiri? Nakiver?
