Cleaver

[Janne]

The way you hold your cleaver is the way you are supposed to held a kitchen knife too.
The previous Executive chef at Ritz C here taught me and my son these pro ways some years ago.

You guys have inspired me to get an old cleaver. Will look for one next time I am back in civilization!

 

[Robson Valley]

I need a couple of little straight knives and no big clunkers except a bread knif.
I don't recall seeing cleavers in western style grocery stores, big or little. Why? Cleavers are every price, some above $200 each.
Snappingturtle's cleaver is just out of the market place. $350 - $500 if you could find one like it.

Find the Asian grocery stores and look towards the back. If you see stacks of dishes, ladles, etc, you could be in luck.
The 8" cleavers will already have an edge of about 20 degrees total included bevel. That's just fine. Just tune it up and get busy.
I you wanted a shorter one, cut 2" off the tip.

My 6 inch cleavers came packed in grease and wrapped in hard paper. Simple turned and unfinished handles. The tangs stick out = file them down.
They were right-hand slicing cleavers with a 40* bevel on one side and a 20* on the other.
By that reckoning, I made them 10* each side for an included total of 20* Automotive finishing sandpapers as abrasives.
Hardly worth the work = cutting down a longer, 8" cleaver would have been quick but I wasn't to know in that day and time.
See what you're missing?

 

[snappingturtle]

Old files can make fine blades! got a smith out your way? I am trying to make use of it much as I can, I even help do the prep on my non cook days the little woman is suspicious of my helpfulness! she also thinks a driftwood stand would be good for it, and yer I do use the pinch the spine grip like Janne it was shown to me by a chef I did prep work for as a teen.