Cleavers

Cleavers are knives with a large flat blade that is usually rectangular in shape. Traditionally, meat cleavers are favoured by butchers in jointing meat and are specifically designed for cutting through tough meat and bone with a heavy chopping action. In order to carry out the task, meat cleavers often have a fairly thick blade with a tough edge which is usually less sharp than that of other kitchen knives.The blade is designed to withstand repeated hard blows and can therefore also be used to chop tough vegetables like squashes.

In addition to the meat cleaver, vegetable and Chinese cleavers are also now more common and Chinese cleavers are a staple of asian food prep - being almost as ubiquitous as a wok. Although similar in shape to a meat cleaver, the Chinese and vegetable cleavers have a thinner blade which is designed less for heavy chopping and more for a range of kitchen tasks including slicing vegetables. They are a versatile knife and the flat side of the blade can even be used to crush garlic.

Whether you are looking for a traditional meat cleaver for butchery and chopping meat, or for a cleaver for general kitchen chopping, slicing and other prep, you can check out our range right here.