BLADE Magazine

Looking for a blade to cut to the quick of most kitchen chores?

As a knife guy for pretty much my entire life, I can own up to the fact that I don’t collect knives, I hoard them. Among the hoard are kitchen knives. I even scour secondhand stores looking for discarded gems or diamonds in the rough. Having said that, I must admit there are only a couple that are my go-to knives in the kitchen. One of them is my old Regent 6-inch-high carbon steel cleaver.

In a sea of kitchen knife styles with various design influences, it seems we periodically return to the cleaver. I use mine for almost everything and love it. Next to my Victorinox paring knives, I could not imagine a kitchen without it. Therefore, this time we look at four cleavers, some traditional and some with a modern twist.

Best Cleavers Specs Comparison

Cold Steel Cleaver Commercial Series

Commercial Cleaver Specs
Overall Length: 13.75″
Blade Length: 9″
Blade @Thickest: .137″
Blade Steel: German 4116 stainless
Handle Material: Kray-Ex
Sheath: None
Weight: 23.7 ozs.
MSRP: $56.99
Country of Origin: Taiwan

The Cold Steel Cleaver Commercial Series is a traditional style European design and is a behemoth. I could make three small knives just from the blade. It works great in the kitchen but, due to its size and weight, can be a bit much for such chores as chopping veggies. However, for butchering jobs it is a brawler. I had a chance to process some meat with it, mostly pork chopping up ribs and cutting belly up for the roaster. Not much will stand in its way.

The handle is Kray-Ex, a firm rubber for a solid, vibration-free grip. The high-polished blade finish really cuts down the friction when cutting meat. The meat just slides across the surface. The polished blade is prone to showing scratches if it gets banged around in the drawer with other kitchen wear. I only mention that as I know some people get uptight over it.

As a large butchering tool it works great. I would even pack it for hunting camp. It functions fine as a kitchen chopper, though be prepared for a workout.

Commercial Cleaver Deals

Cold Steel	$57
BladeHQ	$57
Knife Center	$50

TOPS Knives XXX Dicer

XXX Dicer Specs
Overall Length: 8.88″
Blade Length: 7″
Blade @Thickest: .13″
Blade Steel: 440C stainless
Handle Material: Red and black G-10
Sheath: Black Kydex
Weight: 13.6 ozs.
MSRP: $330
Country of Origin: U.S.A

At first look, the broad, sweeping blade with a huge belly of the TOPS Knives XXX Dicer reminds me of a Japanese fishmonger’s knife. The fishmongers who process the large fish such as tuna and marlin often can be seen using similar blade styles. I volunteer in my local shooting club’s kitchen, so when I took the XXX Dicer there for them to try, many of the hunters commented how they would like to try it for skinning big game.

For use in the kitchen, the handle is designed so that you choke up for your chopping chores. A forward design also helps you to gain better control over the exaggerated belly curve. It is a large blade yet ground thin enough to make easy work of chopping and slicing jobs. I personally would not mind a bit more handle for when I want to back off on my grip and put some oomph behind it. The handle material works well. I must say, though, I am not fond of the hollow pins as food debris finds its way in there.

What I like about the blade overrides what problems I have with the handle. In the end, I can say I like the Cold Steel cleaver due to its utility.

XXX Dicer Deals

TOPS Knives	$330
Midway USA	$330
The Knife Connection	$193

Condor Serbian Kuvar Cleaver

Kuvar Cleaver Specs
Overall Length: 11.29″
Blade Length: 6.29″
Blade @Thickest: .1″
Blade Steel: 1075 carbon
Handle Material: Natural Micarta® w/red liners
Sheath: Leather
Weight: 14.46 ozs.
MSRP: $109.98
Country of Origin: El Salvador

Even though Goran Mihajlovic designed the Condor Serbian Kuvar Cleaver, for years now—and I mean years—it has been Joe Flowers’ job to spot designers and designs for Condor Tool & Knife and bring them to market. I think I have known Joe for over 20 years, and his passion for cutlery has been unwavering. I think many people are unaware of the passion that drives the knife industry. Now, back to the Kuvar.

The Condor cleaver is a great example of how a different concept gets noticed. In the early days of the North American fur trade, many knife designs were simple kitchen or butcher models. With the Kuvar you not only have a knife that rides well for your kitchen chores, but you can use it in camp.

It does not have a particularly thick blade but what gives it some toughness is the convex edge. The edge is ground high to make it a cutter, though not so high as to make it fragile. As you chop, the convex edge helps the food fall away from the blade. Because of the blade style it would not be my first choice for carving. It would serve well as a field knife if need be. It would be great for chores around the kitchen and processing game. I would not hesitate taking it with me on a wild edibles trek either, while still feeling totally equipped.

The handle is durable and easy to clean. My only beef is the sheath’s snap closure. The knife gets hung up by it on deployment, but then that is the issue with many snap closures.

Condor	$110
BladeHQ	$92
Knife Center	$110

Bear & Son Professional Chopping Knife

Professional Chopping Knife Specs
Overall Length: 10.125″
Blade Length: 5″
Blade @Thickest: .125″
Blade Steel: 14C28N Sandvik stainless
Handle Material: Black G-10 and white bone
Sheath: Thermal plastic
Weight: 4 ozs.
MSRP: $159.99
Country of Origin: U.S.A.

As mentioned, I took the test knives to my shooting club’s kitchen. The Bear & Son Professional Chopping Knife made such a splash that I barely got out of there with it in hand. The overall presentation of the handle with the stonewashed blade turned heads. It not only is a looker but, with its thin-ground blade, works great as a small chopper.

The handle ergonomics are great. The handle is highly polished and, seeing there is no texture or give to the material, it can get a bit slippery when wet. Bear & Son includes a lanyard hole at the butt but used mechanical fasteners up front. There is a slight curve to the blade and a nicely defined point.

It is a great little knife, light and nimble and suited to all kinds of chores. It is very much like one of my go-to knives, a small chef’s style. The grind on the chopper, though, is far better than my small chef’s knife. The sheath protects the blade while in transport or just sitting in a drawer. If anyone wants to buy a small chef’s knife, I need to make room for this one in my kitchen drawer.

Professional Chopping Knife Deals

Bear & Son	$160
SMKW	$107
Discount Cutlery	$104

Favorite Go-To?

It is not easy being a knife guy these days because there are so many good choices. At BLADE®, we try to bring you a number of selections and along the way introduce you to something you might not find otherwise. Cutting tools come in so many styles and for so many varieties and uses. Even with today’s latest cleavers there is variety and innovation. Use one or more of these designs and you might find your favorite go-to knife.

More Kitchen Knives:

• Best Nakiri Knife
• Types Of Kitchen Knives
• Best Paring Knives
• Best Kitchen Knife Sharpener