I'm looking for a heavy use knife for meat (maybe with bone)

MadJukes

MadJukes

Joined
Aug 23, 2015
Messages
506
I'm browsing the knifemakers kitchen section and realize I really don't know what I need; there are just too many options for me to choose from. I'm very familiar with folding knives but kitchen knives seem to be a completely different topic! I have a very nice paring knife already so covered there. But I'm still looking for something heavy duty that can chop through bone (such as quartering chickens) and partially frozen meat, and something for everyday use for boneless meat and veggies such as onions and carrots. Any suggestions? Will most likely buy from our resident knifemakers on BF, just need to know what kind of knives to buy.

What steel(s) are the best? (For example M390/S90V are tier 1 for folders, S35V tier 2, etc)

What types of knives should I get?

Anything in particular (size/handle shape, etc) I should pay attention to?
 
I'm of the opinion that geometry and heat treatment is a little more important than specific steel choices. The biggest decision on steel for the kitchen is whether to go stainless or not. If everybody who is expected to use the knives is willing to do the little bit extra to care for a non-stainless carbon steel knife, I prefer it because it can get screaming sharp with little effort. Even when it loses that scary sharp edge, it can often be brought back with simple stropping; I usually just strop on newspaper laid on the kitchen counter.

I'll still geek out a bit on the steels... a lot of people feel for stainless AEB-L with good heat treat will have finer carbides and can sharpen easier than some other stainless. If the maker is good, I still think all the common kitchen cutlery stainless can work well. For regular carbon steels, the higher alloy steels can offer better abrasion resistance, so you can slice longer between sharpenings. But I'm happy with simple carbon steels as I mentioned it's simple to strop back to razor sharp as well as easily sharpened when need be.

A heavy meat cleaver is best for chopping bones and frozen stuff, something with some spine width and larger obtuse edge angle that will hold up to abuse. Not too hard, better for the edge to roll over and be steeled back than to knock out a huge chip.

For veggie prep and boneless meat, it's nice to keep it simple with a do it all type chef's knife or the Japanese equivalent, the gyuto which is partially modeled after a French chef's knife anyhow. For that, I prefer a higher hardness blade, Rockwell HRc of 60 or more that can take a fairly acute edge angle, between 10 to 18 degrees per side, depending on the maker, the geometry, steel and heat treat.

Everybody is different, some people like a long chef's knife like 8 to 10 inches of blade, others a smaller knife like 5 to 7 inches. If you use a pinch grip, it's nice to have the spine rounded but for home use, I can usually get by without since I'm not cutting for hours like a restaurant kitchen professional. Handle preference is also very personal, both shape and material. I prefer real wood or stabilized wood over man made stuff like G10, micarta, etcetera. But the man made stuff will be safer to wash and not experience movement in service or even due to changes in humidity that can cause wood to swell and shrink.
 
milkbaby said:
I'm of the opinion that geometry and heat treatment is a little more important than specific steel choices. The biggest decision on steel for the kitchen is whether to go stainless or not. If everybody who is expected to use the knives is willing to do the little bit extra to care for a non-stainless carbon steel knife, I prefer it because it can get screaming sharp with little effort. Even when it loses that scary sharp edge, it can often be brought back with simple stropping; I usually just strop on newspaper laid on the kitchen counter.

I'll still geek out a bit on the steels... a lot of people feel for stainless AEB-L with good heat treat will have finer carbides and can sharpen easier than some other stainless. If the maker is good, I still think all the common kitchen cutlery stainless can work well. For regular carbon steels, the higher alloy steels can offer better abrasion resistance, so you can slice longer between sharpenings. But I'm happy with simple carbon steels as I mentioned it's simple to strop back to razor sharp as well as easily sharpened when need be.

A heavy meat cleaver is best for chopping bones and frozen stuff, something with some spine width and larger obtuse edge angle that will hold up to abuse. Not too hard, better for the edge to roll over and be steeled back than to knock out a huge chip.

For veggie prep and boneless meat, it's nice to keep it simple with a do it all type chef's knife or the Japanese equivalent, the gyuto which is partially modeled after a French chef's knife anyhow. For that, I prefer a higher hardness blade, Rockwell HRc of 60 or more that can take a fairly acute edge angle, between 10 to 18 degrees per side, depending on the maker, the geometry, steel and heat treat.

Everybody is different, some people like a long chef's knife like 8 to 10 inches of blade, others a smaller knife like 5 to 7 inches. If you use a pinch grip, it's nice to have the spine rounded but for home use, I can usually get by without since I'm not cutting for hours like a restaurant kitchen professional. Handle preference is also very personal, both shape and material. I prefer real wood or stabilized wood over man made stuff like G10, micarta, etcetera. But the man made stuff will be safer to wash and not experience movement in service or even due to changes in humidity that can cause wood to swell and shrink.
Click to expand...
Thank you so much for your detailed response. I'll tailor my search based on your suggestions! :)
 
Get a cleaver for breaking joints, takes much less effort than using a knife.
For boneless meat & veggies the Japanese chef knives are thinner & lighter & will slice & dice better
than the European style with their thicker blades.
 
10 years ago when i bought my Japanese based kitchen knives i found nothing on the cheaper end for cutting threw bone or joints. This is where a cleaver usually comes into use. On a whim i found a Chinese bone cleaver for $12 in a Japanese kitchen wholesalers advertisement.
Its a very hard high carbon that took a razors edge, but its spine weight was crazy as it was 1/2" at the spine.
Oddly enough i found it too much for my kitchen usage, and i put it to work doing the job of a machete/hatchet role. 2" trees stand no chance against this beast. And yes its still the size of an American cleaver.
It was roughly finished with half the blade carbonized still and i polished to other cutting edge and sharpened it well and sprayed it with laquer to keep rust off it.

Btw its my goto knife when the zombies come!
 
As noted above, heat treat is more important than steel selection, within reason. For a kitchen cleaver, go 1/8", 8" is a good length, and height based on how you will be using it. It's a tool to use, so let the maker help you design the best tool for your application.
 
While s cleaver is a handy tool to have, do not overlook a good pair of kitchen shears, they will make quick work of a chicken.
 
I have been looking for a good cleaver to deal with frozen meat and bones, ham and turkey, so I am looking for something heavy strong I think I would prefer carbon steel but I leave it up any additional feedback I see. Did OP ever find one that worked for him?
 
I have been interested in making a kitchen cleaver.
If you want toughness i would also reccomend a high carbon steel (i like CPM 3V, and Z-Wear). They can be ground thinner and still perform after they lose their "hair popping" edge. I have limited experience in the kitchen and have only made about 10-15 kitchen knives.
I havent had the need for a cleaver in the kitchen yet, but i havent gotten that far into cooking.
If you want a stainless steel i reccomend Z-Finit. Its very tough and impervious to rust as far as i know. It makes a great kitchen knife and gets incredibly sharp.
But back to the cleaver subject. So you want something thick for heavy bones? (.187, .250, for pork and beef bones?)
Or something thinner for poultry and smaller game. Probably in the 1/8" or less area. Although 0.148-0.154 is a good middle ground.
Im very interested im making a cleaver. Even if no one buys one, may do it for fun and make it really crazy!
 
As for bones mostly thinking Turkey and Pork primarily maybe some Deer & Beef my other "tough" task would be chopping frozen meat of any kind. I don't as much care if it is stainless or not just so long as it does the chopping I can maintain either stainless or not just fine. I know nothing about proper thickness and sharpening angle for a cleaver though my general understanding they aren't about being hair shaving sharp.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top