Please critique my vegetable cleaver

If the back of the handle goes up, I think most call it upswept. If it tilts down at the back of the handle, it is downswept usually. A lot depends on the height of your work area. I try to do a neutral handle or slightly upswept (very slight) for kitchen knives. I don't like downswept handles on kitchen knives, but it works well with larger chopping knifes and smaller hunting style knives?
 
Taz said:
If the back of the handle goes up, I think most call it upswept. If it tilts down at the back of the handle, it is downswept usually. A lot depends on the height of your work area. I try to do a neutral handle or slightly upswept (very slight) for kitchen knives. I don't like downswept handles on kitchen knives, but it works well with larger chopping knifes and smaller hunting style knives?
Click to expand...
That's what I thought!
 
Taz said:
If the back of the handle goes up, I think most call it upswept. If it tilts down at the back of the handle, it is downswept usually.
Click to expand...
Okay, then I'll use the terms used by the majority. As I am not a knifemaker, I am not familiar with a lot of the terms for features/designs.

Taz said:
A lot depends on the height of your work area. I try to do a neutral handle or slightly upswept (very slight) for kitchen knives. I don't like downswept handles on kitchen knives, but it works well with larger chopping knifes and smaller hunting style knives?
Click to expand...
I, too, prefer neutral/horizontal handles on most of my kitchen knives. But on a cleaver, I find that a slightly upswept handle better facilitates its intended function. My concern with Eric's design is the very pronounced downswept handle which is very odd on a cleaver. Unless his client is very short whose cutting board sits at the height of his/her upper torso, that downswept handle is going to feel awkward. But ultimately, all of these will be a non-issue as long as Eric's client is happy with the end product.

Knives with downswept handles are typically hunting/tactical knives. Kitchen knives with downswept handles are exceedingly rare.

In general, when one isn't sure of which handle angle to opt for, it's best to go with a neutral angle.

All that remains for Eric to do now is to finish the tempering/quenching process, and then select the handle material and grind the blade. Some surface treatment wouldn't hurt, either.
 
Last edited:
Cleaver is being heat treated right now! I'll post more pictures as I go along! The recipient of the knife has approved the handle!
 
While we're on the subject of a vegetable cleaver, below are some photos of my nakiri.

The ferrule is made of cream-colored Japanese water buffalo horn.
The octagonal wa-handle is made from a block of stabilized curly Maplewood. Because wa-handles are typically three-quarters of a tang, the center of mass is slightly blade-forward. To counteract this, the blade uses a distal taper. The result is a perfectly balanced blade with enough weight for cleaving vegetables, yet light and nimble enough for precision cuts.

At a glance, it looks like the grind is flat. Upon careful observation, however, there is ever so slight convex curvature to the primary bevel. This accomplishes two things: 1) Gives slightly more material Behind-the-Edge for added strength (a plus for cleavers), 2) reduces friction as noted by the absence of shinogi (another added bonus for cleavers).
fkF7nhP.jpg

mhzpYkl.jpg

tv0XQ4N.jpg

t1Ms0CP.jpg

IaziDxk.jpg

This last pic is a stock photo from the Japanese Chefs Knife website because my crappy iPhone just isn't capable of shooting a reasonably sharp photo of the bevel's edge-view.
 
Last edited:
In for the pics. I like where this is heading.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top