FREE SHIPPING IN NORTH AMERICA ON ORDERS OVER $200 (Some exclusions apply)
FREE SHIPPING IN NORTH AMERICA ON ORDERS OVER $200 (Some exclusions apply)
March 21, 2023 5 min read
Chinese cleavers have a well-deserved reputation for versatility in the kitchen, but they actually come in a variety of sizes and thicknesses that are each tailored to a different range of tasks. Some are amazing slicers but not for chopping bones, while others can chop through bones with ease but will wedge when cutting dense vegetables. The Japanese version of a Chinese cleaver is called a chuka bocho, and such knives add even more options to choose from in terms of harder steels that can stay sharp longer but are not as tough and durable. In this blog, I’m going to break down the factors that determine what a Chinese cleaver can be used for and help you pick the right one!
People will be happiest and most satisfied with a cleaver that is fit for purpose, so first ask yourself this: what do you want out of your knife? If you want to be able to cut bones, what is the biggest one you’ll ever need to chop? Do you prefer a lighter knife or a heavier one? How much does design, fit, and finish matter to you? Will you be ok with wiping off a rust-prone carbon steel knife as you use it, washing it as soon as you’re done, and letting a stained patina develop; or would you prefer the easy maintenance of stainless steel?
For your convenience, I’m going to rank the cleavers sold by Knifewear according to the following criteria:
Rankings will be made on a five-point scale, with a higher number meaning better performance in that category. Please bear in mind that these numbers are relative to the other knives that we carry. A “low” ranking for edge retention at Knifewear will still stay sharp for a surprising amount of time! I’ll also include point-form text descriptions of more qualitative factors. For those who prefer to watch and listen, check out myChinese Cleaver Super Comparison video on our YouTube channel.
Hailing from Hong Kong, CCK is one of the top Chinese producers of cleaver knives. If you’d like to know more about them, head on over to theirbrand profile blog post!
As with most Japanese blades, chuka bocho are made from very hard steels that allow them to be sharper and to stay sharp longer than many other knives. The trade-off is that they are typically more brittle. Some chuka bocho can be used for cutting small bones, but these are either made from a slightly less hard steel than other Japanese knives or are somewhat thicker than an equivalent Chinese cleaver—sometimes both!
Back in the day Colin cooked at a couple restaurants in Edmonton, and he used to make knives too. He later moved to Toronto and was seduced by a career in music, though he continued sharpening knives for friends and family. By night, he DJ'd and produced beats as Ronin E-Ville, and by day he taught music at several universities, all while training to become a kung fu master. Colin eventually moved to Ireland, working as a music researcher for a couple years and learning to make shillelaghs. Since returning to Canada, Colin is stoked to be getting back to his roots with knives, happily nerding-out on steels, blacksmiths, and sharpening. If you want to know about Chinese-style cleavers (chuka bocho), Colin’s your guy!