Hand Forged Butcher Cleaver 7.5", Heavy Meat Cleaver Knife, High Carbon Steel, Full Tang, Rosewood Handle

This hand forged butcher cleaver carries a 7.5" high carbon steel blade and is built for one thing above all: heavy breakdown work. If you buy primals, split whole chickens by the case, or cut your own chops, this is the meat cleaver knife to reach for.

At the Block

The length gives you reach through a pork loin or a beef chuck in one pass. The forge scale on the flats cuts drag, so dense protein falls off instead of riding up the blade. The deep, sweeping belly means you can rock it through garlic or herbs once the heavy work is done, so it earns a spot on the counter as well as the block.

If you want something smaller for trimming, the Hellfang 5" hand forged butcher knife is the close in partner to this cleaver. For the full range, go to our butcher knife collection, or compare sizes in cleavers.

A Gift That Gets Used

This is a knife for the home butcher, the hunter with a chest freezer, or the uncle who insists on carving everything himself. It makes a solid retirement gift for someone taking up smoking meat, and a Christmas present that gets used every weekend instead of sitting in a drawer. Pair it with the Hellfang for a two knife butcher kit, or ask us about a custom knife.

Every Xcutlery blade is high carbon steel, hand forged one at a time in the Serbian style: thick stock, a lot of hammer work, and the forge finish left on the flats.

We forge this one in the Serbian style with a plain, no nonsense shape. A thick bar is hammered out long and tall, the upper flats are left raw and textured straight from the hammer, and the edge is ground and polished below them. There is no fancy profile and no hole, just a lot of steel in the right place. A rosewood handle is fixed to the full tang with steel pins, and it only gets better looking with years of use.

Why high carbon steel

It takes a very fine edge and comes back quickly on a whetstone. The price of that edge is a little care. This steel is not a rust resistant alloy, so water left on the blade will mark it. Wash it, dry it, wipe on a light coat of oil, and it will be cutting long after the cutting board has given up.

Patina

With use the steel darkens to a grey or blue patina. That is normal for high carbon steel and it helps protect the blade. Red rust is a different thing, and it comes from a knife left wet.

• 7.5" hand forged high carbon steel blade
• Raw forge scale with a polished edge
• Deep belly that rocks as well as chops
• Full tang with steel pins
• Rosewood handle
• Built for butchering, heavy chopping and BBQ prep

Specifications

• Blade: 7.5" hand forged high carbon steel
• Finish: Raw forge scale, polished edge
• Construction: Full tang with steel pins
• Handle: Rosewood
• Use: Butchering, heavy chopping, BBQ prep

• Hand forged 7.5" butcher cleaver
• Lifetime warranty against defects in materials and craftsmanship

Each blade is forged by hand, so the forge texture, hammer marks and wood grain on yours will be its own.

Hand wash, then dry it straight away. Rub a light coat of food safe oil on the blade before storing. No dishwasher, and do not leave it soaking in the sink.

Every time you use it

• Hand wash it right after use and dry it straight away
• Wipe on a light coat of food safe oil before it goes away
• Cut on wood or plastic boards
• Touch up the edge on a whetstone when it starts to drag

Keep it away from

• The dishwasher, and a sink full of water overnight
• Glass, stone or metal cutting surfaces
• Prying, twisting or throwing

The full routine is in our high carbon steel knife care guide, and the edge work is in how to sharpen a meat cleaver.

Every Xcutlery knife is covered for life against defects in materials and craftsmanship. If a handle works loose from the tang, a pin comes free, or there is a flaw in the steel or the build that came from us, we repair or replace it free of charge.

It does not cover normal wear such as a dull edge, damage from misuse, or rust from the dishwasher or soaking. Slight differences in forge texture, hammer marks and wood grain are part of a handmade knife, not defects.

To make a claim, email sales@xcutlery.com (Australia: sales@xcutlery.com.au) with your order number and photos. Separately, you have 30 days from delivery to return an unused knife. Engraved and custom knives cannot be returned for a change of mind. Full terms are on the warranty page.

Is a butcher cleaver the same as a butcher knife?
Not quite. A butcher knife is usually a longer, curved blade for trimming and portioning. A butcher cleaver is taller and heavier and is built to chop through joints. Plenty of home butchers keep one of each.

Can it go through bone?
It handles joints, ribs, poultry and pork bones. Heavy beef leg bones and frozen blocks call for a saw.

Why is the top of the blade rough?
That is forge scale left from the hammer. It keeps meat from sticking to the flats and gives the blade its raw look.

How do I keep it from rusting?
Dry it right after washing and keep a thin coat of food safe oil on it. Water left sitting on high carbon steel is what causes rust.

If you only buy one cleaver for joints, ribs and poultry bones, our guide to the best meat cleaver for home butchering names this one as the safest single pick.