Kitchen Cleavers 

Cleavers get a bad rap for being the primary prop in horror movies, but it’s a common misconception that they’re only used for butchering. Kitchen cleavers have a wide range of applications, from jointing a chicken leg to cubing a squash. For example, its large, broad-sided blade makes it ideal for crushing garlic cloves more efficiently than other kitchen cutlery. Parts Town offers a diverse selection of knives, including Japanese cleavers (chuckabocho), Chinese cleavers (caidao) and your standard cleavers in a variety of shapes, sizes, handles, metals and more. 

What Is a Cleaver Used For 

Cleavers are an all-purpose kitchen utensil that should be in every professional chef’s knife block. They’re more specialized than the chef’s knife, as they can slice, pound, chop, mince and dice tougher meats and vegetables. The broader, rectangular blade drives more force to cleave through bone, sinew and other tougher cuts. 

However, there are few variations of the standard cleaver found in different parts of the world that are better suited to various kitchen tasks. The Chinese cleaver is a smaller, thinner, stronger and more squared-off take on the Western version and is used with the same dexterity as a chef’s knife. The Japanese meat cleaver is generally used for lighter tasks, such as cutting off the heads of fish or chopping vegetables.