On my Christmas wish list this year - always wanted one but it seems there are a lot of knockoff/junk ones out there. Just wanted to see if anybody has one and what kind they recommend.
My brother gave me this one a few years ago, I like it. https://www.wincous.com/product/chinese-cleaver-steel-hdl-8-14-x-3-1516-blade/
I like the smaller versions called the Nakiri. As far as brand, I dont really care cause i abuse the **** out of that utility knife, so I just ordered a semi-cheap one and keep it sharp. Maybe one day Ill get like a Wusthof or such.
i've seen them in Chinese grocery stores (99 Ranch Market), Korean grocery stores (H Mart) and Japanese grocery stores (Misuwa)
Plenty of similar one (and different variants of them) available at your local Asian supermarket in Houston. They aren’t at all expensive, and if you know how to sharpen knives, you can get a very sharp knife with these. I have three of them, and they last forever.
General usage, don't need one insanely heavy, but would like one still strong enough to breakdown a turkey with ease.
Cutting through joints with a Chinese 'vegetable' cleaver will be no problem. Though I wouldn't use it to chop through leg bones. I recommend trying out Shi Ba Zi Zuo brand cleavers. They make very solid knives for less than $50. I would definitely recommend not getting something very expensive to start with. Chinese cleavers will feel very different from western knives in terms of weight and balance. You won't know what blade length and weight you'll like until you've tried one. The F208-2 is kind of a middle of the road in terms of size that would be a good starter. https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256801709781203.html Lately I've been using this Mercer M21024 cleaver. It has a rounded profile like a western knife, but has the tall blades like a cleaver. It's wonderful for chopping then scooping. You can even rock chop in a pinch with it, which you can't do with a traditional cleaver. The pointed tip also makes it a bit easier to maneuver in small spaces. It felt a bit short at first compared to a 8" chef's knife, but I got used to it quickly. It's now the first knife I reach for for general usage. The knife feels extremely lightweight, which I like. The only criticism I have is the sharp angle when the spine curves down. I wish it was rounded. The sharp corner makes it uncomfortable to rock chop with my palm (probably bad technique on my part!). I had to adjust to using my finger tips with less force than I am used to.
I ended up going with this Shi Ba Zi Zuo, and I am very excited to start using it. Seemed versatile and a good choice for beginners.
I personally use a Winco cleaver knife myself, and I am quite happy with it. I use to cut through chicken bones or chopping hard veggies like Kabucha.
I used to use whetstones to sharpen my knifes, but I now use sharpeners like these because it is so much quicker and easier to use: Just make sure to get one that is compatible with your set of knives (Japanese vs German blades).
