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By: Ikedi Ani-okoye.

Chinese Cleaver

On the high end of Chinese cleaver and knife sets, some may include several highly used knives like the chef's knife, paring knife, bread knife, utility knife (for cutting vegetables, fruits and other daily stuff) and possibly a slicing knife or pair of shears. In shears itself, there are many varieties. Out of them, two are most common.

One that is a meat cleaver and other one is a Chinese cleaver. The meat cleaver is used to basically split any kind of bones. The Chinese cleaver is a vegetable cleaver. It is much finer than the meat cleaver. It is not used to split bones, but it's basically one of the oriental chef knives.

Cleaver explained

Cleaver. The cleaver is a striking knife that is used in a fashion similar to using a club. It is used in meat preparation to sever bones and joints. These knives will either have a straight or slightly curved edge. It is similar in looks to a Chinese Chef's knife, which is lighter than a cleaver because it is used to chop vegetables instead of meats.

Cleaver designs

The design of a cleaver can vary slightly: some have a blade which is slightly curved or tapered, for example. As a general rule, however, the square blade has a razor sharp edge that is kept sharp through regular sharpening and proper use. Some cleavers are molded as a single piece, with a metal handle that blends with the blade, while others have a wooden handle mounted onto the blade. In both instances, the handle is shaped and textured to provide maximum gripping ability.

CONCLUSION

For an all-purpose cutting utensil, nothing beats a Chinese cleaver. Every part of the knife is put to use. The sharp edge of the blade is used for cutting, while the blunter top edge is used to pound and tenderize meat. Turned on its side, the cleaver is an excellent tool for smashing garlic and ginger. You can even use it to transfer food from cutting board to wok. An added bonus is that the flat end of the handle nicely substitutes for a pestle.