Why Is There a Hole in a Meat Cleaver?
Meat Cleaver 9" with Stand | Obliterator | Gladiator Series R
Why is there a hole in a meat cleaver?
- Safe Hanging and Easy Access.
- Pulling Free When Stuck.
- Reduce Friction.
- Aesthetic Purposes.
Chop. Chop. Chop.
A dinner date. You opted to cook for her instead of eating out.
So you’ve just defrosted your full chicken and it’s time to cut it. Your best ally?
The meat cleaver.
Within no time, your chicken is cut and ready to cook.
Oh! The glorious satisfaction that comes from splitting bones and large pieces of meat into smaller chunks. Fast. Easy. Fun.
Since their invention in the Acheulean period, meat cleavers have prevailed as a requisite and versatile instrument for cutting through animal bone.
As a useful chopper knife-edge tool, the cleaver has found love in a butcher’s heart. This heavy-duty tool has a handle for grip, attached to a huge rectangular stainless steel blade with a hole at the top far end.
Whether slicing or dicing, delivery of the task at hand will depend on your choice of tool to use. What’s on top of your chopping board determines the kind of knife you need in hand.
But then, every time you have picked the cleaver to use it, you’ve asked yourself why it has a hole. Or your kids have asked you and you got tongue-tied.
So we’ve come to your rescue — we’re dishing the answers.
1. Why Is There a Hole in a Meat Cleaver?
Gladiator Series R Meat Cleaver 9" with Stand
We, as humans are prone to speculations, and a meat cleaver hasn’t escaped the claws of knife theories. After all, the hole in a butcher’s cleaver is distinct. Since no maker of knives would drill a hole for fun, buyers have had a stab at the speculation game.
As a result, every enthusiast of this tool has at some point conjured up a reason for the tiny hole chipped on the blade. Some remain confident with their guesses, although most are not quite sure. You likely have an idea too.
The most common speculations are:
- Hanging after use.
- Reduce the weight of the blade.
- Prevent the meat from sticking.
- Sophisticated design.
- Part of the original maker’s signature left on their craftsmanship.
- Run a wooden or metallic dowel through.
You can add your own guess to the above list.
Now let’s get to the intended purpose of the hole and see whether you’re right.
2. Reasons for the hole in a meat cleaver
Shadow Black Series Cleaver Knife 9"
Safe Hanging and Easy Access
Leaving a meat cleaver lying around after use could be dangerous. You don’t want a huge knife falling off your kitchen worktop and landing on your feet.
Also, what can you do with a big blade that doesn’t fit on knife magnets or drawers?
It takes up a considerable amount of space. Thus, you need to keep it at a convenient spot after use. And that’s where the hole comes in. It allows for the safe hanging of your blade on a wall.
The positioning of the hole also ensures easy retrieving when hung from elevated heights. You don’t have to strain — standing on your toes. The same applies to when you are hanging it after use.
Some butchers also use the hole to hang their butchers’ cleavers on their belts when at work.
Pulling Free When Stuck
Ever used a knife to cut through tough meat or bone but then the blade stuck inside? It happens a lot of times when hacking through bone. Knives sometimes get stuck inside a chunk of frozen meat too.
You don’t want a wrestling session with a stuck blade. You need a neat and clean hack without tiny shards of bone littering the meat.
The hole on the heavy-duty blade makes cutting through bone easy. The hole enables you to hold the upper part with your fingers. As you reinforce your grip on the handle, you are able to pull the blade free.
This saves you tons of energy, time, and frustration.
Reduce Friction
When cutting through bone, friction may trigger unwanted shards which can cause choking.
Fortunately, the ‘aeration’ in meat cleavers reduces friction. This prevents bone shards while making the use of this high carbon tool easy and enjoyable.
Aesthetic Purposes
When it comes to aesthetics, what you see leaves an imprint on your psyche, either delightful or displeasing. It’s the reason product design is important, as it informs human preferences.
A cleaver is a large heavy-duty knife varying in shape, mostly designed with a rectangular stainless steel blade.
Dalstrong Knives has stayed ahead of the curve by redesigning their products. These products are attractive to the eye. The Dalstrong cleaver has a beautiful hand polished satin finish blade.
Add to it a tapered design for hardness and flexibility.
This same logic applies to the hole in meat cleavers as it gives the knife a suave and stylish look. This ensures that you’ll enjoy using it while showcasing your edgy personality.
3. Uses of a Cleaver
Gladiator Series R Meat Cleaver 9" with Stand
Now that you know the purpose of the tiny hole, let’s look at why you need this stainless steel cleaver.
Cleavers are best for hacking through bone. Yet as much as this may be the primary reason, there are other uses for it such as;
Sectioning Chicken
The cleaver features a sharp, long blade that’s perfect for trimming the skin and fat. It’s also great for slicing the fleshy parts into smaller chunks. The thick and heavy-duty spine allows for cutting through poultry bones. But remember, all knives need proper maintenance to stay consistently sharp.
The knife also makes it easier to cut the difficult parts. You can separate the ribs, chop through the bones, and crack the bones. You can also use the flat side of the blade to tenderize cutlets and flatten the chicken thighs.
Slicing Vegetables and Cutting Fruits
You might think because you’re a vegetarian that you can’t benefit from this outstanding knife. The cleaver is not only used to cut and chop meat but also vegetables. You can use it to slice hard vegetables such as butternuts and squash. Some chefs use them to crack coconuts too. They can also be used to crush garlic, ginger, or lemongrass.
Apart from vegetables, the cleaver can be used to slice fruits such as watermelons and pineapples.
Other benefits include;
- It puts power and control in your hands to separate ribs and chop pieces with ease.
- It provides a long-lasting and affordable cutting solution. You only need to buy one and you’ll rarely need to replace it.
- Increased earnings. Well-cut and dressed chops are more expensive compared to uncut meat. Thus, the butcher cleaver allows a butcher to charge a pretty penny for perfectly cut slices.
- The fact that it’s serviceable without any need for special skills.
- You can use the round handle as a pestle for grinding spices.
- You can use the flat edge to crush and flatten ingredients during food preparation.
4. Cleaver Recommendations
What do you think of when you hear the word ‘cleaver’? Is it the Shun Classic Meat Cleaver? Or maybe the Wusthof Classic? While those have attained notoriety over the years, we at Dalstrong believe that it’s time to innovate. That’s why we came up with this nifty little guide to present you some of the most forward-thinking cleaver knives Dalstrong has to offer.
Let’s take a peek:
1. Gladiator Series 'Obliterator' 9" Meat Cleaver
The Gladiator Series R 'Obliterator' cleaver serves a single ferocious purpose - to obliterate any culinary obstacle in it’s path with one brutal chop. Forged from premium high-carbon 7cr17mov Steel and heat treated to 60HRC, this 9" German steel cleaver weighs in at 2.9lbs and 6mm thick. With a menacing shape inspired by medieval weaponry, this heavy-weight titan is sure to power through anything placed before it with brutal efficiency.
PROS:
- Precision forged, ultra sharp, wear resistant, and single-piece, this high carbon steel cleaver is as powerful as it looks.
- Painstakingly hand sharpened to 16-18° per side, hitting that just-right balance between sharpness and durability.
- Ergonomic military-grade G10 handle.
CONS:
- The Obliterator may be intimidating to some home chefs.
- As one of the higher priced cleavers, it may be outside the budget of some chefs.
2. Shadow Black Series 9" Cleaver Knife
We start off this list with an absolute stunner. With its pitch-black titanium coating and an ergonomic handle inspired by the F-117 Nighthawk Stealth Fighter, this fine piece of knifemaking will effortlessly cut through thick meat and soft bones, leaving virtually no debris on your cutting board. In addition, it also features a ruthless, high carbon 7CR17MOV-X vacuum-treated steel blade for optimal performance and maximum durability.
Pros:
- Innovative design.
- Excellent edge retention.
- Ideal for tackling large cuts of meat.
Cons:
- More conservative chefs might prefer the look of a traditional knife.
- Its price point might be a bit high for casual home cooks.
- At 9”, it can feel a little overwhelming for people with small hands.
Phantom Series 8" 'The Crixus' Chef - Cleaver Hybrid Knife
A hybrid between a chef’s knife and a cleaver, ‘The Crixus’ really has the best of both worlds. Featuring a curved profile that will allow you to delicately make your way through skin, beef bone, and tissue, its hefty blade can also act as a cleaver, aiding you in your sectioning and portioning activities.
But this heavy duty cleaver is not limited to home butchers and BBQ aficionados - its precision-forged Japanese steel blade also excels at cutting, dicing, and slicing fruits and veggies, giving the ubiquitous Chinese vegetable cleaver a run for its money in the culinary process.
Pros:
- Precision-forged blade with premium Japanese AUS-8 at 58 HRC.
- Added chromium for stain resistance.
- This Japanese steel cleaver cleans easily.
Cons:
- More conservative chefs will prefer separate knives for each task.
- Might be a bit of overkill if you don’t do your own butchering at home.
- If you don’t work with large proteins, this might not be the knife for you.
Featuring a distinct, eye catching blade with ample height, for excellent knuckle clearance, scraping, and cutting, the Omega Series 7” Cleaver is a leader in the kitchen when it comes to comfort and performance. Perfect for breaking down smaller cuts of boneless meats and poultry as well as slicing, dicing, mincing, and chopping tough all types of fruits and vegetables. Ideal for chefs, butchers, home cooks, looking to make easy work of ample amounts of boneless meats, fruits, and vegetables.
The “LiquidMetal” pattern on the blade reduces drag and increases efficiency, allowing you to glide through prep. Featuring ultra-premium American forged BD1N-VX hyper steel, the addition of Nitrogen increases hardness, flexibility, and toughness, while the blade's composition and added vacuum heat-treatment to 63HRC provide astonishing performance, with a screamingly sharp edge.
Pros:
- Painstakingly finished to 8-12° per side by expert blade smiths using the traditional 3-step Honbazuke method.
- The G10 woven fibreglass handle is near impervious to heat, cold and moisture and is presented in a midnight black with subtle dark red colorings.
- Centered in the full-tang handle is an ornate and over-sized copper and brass mosaic, creating a distinct and striking appearance.
Cons:
- Not ideal for cutting small pieces of meat.
- BBQ pitmasters might prefer a larger knife.
Gladiator Series 9" Ravager Meat Cleaver
The Dalstrong Gladiator Series 9” heavy duty ‘Ravager’ cleaver is a powerhouse tool of ruthless chopping efficiency. Designed for breaking down large cuts of meats and poultry, from pork bones to salmon head to endless pounds of chicken. The screamingly sharp edge also makes it highly proficient at dicing, mincing and chopping tough vegetables and fruits.
Pros:
- Precision forged, ultra sharp, wear resistant, single-piece, high carbon German ThyssenKrupp Steel at 56+ Rockwell
- The edge is painstakingly hand sharpened to 16-18° per side, maintaining the perfect balance between blade sharpness and maximum resilience
- Premium quality laminated G10 Garolite handle for superior strength, refinement, and beauty.
Cons:
- Some chefs will prefer a longer blade to work with larger proteins.
- If you’re looking for a heavy cleaver, this might not be the one for you.
Series 'Raptor' 9" Meat Cleaver
The Dalstrong Shogun Series 9” Heavy Duty Cleaver – ‘The Raptor’ is a menacing powerhouse tool of ruthless chopping efficiency. Designed to break down large cuts of meat and poultry, from pork ribs, to salmon heads, and versatile enough to glide through thick and tough skinned fruits and vegetables, the curved profile, and pointed tip is built to achieve clean, perfect slices through flesh, skin, and sinew.
Pros:
- Scalpel like sharpness at a staggering 8-12°degree angle per side. Sail through culinary challenges.
- Incredible Edge Retention at 62+ Rockwell. Cut longer, go further.
- Military grade G10 handle for life-long durability.
Cons:
- The price point might be a little high for casual home chefs.
- People with smaller hands will prefer a smaller cleaver.
- Believe it or not, its awesome looks might be a bit of a turnoff for some folks.
Shadow Black Series 4.5" Mini Cleaver Knife
A miniature version of the first item on our list, the Shadow Black Series Mini Cleaver Knife is a pint-sized killer, the perfect sidekick for all your cutting and chopping activities. Don’t be fooled by its size, though - at 4.5”, its high-carbon German steel blade is designed for brutal efficiency. Add a pitch-black Titanium Nitride coating and you’ve got a badass-looking knife that is sure to impress anyone who enters your kitchen.
Pros:
- Avant-garde design.
- Portable and lightweight.
- Unique handle geometry.
Cons:
- Not ideal for working with large cuts of meat.
- Chefs with bigger hands might opt for a larger cleaver knife.
- Some chefs might prefer a more traditional-looking knife.
8. Phantom Series 9" 'The Banshee' Cleaver Knife
The Phantom Series 9” "Banshee" Cleaver is an extra-large powerhouse tool designed to effortlessly portion, chop, and cube a wide range of proteins, as well as large, tough-skinned fruits and vegetables. Perfectly balanced with just the right weight, while offering surprising agility, this cleaver effortlessly breaks down large and small quantities of chicken, finely minced beef or pork and even peels paper-thin sheets of your favorite vegetables. The wide, flat blade width makes it ideal for transferring chopped ingredients from cutting board to pan.
Pros:
- Ruthlessly sharp scalpel like edge is hand finished to a mirror polish within a staggering 13-15°.
- Precisely tapered blade minimizes surface resistance for buttery smooth cut through.
- Stainless steel hand-polished end cap adds counter balance and distinction.
Cons:
- At 9”, it might be a little bigger for some chefs.
5. Frequently Asked Questions
Do I Need a Meat Cleaver?
The answer is a resounding yes. While you might be able to get away with butchering using a chef’s knife, that irresponsible task could eventually reduce your knife’s lifespan and utility, resulting in a blunt edge. Owning a high-quality meat cleaver will allow you to enhance your cooking process while making the whole experience much more pleasant and efficient.
What Is the Difference Between a Butcher Knife and Cleaver?
Although quite similar (some people even consider the cleaver as a type of butcher knife), the difference lies in the size and purpose. Cleavers usually possess taller blades and are intended to perform heavy duty tasks like cutting through bone and cartilage. On the other hand, butcher knives are similar in size to a chef’s knife and are better for trimming, slicing, and even skinning pieces of raw meat. Both are essential parts of a butcher’s arsenal.
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You can also check in with our Expert Knife Finder Quiz and get specific recommendations based on your needs.
Written by Pablo Perez
When he's not adding way too much butter to his recipes, Pablo likes to write about knives, music, food, cinema, and all of the other things that make life worth living.
