Cleaver, first time and help needed.

[scherf68]

I traded a friend a cleaver for custom sign made in steel. He knows I never made one but would try. Anyways, I bought 5160 steel from known supplier in 1/4 inch, this stuff is heavy, maybe should have gone with 3/16. Work in progress, shaped it, made a bevel from studying online videos. I can heat treat in my mini forge but not this one, sending out. He wants that hammered, antique look so I told him this would be made from stock removal, don't think he understands the terminology. He does know I do not forge steel on an anvil though. Are cleavers very heavy? I roughed the face up to get his look by drilling holes and using an angle grinder, research states not to cold peen with a hammer. Here is where I am below. Say it again, first time and he knows it, but learning new stuff is fun.

 

[Drew Riley]

That's certainly an... interesting finish.

To answer your question, meat cleavers are generally relatively heavy. Chinese/Vegetable cleavers, not so much. Somewhere around 1/8" to 3/16" would likely have been plenty, though it depends a little on what he's planning to do with it. I probably wouldn't use 1/4" for anything less than a hog splitter.
It sounds like maybe he was wanting more of a "brut de forge" finish, but if you don't have a large enough forge, I'd probably go for something like a "rock" texture, which you can grind into the blade with a small wheel or something like a dremel. Follow it up with a coffee etch or some ferric chloride.

You can hammer on the blank in the soft/annealed state as long as you don't go absolutely nuts on it, but given the choice of cold hammering or grinding in some texture, I'd grind it in.

There's plenty of vids on youtube for doing a rock pattern texture if you want to go that route.

 

[TheEdge01]

You can make hammer marks like your friend asked for by lightly tapping the cleaver with the ball end of a ball peen hammer. More than likely, your steel was in the annealed condition when you bought it, so it wouldn’t hurt a thing as long as you don’t go overboard.

 

[weo]

I'll add that that if you do decide to do some cold hammering, plan on doing some thermal cycling/stress relieving as part of the HT.

 

[Richard338]

It looks too thick approaching the edge. It's OK to have a 0.25" spine, but I would full flat grind to about 0.05" at the edge before HT, then convex it to zero after. That will reduce some of the weight.

 

[HSC ///]

I recently did my first cleaver based on rough customer specs and made adjustments as I went through the project. It’s AEBL at 57 rc. The tang is tapered 50%
I believe the spine 5 mm.

i used this guide and it was helpful for me and the customer.

https://www.cooksillustrated.com/articles/561-testing-meat-cleavers

 

[scherf68]

Thanks for the helpful ideas, think I will start over with 3/16 steel.

 

[FredyCro]

What does he want to use the cleaver for? If you search through the forum, Stacey made recommendations on thickness depending on what the cleaver should do..

 

[FredyCro]

I would say the grind height and TBE depends on it as well.

 

[scherf68]

What does he want to use the cleaver for? If you search through the forum, Stacey made recommendations on thickness depending on what the cleaver should do..

I think it is just for kitchen, most likely just a conversation piece. I will keep this one and play with it, lol.

 

[FredyCro]

I think it is just for kitchen, most likely just a conversation piece. I will keep this one and play with it, lol.

This one is thick enough for cow bones.

H HSC /// do you know what the final weight was on that? How tall and long is the blade?

 

[HSC ///]

This one is thick enough for cow bones.

H HSC /// do you know what the final weight was on that? How tall and long is the blade?

I did weigh it but didn’t write it down and can’t recall now

about 7.5” x 3.7” tall.

 

[scherf68]

I will play with this one later today, change shape and bring bevel up another inch to thin the stock some. Will repost new photo after.

 

[scherf68]

Took bevel up 2 inches but taking a while, since I have so much steel will attempt the rock pattern as suggested above. I knew you guys would point me in right direction, thanks.

 

[scherf68]

I tapered the bevel close to handle area, initially didn't so it has lightened up. Also did the rock pattern but will need to practice more.

 

[scherf68]

I completed my first cleaver, or whatever I created. Came out ok first attempt and it cuts so that is a plus just need to get better at rock pattern. Thanks for the help.