Mini/folding cleavers. Why?

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sailfish said:
I don't understand why people aren't understanding their practicality. Perfect for draw cuts, equal cutting power all the way to the tip instead of a belly that slips, strong and stout with little reason to worry about breaking or chipping your point. Think outside the box. A great blade shape for construction workers, tradesmen, etc.
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I agree. Anything with a straight edge and some tip is very useful. Now, the Stovepipe is an exceptionally ugly and expensive implementation. I’d rather have a classic Wharnie, Sheepsfoot or “Seax”. My most recent love being the Demko Sharksfoot.

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I don't own any cleavers, but they do look cool, and does anyone need a reason to buy a knife other than that? I have WAY more knives than I need, many bought simply because they look cool. A mini cleaver isn't for me, but for those who like them, more power to you!
 
I have a Sheepdog XL and have found it to be a decent camping knife. Last summer I used it to hack through an overgrown trail to get down to a river to fish. A machete would have been easier, but the big cleaver did ok. It is also good for some food prep chores. AND, as stated above, it makes a really loud CLUNK when opened.
 
sailfish said:
I don't understand why people aren't understanding their practicality. Perfect for draw cuts, equal cutting power all the way to the tip instead of a belly that slips, strong and stout with little reason to worry about breaking or chipping your point. Think outside the box. A great blade shape for construction workers, tradesmen, etc.
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Perhaps but do you really think that a $420 folding Ti cleaver will actually replace a <$10 utility knife in a workman's tool box or belt?

Personally, I think not.
 
First, who cares? If you don’t see the use, then the product isn’t for you. Second, if the knife world was strictly about practicality and completely shunned aesthetics, then we’d all be carrying Opinels with plain wooden handles. After all, what’s the practical use of a Mammoth bark inlay?
 
Really baffled by the apparently serious question in the OP. You fellas know that similar blade profiles can be used in wildly different kinds and sizes of cutting implement, right? A parang and a nessmuk have passing similarity in blade profile but nobody would ever need to ask why anyone needs a 4" belt knife as an alternative to an 18" trail chopper.

A pocket knife with a cleaver-style blade is not designed for chopping or skinning, it's designed for slicing and utility cuts.
 
I have wondered about their popularity. I haven't heard any actual purpose so I assume it's purely for aesthetic reasons.
 
Stelth said:
I have wondered about their popularity. I haven't heard any actual purpose so I assume it's purely for aesthetic reasons.
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The broad/tall blade allows for a very high grind, unless you choose to do all of your hollow grinds like Spyderco does (not above the median under any circumstances) which makes for excellent geometry when performing cuts that don't require a nimble tip with reach. The point of a cleaver, like a sheepsfoot, allows for very precise and shallow incisions with greatly reduced risk of poking too deep and they also give plenty of material to hold onto.

They're 'useless' if you absolutely require your knives to be decent at stabbing other people. For people who aren't in an action movie, they largely perform the same role as any other pocket knife and at some tasks they provide significant ergonomic benefits. If I thought I would be set upon by goblins at any moment, I would choose something else.
 
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For just under $100, I like my Civivi cleaver. Very attractive, with Carbon Fiber over G-10 scales. The hollow grind damascus is super easy to sharpen, and the wide blade makes it very good at straight-line cutting tasks. The wide handle gives me a good grip for hacking branches, 'cuz I'm so bushcrafty (jk).
The cutting edge is 3-5/8", and 9" open length. It's kind of large to carry every day, but as everybody here knows, some days ya just want to go BIG!
 
sgt1372 said:
Perhaps but do you really think that a $420 folding Ti cleaver will actually replace a <$10 utility knife in a workman's tool box or belt?

Personally, I think not.
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I have several Chris Reeve Sebenzas that have done just that. But this thread seems to question mini cleavers in general and not the Stovepipe specifically.
 
Okay, because I try to do more than just snark.

I think this is manufacturers looking for something new to catch people's eye. The production folder market is an embarrassment of riches, and while it's good for us, it's got to be giving some marketing departments a low level of constant anxiety.

Right, sorry if somebody's said that, already. I didn't have the patience to read the rest of the thread, and I'll take my soapbox with me....
 
Shorttime said:
Okay, because I try to do more than just snark.

I think this is manufacturers looking for something new to catch people's eye. The production folder market is an embarrassment of riches, and while it's good for us, it's got to be giving some marketing departments a low level of constant anxiety.

Right, sorry if somebody's said that, already. I didn't have the patience to read the rest of the thread, and I'll take my soapbox with me....
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You might be right about the low-level anxiety. That could be true of anyone in marketing or R&D at watch companies, car companies, tobacco companies , and more. I'd prefer to picture an inspired group with its ears to the ground in places like this one, interacting with fans on Instagram, patronizing great designers, and giving enthusiasts the things they want. That might be overly optimistic but you never know. I'm sure there are guys like Gil Gunderson still crankin' away the old fashioned way at companies like CRKT and Gerber.
 
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