The cleaver discussion thread.....

[jimmo]

Love that handle. What type of wood is that?

Thanks for asking, I believe it is stabilized burl maple.
ralcan71 - That's indeed a monster !!!

 

[rlacan71]

Wow! What a monster!

Holy mackerel! When it's not busy in the kitchen can I use it for felling old growth Douglas Fir?

Thanks for asking, I believe it is stabilized burl maple.
ralcan71 - That's indeed a monster !!!

Yeah this thing is a beast.

Unfortunately it is my wifes ........ otherwise Id personally come over and we could test er out on them pesky Fir.

 

[tikkidaddy]

oops double post!

 

[tikkidaddy]

I love cleavers!! Here is my prettiest...

Dude...Thats HOT!!

Cleaver aint bad either...where'd ya score it?

Heck--Id carry that as a belt knife--looks small enuf to be a skinner too...maybe just perspective.

 

[rlacan71]

Dude...Thats HOT!!

Cleaver aint bad either...where'd ya score it?

Heck--Id carry that as a belt knife--looks small enuf to be a skinner too...maybe just perspective.

Yeah I could use a lil of that bottle myself.

As for the cleaver it would be damn near perfect if that little heart wasnt there and something could be done with / to that finger guard....like cut it off.

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

I'll be trying to get set up with Friedrich Dick Cutlery Corp. today. I want to carry some of their cleavers and professional butcher's knives.

 

[SleepyBadger]

Dude...Thats HOT!!

Cleaver aint bad either...where'd ya score it?

Heck--Id carry that as a belt knife--looks small enuf to be a skinner too...maybe just perspective.

Cleaver made by T.M. Hunt

 

[made2cut]

Here is my contribution - a couple of W.M. Beatty cleavers.

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

What a couple of brutes! Love it. :thumbup:

 

[mykel m]

Man...I've had this thread subscribed for quite awhile & have been drooling over some of the cleavers you guys have.
These things are pretty cool eh.

I got this one off the bay last year intending to make a chopper out of it & have done some work on it in preparation & finally took some pics yesterday while working on a knife handle.

It had some badly broken wood scales held on with steel pins..they weren't worth saving so I trashed them & will rescale it in either rubber from a tractor wheel flap or some nice oak I found on a pallet.(leaning towards the oak,it just looks better)& brass pins.I also have a hickory handle from a sledge hammer I could use.
I was thinking about the rubber because of the unevenness of the forged flats on the handle,the rubber will fill the gaps I'm thinking,but I could just fill 'em with epoxy when gluing on the wood I suppose.(and again,the wood handle would look better)
I really want to reduce the weight so am thinking about cutting it off at the line I marked on the blade & cutting the tip at an angle from the back of the hole to the tip of the edge & maybe shortening the handle to the third hole.
It is just shy of 3/8" thick at 11/32" & weighs in at 2.85 lbs without scales,with an OAL of around 17".
And it has a nice taper to the blade & tang as you can see.
It's quite the beast to be swinging for any length of time & I would like to use it while camping,but I'm not sure if I should cut it down.
So what do you cleaver lovers think,should I keep it close to original or cut it down for a user?
It's marked..

Village Blacksmith Interprise Special
Solid Steel Forged Dallas Tex
Watertown Wis
9
Thanks for looking & any thoughts or comments on my little project.

 

[Steve Tall]

...should I keep it close to original or cut it down for a user?...

I'd leave all that metal on it. The extra weight near the hole gives it a more powerful chop, and the handle as it is now could work for a two-handed grip (not so common to find them this way without paying a lot more). Just my 2 cents.

 

[Square_peg]

.....but I'm not sure if I should cut it down.
So what do you cleaver lovers think,should I keep it close to original or cut it down for a user?

I wouldn't it cut down. You need that mass out at the end for it to be a decent chopper.

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

Yeah--leave that puppy alone! I vote for the rubber scales. Nice and utilitarian. Nothing says it can't be a user without cutting it down.

 

[pullrich]

Another vote for keeping the metal there. I like the idea of oak.

 

[mykel m]

Ok.. thats 4 for not cutting it down.
Thanks for the input guys.
I love the looks of the beast,but......
did you see it weighs 2.85 lbs.?
Thats a lot of weight for one hand chopping & it's too short for 2 handing it IMO.
I've found that the ideal weight in a chopper for me is around 1-1 1/4lb.
I did some chopping with it when I first got it & it kicked my butt I hate to say,hence the wanting to trim some fat.
And FTB,that rubber is so damn ugly,I know it provides shock absorption,but it's so...damn....ug......ly.:barf:
I think I'll slap some wood on it & hang it on the wall & use my other choppers for chopping.
I'll always have it handy (on the wall) if I happen to harvest a whale or an elephant someday.

 

[VolundoftheForge]

Man...I've had this thread subscribed for quite awhile & have been drooling over some of the cleavers you guys have.
These things are pretty cool eh.

I got this one off the bay last year intending to make a chopper out of it & have done some work on it in preparation & finally took some pics yesterday while working on a knife handle.

It had some badly broken wood scales held on with steel pins..they weren't worth saving so I trashed them & will rescale it in either rubber from a tractor wheel flap or some nice oak I found on a pallet.(leaning towards the oak,it just looks better)& brass pins.I also have a hickory handle from a sledge hammer I could use.
I was thinking about the rubber because of the unevenness of the forged flats on the handle,the rubber will fill the gaps I'm thinking,but I could just fill 'em with epoxy when gluing on the wood I suppose.(and again,the wood handle would look better)
I really want to reduce the weight so am thinking about cutting it off at the line I marked on the blade & cutting the tip at an angle from the back of the hole to the tip of the edge & maybe shortening the handle to the third hole.
It is just shy of 3/8" thick at 11/32" & weighs in at 2.85 lbs without scales,with an OAL of around 17".
And it has a nice taper to the blade & tang as you can see.
It's quite the beast to be swinging for any length of time & I would like to use it while camping,but I'm not sure if I should cut it down.
So what do you cleaver lovers think,should I keep it close to original or cut it down for a user?
It's marked..

Village Blacksmith Interprise Special
Solid Steel Forged Dallas Tex
Watertown Wis
9
Thanks for looking & any thoughts or comments on my little project.

Personally, I say having a tapered tang, the length, and the fact it's about the right thickness, I'd sculpt that into a hardcore cleaver/tomahawk hybrid. That's just me though.

 

[mykel m]

Personally, I say having a tapered tang, the length, and the fact it's about the right thickness, I'd sculpt that into a hardcore cleaver/tomahawk hybrid. That's just me though.

Yup,something like that is what I wanted to do,but I wanted to leave the markings on the blade.
Maybe cut it vertically at the 5" mark & say to hell with the markings.I want a user not an arm abuser.
And make an Ulu out of the cut off end.Hmmm...the wheels are turnin' now.

 

[JayGoliath]

Some had asked about this O'Katz cleaver over and over again so if you don't mind:

 

[Square_peg]

What are the holes in the choil for?

 

[mykel m]

Some had asked about this O'Katz cleaver over and over again so if you don't mind:

That is friggin' beautiful,thanks for the pics.