Who uses a cleaver or bread knife on a regular basis?

on_the_edge

on_the_edge

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I have a cutlery set that has both a cleaver and a bread knife. I also have a few customs that I prefer to use over any knife in the cutlery set. However, I do not have a custom bread knife or a custom cleaver. I am thinking about getting rid of the set and using just using my four customs (paring, butcher, 5" fillet, and carver), but am wondering if I will have any regrets in not having a cleaver or bread knife around. If I never use them, I certainly won't miss them, but you know how it goes--you get rid of something and all of a sudden you have a need for it even though you haven't used the one you had in years. Can the carver or butcher knife adequately double as a bread knife?
 
A straight edge knife works ok on softer breads, but a serrated edge is better --esp. on hard, crusty artisan breads. *I go through a couple loaves of bread and a bunch of bagels every week, so my bread knife needs are frequent but not very demanding. * I've been using the same POS for years and will likely replace it with a victorinox when it dies.*

Iirc, I used my western meat cleaver twice when I first got it. *After that, it sat unused for years.
 
I like the straight, serrated edge on my bread knife for soft/warm, or very crusty breads. My wife also grabs it when she forgets we have a carving knife.
Not indespensible, but noce to have.

I've never had a cleaver. I've thought about getting one, but never gotten around to it.
We have a thick 10" Henckels chef's knife we can use instead.
Mostly, though, we don't cut through bones. Either separate them at the joints, or leave them intact and cut meat off around 'em.
 
I just use my gyuto on bread...any bread, soft, hard, bagel... really does not matter as long as I keep my edge in shape. Many people do the same, however, my wife loves her Shun serrated bread knife...

Cleaver are not for everyone. I have a hard time seeing my day without mine, but it does the same jobs as my chefs knifes.

Yup, get rid of the set, keep the customs and get a custom cleaver. No need for a custom bread knife, just get a forschner.
 
I use a Dexter offset, 9" bread/sandwich knife and it's outstanding. Inexpensive too.

Jordan
 
I only eat home-baked bread. Forschner/Victorinox bread knife gets used every day.
 
I don't often use a bread knife myself...but I use a cleaver frequently. Best chicken chopper there is. Both in the kitchen and on the chopping block. :D We just got our fresh laying flock so once they reach laying age the old generation is going to slowly disappear and fill our freezer. ;)
 
My two go-to knives are customs but we have a cheap bread knife that works great. My cleaver is a early 1900s Foster Bros and gets used for lots of heavy cutting. I did put a near mirror edge on it with my Edge Pro that makes it a cutting machine.
 
if you eat fresh bread or pastry, you need the bread knife. The cleaver is a tool you either like or hate. I have 3 and use them for instead of traditional chef knife. just finished one with a 7"x2 1/2" blade, Aldo's 1084 at Rc 61-62, dogwood handle.
 
I think it's important to distinguish between "household" and "industrial" cleavers as well. Household cleavers tend to be more thin and light. The industrial ones are for heavy processing work.
 
I have and use both regularly. A bread knife makes short work on big bagels and is indespensible when you have loaves of French or Italian bread. As for the cleaver I have two types- a super thin Chinese cleaver and a brute of a meat cleaver from Sabatier. The Chinese cleaver makes it easy to cut and scoop with one tool. I have used it in a pinch for just about every task except chopping. As for the Sabatier- it will dismantle anything in a hurry. Great for frozen food. I could probably use it to chop down a small tree with no harm to it. (Not that I would want to. I have fun with my axes.)
 
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