Dexter-Russell 7" Cleaver Knife | 5387 | Traditional Series High-Carbon Steel Blade with Rosewood Handle | Heavy-Duty Butcher Knife for Meat & Bone Cutting | Made in USA

Awesome cleaver for a very affordable price. The original factory machine work is a little coarse. The factory edge is a coarse grind and had a large burr. I used my Wicked Edge sharpening system to put on a nice edge. Now it really performs. The carbon steel used in the cleaver is tempered to be very hard and tough. Took quite awhile to grind the desired edge. Once you finally get a good edge on it, this is one brutally tough cleaver. Smashes right through large beef, pork, and turkey bones with ease. Doesn't phase the sharpening job. The heavy coarse carbon steel doesn't take a real fine edge for fine carving chores, but still slices very well. Since it is carbon steel, you need to keep it washed and dry to prevent rust. If you want one tough cleaver that is designed to cut through most anything, this is the one to buy.

I don't have a ton of experience with a cleaver, but purchased this one pretty much specifically to cut up whole chickens when I make broth. I cut the chickens up as I normally would, using a chefs or boning knife and poultry shears before using this guy to chop it down into the smaller pieces that I'm looking for. It certainly works very well for that. It' has "USA" stamped on the handle and appears to be of very good quality. The blade may be stainless but it definitely will stain, and it may be an uphill battle to keep that from happening. I always wash and dry my cutlery very promptly after use, but that's not enough for this thing. The stains don't bother me and I don't intend to go out of my way to prevent them. So far, I'm completely satisfied with this purchase.

Good balance , good weight but , Not sharp enough .

Solid construction . Has decent weight to it. We gave this as a gift to my father in law and he loves it when making barbecue. There was a little discoloring on the blade when it arrived but the blade is really sharp and works great.

A tank. Full tang. Sharp. Rosewood handle. Nice weight and build. This thing can go generations IF IF IF you maintain it correctly. Slight rust out of the box, but a little sandpaper and it's back to normal. This is a carbon steel cleaver, so understand what that entails. If you're experienced with carbon steel, this thing is A1. I was thinking about returning it before i received it, but once you weild this cleaver, you'll understand how that idea instantly dissipates. Don't forget to oil the handle and all that. Maintance is the key to this cleaver lasting forever. Dexter russell knives have always done me well.

Don't get me wrong - this cleaver is very well made, sturdy wood riveted handle & heavy duty. It arrived extremely sharp and still is. The big problem? It rusts and tarnishes very easily. You cannot let this cleaver stay wet at all or it will rust. It must be washed and dried very well immediately after use or it will become stained, tarnished and/or rusty. These markings are hard to impossible to remove. I bought a plastic blade guard which turned out to be a bad idea because even after drying, if there is even the smallest amount of moisture present, the cleaver will rust. If you attempt to package your meat before washing and drying the cleaver - tarnished. If you try to break down a larger animal with it and put it down for a little while when you move to your knife - stained. I've tried oiling it habitually, but it doesn't seem to help. Great tool for cutting and the sharpest, most well constructed cleaver I've used for the task, but it is has been VERY hard keeping the steel clean and free of rust and tarnish.

It came sharp and well packaged. There is some pitting on one side of the blade and the edges are a bit factory rough but the handle is smooth and well fitted. I am doing a vinegar and salt forced patina right away because I prefer it. You can also just occassionally wipe with vinegar and then wash as normal if you like a shiny look. Carbon steel takes significantly less damage on bone so its worth the effort to me, also most stainless alloys are toxic. I love the way carbon steel knives antique. I wish they had the larger 2.75lb version in carbon steel but this is plenty for home use. If you like to make bone broth a heavy carbon steel cleaver is very useful. Also a heavier knife helps with hand pain.

The knife arrived without a finished edge. The bevel towards the edge just ends in an approx 1-2mm wide flat. I understand that a cleaver need not be shaving sharp. I get that both cheap and high end knives often are delivered blunt to allow the chef to put their own choice of edge on it. But this knife arrived without even the option of an edge unless one wants to spend 30minutes on an ultra low grit whetstone with it. I went through a good number of millimeters on my 700 cerax and an hour of my time, and i am still not raising a burr -- the apex still hasn't formed. Once I get an actual edge formed, i am sure this will be a decent knife, and a great value for money IF i didn't have to spend time and money to get it into functional form. Steel feels good on the stones, handle is nicely made (though, too big for my small hands to be completely comfortable) and overall looks super sturdy