While cleaning deer this weekend I couldn't find the bone saw, so used a Gerber camp ax to split the pelvis and cut off the hind legs. Splitting the pelvis was done while the deer was hanging and the hams were on wood when I cut the leg bones. After the chopping was done I was disappointed to see several knicks in the Gerber's blade. I know the ax was ment to chop wood and not bone, but still. I know several of you have probably made meat cleavers. Could you please give me a little advice? I have a sullpy of leaf spring for stock. Pointers on length, thickness, width, and drawing out the handle would be much appreciated. I have a few Christmas presents to finish, so it will be a month or so before I start,

Thanks

This is maybe a not so direct answer to your question. If you take a bit of care and clean out around the anus and tie it off with a little string you can work a knife around it and pull it through to the inside cleanly. Then you do not have to split pelvis. Knife work around the hip joints will cut them looss also.. Front shoulders the same way, just move and cut where they are attatched.
Keep in mind that I started hunting a really long time ago and I am not real big. Parts is easier to carry than wholes for me. And if g son and I get elk next year there is a good chance we will leave all meat where we clean and just bring meat home.
Now about that cleaver; A truck spring the is about 3/8" thick and a bit over two inches wide will give you the stock for a pretty heavy piece. Taper it from the spine almost to the edge and leave enough to forge a full tang, I would taper the tang to keep most of the weight forward ..like a hammer. Something that may help with this is to cut shapes from paper until you get size and profile like you want. Than transfer that patter to a piece of meetal. Thin steel or aluminum will be fine. us that as a patter and lay it on your work at time sto see where you need to move steel to fit it. If you leave a long side on the pattern you can pick it up with out tongs for a quick check on forging. Wjhe you fit and attatch the scales I would suggest you epoxy then real well to seal out the micro space under them from gathering gunk while in use. Some good pins done well and it should last you forever.

Most of the cleavers I have seen had a bit of heft to them, so I would lean towards a large truck spring. When I think of a cleaver it is around 6" deep from edge to spine, and around 5/16" thick. Kinda like a broad ax.

The problem I see with using a cleaver is getting bone splinters. I would agree with Rich in that you can do the quartering with a knife. I see the cleaver as more of a tool for reducing the size of roasts, sectioning ribs, etc

Thanks for the reply Rich. Splitting the pelvis was during the butchering not field dressing.

Now to the cleaver. I have no experience with knife making, so my questions may sound like I'm kind of thick headed. To keep the spine and top of the tang in line, I suppose I would lay the spine on the anvil and fuller the bottom with a cross pien at the end of the blade? Would it be better to start at the end of the tang and work the taper toward the blade?

Thanks Sam. I don't type very fast and had 2 replys in the time it took me to ask Rich another question. Shaping the tang is what I had the biggest question about. Cutting it out as you suggested sounds much easier.

I made one out of a plow disc and it is pretty hefty, I use the belt sander to sharpen it. I used a cleaver that I got from Yan can cook for the pattern, I just traced the outline, cut it out with a torch, ground off the slag, forged the edge and flattened it. Plow disc is tough stuff

I would not make a tapered tang on this style of knife for a couple of reasons: If you make the top line of the tang even with the spine of the blade then when you push ah andle on the to line of the handle is above that top line. I envision this knife may get some assistance in whacking its way down a spine in one form or another, a mallet, wood or even(ugn) a rock may be used. If you whoule smack the handle while tapping it may ruin the handle at a time when you may wish to continue on with a good handle. I would make a full sized handle in the shape I like and apply scales to each side. Annealing the piece and cutting it out with a band saw would for sure be a good option. I would forge a taper on this handle so it again keeps the weight forward..(like a hammer).
Drawing out the edge like you mentioned by using a cross pein is a good way to start. And you may want to keep this in mind; The better a finish you put on this blade the easier it will be to maintain. You might see this as you work on it as when you are grinding the diges of the blade and you dip in water to cool now and then you will almost see instant rust form. However as you move away from the courser grits that will slow down. Rust forms where it can get a grip is a good way to think of it. I like to havve a blade like this ground all the way to the spine and at least finished down to a 400 grit or even finer. One more reason for that is that the blade is more likely to keep on going through bone with less effort on my parrt if the edge is smoother. As this may be unfamiliar work for you you can expect it to be a real difficult pieceTo try your hand at. A suggestion or two. Contack all the knife suppliers you can find and see if any of them have a heat treated cleaver style blade blank. It will need handles and they will need shaped and finished. Your in business. Try one of the knife suppliers for blade steel..5160 or 1084 would be my choice for this, have them send you enough for two and start from there. One will not do it as one of your hunting friends will likley take the first one!!!

Thanks to all for the information and help. As I said before, I have a few projects to finish before starting this one. I'll post pics when I have something good enough to look at.

Thanks again.

Here are a few Cleavers, some have a bit of attitude, all were forged from 1095 3/8" stock or W2 round bar-

Pirate cleavers! Good style there.

i actually really like the little bit of pitting on that third one... did you do this on purpose?

I love the look of that last one. simply amazing

Amazing cleavers Sam and Lamey. I need to get on this site more often. I have used 5160 for some big knive/cleavers. I "handled" them like Sam's cleaver. I guess that would be called "Hidden tang?"