Meat Cleaver dimensions?

[marcthebean]

Hi all!

I am getting ready to make my first meat cleaver. I have been searching for a couple of days now to try to find rough dimensions on the blade geometry and cant find any good info (or I am reading things wrong). I know that the spine should end up 3/16"-1/4" thick but how much taper towards the bevel should it have? 

What I am planning to make should be about a 7" cutting edge by about 4-5" tall. Thanks in advance to any help!

 

 

[Charles R. Stevens]

Think axe. As bone and gristle are what a cleaver is desighned to deal with. 

Chinese cleavers are not intendedfor such heavy work, and are acualy large Chef knives broken in half. 

 

[marcthebean]

16 minutes ago, Charles R. Stevens said:

Think axe. As bone and gristle are what a cleaver is desighned to deal with. 

Chinese cleavers are not intendedfor such heavy work, and are acualy large Chef knives broken in half. 

 

Thanks! That's the info I needed!

[SLAG]

Western ground cleavers get a 'cannel' grind. 

Refer to this entry, to get a figure of the cannel grind. (the middle of the page on the left side.)

http://workshopcompanion.com/KnowHow/Tools/Sharpening/2_Sharpening_Knowhow/2_Sharpening_Knowhow.htm

Also try this, article,

http://workshopcompanion.com/KnowHow/Tools/Sharpening/1_How_Tools_Cut_Wood/1_How_Tools_Cut_Wood.htm

Oriental cleavers are made to slice, (e.g. meat, vegetables etc.) They are flat ground or hollow grind. Such Chinese cleavers are razor sharp.

As Senor Charles has stated, they are used like Occidental chef's knives.

SLAG.

[Tubalcain2]

Meat cleavers should be heavy. REAL heavy.That is the reason for the blades being so wide. A 1/4 inch thick with a blade width of about 5 inches is about right in my book. Yup. REAL heavy.