{"product_id":"damascus-cleaver-stag-antler","title":"Damascus Cleaver with Stag Antler Handle and Tooled Leather Cover","description":"\u003cp\u003eA meat cleaver is a tall rectangular blade with a straight edge, built for chopping with the weight of the blade rather than for slicing. It is forged in Damascus, a 6 inch blade on an 11 inch cleaver, and the handle is one piece of natural stag antler with a polished brass collar. It ships with a broad leather cover cut to the shape of the blade and tooled by hand.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eSpecification\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBlade length\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e6 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eOverall length\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e11 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHandle length\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e5 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBlade steel\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDamascus over high carbon core\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBlade finish\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eEtched ladder pattern, mirror bright bevel, hanging hole\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHandle\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNatural stag antler, brass collar\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTang\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHidden tang into the antler, not a full tang\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSheath\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTooled leather blade cover\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eEngraving\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e20 dollars per piece\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMade in\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eForged and finished by hand in High Point, North Carolina.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eWarranty\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eLifetime warranty against defects, free sharpening for life.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\u003c\/table\u003e\u003ch3\u003eThe blade\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe steel is Damascus, pattern welded over a high carbon core and etched so the light and dark layers stand out, with a ladder pattern across the tall face and the bevel polished bright. The blade stands about 3.5 inches, which gives a cleaver its drop and keeps your hand well above the board. A hanging hole is punched near the top rear corner so it can hang on a hook. The trade is the carbon core, which darkens with use and rusts if the blade is put away wet.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eThe handle\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe handle is one piece of natural stag antler with its knobbly bark texture left on, pale cream shading into tan, and a polished brass collar where the antler meets the steel. The tang here is hidden, not a full tang. It runs into a channel bored down the middle of the antler, so you see antler all round with no pins. That is the traditional build for an antler handle, since a natural piece is not split into flat scales.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eWhat it is for\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis is a chopping tool for the board. The straight edge lands flat along its whole length, so the work is a drop of the blade, not a push or a draw. The tall face is also an easy way to carry what you cut to the pan. It suits kitchen prep where the cutting is repetitive. It is not a slicing knife, so for long strokes reach for a cimeter instead.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eThe leather\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eCleavers get a cover rather than a sheath, and this one is cut to the shape of the blade so the tall face is held flat. The leather is vegetable tanned. A belt loop is stitched to the back, a strap with a snap that closes over the antler, and a welt sewn into the edge so the stitching sits clear of the sharpened side. The hand stitching is cream thread against the tan. The face carries a carved thistle inside a stamped border, cut and shaded rather than printed.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eWho it suits\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eStag antler and an etched Damascus face make this the cleaver people leave out on the wall instead of shutting in a drawer, and it is easy to buy for someone else.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCooks who want a cleaver for daily prep\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBuyers who prefer natural antler over wood\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAnyone shopping for a gift that gets used\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCollectors who like a Damascus face\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch3\u003eWhat comes in the box\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Damascus cleaver\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe tooled leather blade cover\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA care card\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEngraving quote on request\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch3\u003eEvery piece is different\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eEach cleaver is forged, ground and finished by hand in small runs, so no two come out the same. The Damascus pattern moves with the forging, and every antler has its own texture and color. Yours will not match the photographs exactly.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eLooking after it\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eHand wash it in warm water and dry it straight away. Never leave it in the sink and never put it in a dishwasher. The gray patina that builds with use is normal and it protects the steel. Wipe on a light coat of food safe mineral oil before it goes away. Sharpen on a stone, following the bevel already there. More in our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/knife-care-sharpening\"\u003eknife care and sharpening page\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003ePut a name on it\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eLaser engraving is 20 dollars per piece, added on this page. Around 30 characters fits on the blade, and clean line art engraves well where a photograph does not. We send a proof image before the laser runs, and it adds 3 to 5 business days. Free on orders of 10 pieces or more. See the \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/engraving\"\u003eengraving page\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eQuestions buyers ask\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat is the hole near the top for?\u003c\/strong\u003e A hanging hole, so it can hang on a hook.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs it full tang?\u003c\/strong\u003e No, the tang is hidden inside the antler.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhy buy a cleaver?\u003c\/strong\u003e The tall blade chops with its own weight.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWill Damascus rust?\u003c\/strong\u003e It can, the core is carbon, so dry it after every wash.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCan it go in the dishwasher?\u003c\/strong\u003e No. Hand wash and dry it straight away.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWill it look like the photo?\u003c\/strong\u003e No, the antler and pattern differ on every piece.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor this steel with a wood handle, see the \u003ca href=\"\/products\/damascus-meat-cleaver-olive-wood\"\u003eDamascus meat cleaver in olive wood\u003c\/a\u003e, and for the wide bellied butcher shape the \u003ca href=\"\/products\/damascus-serbian-chef-knife-burl-wood\"\u003eDamascus Serbian chef knife in burl wood\u003c\/a\u003e. More sits in \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/cleaver-butcher\"\u003ecleavers and butcher knives\u003c\/a\u003e, in \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/damascus-steel\"\u003eDamascus steel\u003c\/a\u003e, and in \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/stag-horn-knives\"\u003estag horn knives\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Viper Edge USA","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44140544786550,"sku":"VEF-CLV-DAM-STG-710","price":209.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0710\/2427\/9670\/files\/damascus-cleaver-stag-antler-handle_f31083e9-2439-448f-a982-7079ed09c900.jpg?v=1788796219","url":"https:\/\/viperedgeforge.com\/products\/damascus-cleaver-stag-antler","provider":"Viper Edge USA","version":"1.0","type":"link"}