{"product_id":"damascus-meat-cleaver-olive-wood","title":"Damascus Meat Cleaver with Olive Wood Handle and Tooled Leather Cover","description":"\u003cp\u003eA meat cleaver works by weight. The blade is tall and rectangular with a straight edge, so it comes down under its own mass rather than being drawn back and forth, and that tall face gives the pattern room. This one is a 7 inch Damascus blade over a high carbon core, 12 inches overall, with olive wood scales on a full tang and a hand tooled leather cover.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eSpecification\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBlade length\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e7 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eOverall length\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e12 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 a high carbon core\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBlade finish\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eEtched raindrop pattern, mirror bright bevel\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHandle\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eOlive wood, three brass pins\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTang\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFull 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\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 apart. The layers run as a raindrop pattern across the tall face, rings pulled through the flat, with the wide bevel polished mirror bright below. The blade stands about 4 inches tall, which is where the weight comes from, and a hanging hole is punched near the top rear corner. Under the etch it is carbon steel, so it darkens with use and can rust if it is left wet.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eThe handle\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eOlive wood is the reason people stop at this one on a shelf. The grain runs in strong wavy lines of honey and brown, and no two sets of scales come out looking alike, so the handle carries as much as the steel does. It is hard and close grained, and it warms in the hand quickly. The tang runs the full length and shows as a bright line all round the scales, with three brass pins through it.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eWhat it is for\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis is a chopping knife for the kitchen. It portions meat, takes a chicken down into pieces, splits a squash, and flattens a cut with the side of the blade. The wide flat also carries chopped onion to the pan. Let the weight fall and steer it rather than pushing hard. It does not suit fine work, because there is no useful tip for trimming or peeling.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eThe leather\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eCleavers get a broad blade cover rather than a sheath, cut to the outline of this blade so it sits close and stays put. The leather is vegetable tanned. A welt is sewn into the edge so the stitching stays clear of the steel, the seam is closed with cream thread by hand, a belt loop is stitched to the back, and a snap strap holds it shut. The face is hand tooled with a carved olive branch inside a stamped border, cut and shaded into damp leather.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eWho it suits\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis is the cleaver people buy when the look matters as much as the work, and it is the one most often bought as a gift.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCooks who want a cleaver they will leave on show\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBuyers who own carbon steel and want Damascus next\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAnyone breaking down whole birds at home\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePeople shopping for a wedding or anniversary gift\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch3\u003eWhat comes in the box\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Damascus meat cleaver\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe tooled leather blade cover\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA care card\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, so runs stay small and no two come out the same. The Damascus pattern, the olive wood and the depth of the tooling all vary from the photographs.\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. Damascus is carbon steel under the etch, so the gray patina that comes with use is normal. Wipe on a light coat of food safe mineral oil before storage, sharpen on a stone following the existing bevel, and use wood or plastic boards. 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 and you add it here on the product page. Around 30 characters fits, and clean line art engraves better than a photograph. On Damascus we set the text on the handle so the pattern stays unbroken. We send a proof image first, and it adds 3 to 5 business days. 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 a meat cleaver used for?\u003c\/strong\u003e It chops meat and heavy vegetables with the weight of the blade.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat is Damascus steel?\u003c\/strong\u003e It is layers of steel forge welded together and etched, so light and dark bands show.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat is the hanging hole for?\u003c\/strong\u003e It lets the cleaver hang on a hook.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWill my cleaver look exactly like the photo?\u003c\/strong\u003e No. The pattern and the wood differ on every piece.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCan it go in the dishwasher?\u003c\/strong\u003e No. Hand wash it and dry it straight away.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWill Damascus rust?\u003c\/strong\u003e It can, since the core is carbon steel. Dry it and oil it after use.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn plain carbon steel there is the \u003ca href=\"\/products\/hand-forged-meat-cleaver-rosewood\"\u003emeat cleaver in rosewood\u003c\/a\u003e, and in antler the \u003ca href=\"\/products\/damascus-cleaver-stag-antler\"\u003eDamascus cleaver in stag antler\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\/olive-wood-handle-knives\"\u003eolive wood handle knives\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Viper Edge USA","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44140526141558,"sku":"VEF-CLV-DAM-MET-702","price":189.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0710\/2427\/9670\/files\/damascus-meat-cleaver-olive-wood-handle_44a8c765-ca69-4fd2-865c-59f233838447.jpg?v=1788796219","url":"https:\/\/viperedgeforge.com\/products\/damascus-meat-cleaver-olive-wood","provider":"Viper Edge USA","version":"1.0","type":"link"}