{"product_id":"hand-forged-bone-cleaver-hickory","title":"Bone Cleaver, Hand Forged Heavy Spine with Hickory Handle","description":"\u003cp\u003eA bone cleaver is the heavy version of the kitchen cleaver. The blade is taller and longer than the standard pattern and the spine is left thick and squared, so more mass sits behind the edge. It is built for heavy chopping work. This one is an 8 inch blade in 5160 spring steel, 13.5 inches overall, with American hickory 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\u003e8 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eOverall length\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e13.5 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHandle length\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e5.5 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBlade steel\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e5160 spring steel\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBlade finish\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDark gray forged finish, thick squared spine, mirror bright bevel\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHandle\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAmerican hickory, 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 5160 spring steel, chosen because it takes a hard impact without chipping. The flat is left dark gray from the forge with hammer marks right across it, and the wide bevel polished mirror bright against that darker face. The spine is thick and squared rather than tapered, and the blade stands about 4.5 inches tall, so the weight sits high and out over the work. A hanging hole is punched near the top rear corner. Like all carbon steel it darkens with use and wants drying.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eThe handle\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eHickory is what American axe and hammer handles have been made from for a long time, for one reason. It absorbs shock. On a blade this heavy that is the point, because every chop sends the load back into your hand. The scales are pale blonde with a straight close grain, held by three large brass pins, and a lanyard hole runs through the butt. The tang is full length and shows as a line all round the handle.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eWhat it is for\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis is a heavy chopping tool for the kitchen and the game room. It suits portioning and the coarse work at the start of breaking something down, where the weight does the job and you only guide it. Let it fall and stay out of its way. It does not suit fine work, since it is too heavy for trimming or any cut that wants a point.\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, which is wider than the others here. 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 cross hatch inside a stamped border, cut and shaded into damp leather.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eWho it suits\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis is the one people buy when the lighter cleaver on the rail is not doing what they want. The hickory and brass make it look like a working tool, because it is one.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHunters processing their own game at home\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCooks who want the heaviest cleaver in the rack\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSmallholders and homesteaders\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAnyone who prefers a wood handle that soaks up shock\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch3\u003eWhat comes in the box\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe 5160 bone 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 hammer marks, the grain of the hickory 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. 5160 is carbon steel, so the gray patina that builds 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 on the blade or the handle, and clean line art engraves better than a photograph. We send a proof image before the laser runs, 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\u003eWhy is the spine on this cleaver so thick?\u003c\/strong\u003e It is left thick and squared so more mass sits behind the edge, for heavy chopping work.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat is the difference between a meat cleaver and a bone cleaver?\u003c\/strong\u003e The bone cleaver is heavier, with a taller blade and a thicker squared spine.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhy 5160 spring steel?\u003c\/strong\u003e It takes a hard impact without chipping.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat does full tang mean?\u003c\/strong\u003e The steel runs the whole length of the handle and shows all round it.\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\u003eWhat board should I use?\u003c\/strong\u003e Wood or plastic. Glass and stone will dull the edge quickly.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor a lighter cleaver there is the \u003ca href=\"\/products\/hand-forged-meat-cleaver-rosewood\"\u003emeat cleaver in rosewood\u003c\/a\u003e, and in Damascus the \u003ca href=\"\/products\/damascus-meat-cleaver-olive-wood\"\u003emeat cleaver in olive wood\u003c\/a\u003e. More sits in \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/cleaver-butcher\"\u003ecleavers and butcher knives\u003c\/a\u003e, in \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/kitchen-knives\"\u003ekitchen knives\u003c\/a\u003e, and in \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/gifts-for-him\"\u003egifts for him\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Viper Edge USA","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44140533055606,"sku":"VEF-CLV-HC-BON-703","price":159.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0710\/2427\/9670\/files\/hand-forged-bone-cleaver-hickory-handle_cc41be79-6563-44aa-a35a-8319839eadf6.jpg?v=1788796218","url":"https:\/\/viperedgeforge.com\/products\/hand-forged-bone-cleaver-hickory","provider":"Viper Edge USA","version":"1.0","type":"link"}