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Like many of us Im attracted to any kind of blade. I display meat cleavers in my barber shop. It's kind of an oxymoron, butcher/barber tools. They're great for sparking conversation. My most recent cleaver is a super heavy duty home made job with a copper handle. This thing must weigh 5 lbs +. I'm impressed with the craftsmanship. Wish I could see it when it was new!
how does it shave?
it wouldn't take much to make it look new. I'm sure there are restoration guys here that would do it in short time.
Or,,,
You can keep the character that it has now,,,,
Nice one, Josh! I have a few smaller ones, but my criteria is they must have razor-maker's names on them! :D
Is there a maker's mark upon it?
Spent time on the handle end of one of them as a apprentice barber Butcher at 14yoa. That is a beauty!
~Richard
<<<<Old age and lots of time on a shave forum will do that to ya!>>>
Clean it with 000 steel wool and WD40 and hone that puppy up. That old carbon steel will take a great edge. A piece of plastic hose slit up on one side will protect the edge in a drawer or make a cardboard Saya.
I have several, used to be able to buy them for a buck, at yard sales and flea markets.
You might be surprised how handy they are in the kitchen, the small ones about 4-5 inch width are very versatile for butchering and even chopping anything from meat to veggies.
Nice find, enjoy.
Nice cleaver. If it is for display I wouldn't do too much to it.
Are you going to get an axe too?
There were some cleavers at a nearby antique store I wish I could have bought, but they were too expensive. One of them was a HEAVY two handed cleaver. I think they wanted like $75-150 for it though.
If you’re going to display it, put a Mustard/Saran Wrap finish on it, for a cool look, it will also protect the steel.
I can remember as a kid a little corner store where they sold candy and meat. It was a Polish store and the women could not speak to much English. She was just a little tiny old thing. She use to lug those beef slabs around and she use to cut or chop them up with a big 2 handed meat cleaver.
The funny part is my uncle told me that use to be a barber shop there years ago before they decided to put there store there.
Mary Swatlowski her name was....she would be well over 110 today. They don't make them like her any more.
I remember a local meat market which shut down several years ago. They had a big old butcher block in the back. Kindof rounded over. Couldn't of been too sanitary, I suppose. I saw them wailing some steaks out on it once. Fun to watch.
They had a sign up. Said "Don't allow your kids to sit on the butcher block! We may get a little behind in our business!"
You guys rule! There's so many of us here who share the same soul. We love and appreciate and preserve these tools from the past. I may have to clean this one up and get a good edge on it.
This one doesn't have a makers mark. I've been attracted to home made cleavers for some reason. I'm gonna take pics of another one that I think is cool. Picked it up for $5.
This one is way old. It has super thick leather scales.Attachment 211064Attachment 211065Attachment 211066
Those are waaaaaaAy cool Tom. Three primary American Cutlers you have there. I wouldn't expect anything less from you bro!Quote:
Originally Posted by sharptonn
What a cool shape to that one! These cleavers you are showing are primitives. History! :tuQuote:
Originally Posted by wyobarbershop
There's a brutal kind of beauty about these cleavers,,,,:shrug:
If you get a heavy one sharp, it will slice food like an old Wade and Butcher does to your beard.
"Cleavers : not just for pounding anymore! " JMHO :D
I've seen some cleavers 36 inches long. Awesome tools with stacked leather scales made for quartering hogs and probably beef as well. It seems the bigger the cleaver the bigger the price tag.
Id love to clean, sharpen and put it to use. Any advise?Quote:
Originally Posted by sharptonn
I use a DMT knife sharpener against the edge at a high angle. Smooth it out with a piece of Swaty.
Joker just kills an onion! :rofl2:
Taking them to hones is not happening. Take the hones to the blade, like an axe.
Thank you Euclid. What is the best way to hone one of these? I sold my old stone foot pedal wheels.
A 325 diamond plate in a holder, ink the bevel and free hand it watching the bevel to hone a new flat bevel to the edge, then finish on a 1k. You can go to a 4k but a 1k is a good edge. Hard Arks also work well.
On a very large one, sharpen like a machete. Lay flat on the edge of a table/bench and hone with a Diamond plate moving over the bevel at a constant angle. Use ink to get an even bevel. If the edge is badly chipped, use a file to reshape the edge and start the bevel.
Yours can probably go either way. Once you set the bevel it is pretty easy to ride/feel the bevel because it will be wide. Diamonds will make your life easier.
Make a Chrome Oxide strop on a large piece of cardboard and tape it to a flat surface to get a super edge.
Charlet would probably know.....
Add to totally useless information:Quote:
Originally Posted by wyobarbershop
Those old "Beef Splitters" were a force to be reckoned with! Two or three good blows separated the two halves of a carcass swung from a gambrel by the hind hocks. Usually about an 18 inch blade and a two foot handle or more. There were smaller ones for hogs.
~Richard
Bye the way the flat of the smaller cleavers was wonderful for flattening the Tenderloin and rib eye cuts for sale. They also worked well for opening barrels if we didn't watch the grocery help closely.
OTS The wood blocks were later found to be much more sanitary that the mandated plastic cutting boards. That, due to being able to bleach the entire surface of them a couple times during the day and when switching from pork to beef. The plastic ones were later found to get a wire edged curl from the cuts which held the bacteria. Since all the wood ones were now gone......
Tom, you never cease to amaze me! You must have a little of everything......................Quote:
Originally Posted by sharptonn
You never know...............the little old lady across the street from me just turned 101 years old!Quote:
Originally Posted by pathology101
Wyo,
Do you have any pics of the cleavers hanging up in your shop?
Give me a few minutes bro!Quote:
Originally Posted by JP5
I took these down for a group shot. Sorry it took so long.Quote:
Originally Posted by JP5
Attachment 211728
Thank you!
Brings back memories of 100º weather and the bone box at my block in the butcher shop!
Getting out of there was a de-stinct pleasure!
Cheers
~Richard
It isn't like you had any obligation, so thanks for taking the time to post some more pics. Those are some nice blades.Quote:
Originally Posted by wyobarbershop
I wish I had a pic to post of that large two handed cleaver I mentioned before. That thing was a weapon. I guess you have to hang those things up out of reach of small hands. Have you sharpened any of them, or do any them have a good edge?
What is that on the corner of the top blade in the picture??
If your not familiar with them, do a search for 'Japanese noodle knife'. Some of those are pretty sweet looking with a cleaver vibe to them.
Quote:
Originally Posted by JP5
JP5, looks like a meat tenderizer.
Meat tenderizer it is!!!!
Thanks E46.
Looks like it would take a while to work on a larger piece of meat with a tenderizer that thin/small though. Interesting.
Wyo,
You should check out "The Meat Cleaver" on PowellCustomRazors.com.
It is 23/8 ! It dwarfs a regular 'chopper'.
All of these clevers remind me of the movie " Hush Hush sweet Charlote" the gazibo sceene where they hack a guys hand off with. Old black and white movie.
I must see that movie.Quote:
Originally Posted by pathology101
