WINCO Blade Chinese Cleaver with Wooden Handle, 3-1/2-Inch

Product Description

Winco Chinese cleaver with 3.5 inch wide blade and wooden handle KC-101. High carbon steel. Wooden handle. Handle length measures 4.5". Blade length measures 6.75" long and 3.5" wide.

Product Detail

• High carbon steel


• Wooden handle


• Handle length measures 4.5"


• Blade length measures 6.75" long and 3.5" wide


• Dishwasher-safe

CUSTOMER REVIEW



[NOTE: This identical cleaver is sold with several different descriptions and prices, by several sellers. I chose this one because despite a higher initial price, when you figure in my Amazon Prime shipping versus the shipping charges for the lower priced offerings, this one came out the cheapest. Other than that, they all seem to be the same identical Winco cleaver.]



Now the review -



As a Taiwanese member of our extended family said, there is one of these in every Asian kitchen. It doesn't take a culinary genius to realize the parallels between the functionality of this tool and that of a western professional chef's knife. It is also clear that the large rectangular blade will go the chef's knife one better in the "scooping up" role.



It is important to point out that this tool has some significant differences from the tougher but less satisfactory kitchen knives that many of us are used to working with. Many kitchen knives are made from alloys which are less than ideal for knife-making, but which are selected to survive the abuse that the average home user will inflict. This is not one of those knives. It is made from high carbon steel. It is somewhat brittle. It will rust in the blink of an eye. It will also take (and keep) an absolutely wicked edge.



It is also worth mentioning that this is a "vegetable cleaver", not a meat cleaver.



Do not use this on anything other than a wooden cutting board. Ever. Before you use it on a glass "board", save yourself some trouble and just throw it in the trash. Do not use this to try and whack your way through frozen foods, bones, ice, firewood, or iron pipe. That wonderfully sharp but brittle edge will chip and be ruined if you ignore this advice.



Do wipe the blade as you use it. Rinse clean, then wipe dry, as soon as you are done. Ordinary steel rusts faster than I will be able to get you to believe, especially when damp. Rust occurring at a microscopic level can quickly degrade your edge, so this is not just an aesthetic concern.



I should mention that the blade did not come in the blister pack pictured above, but it was well protected. It was razor sharp, and yes, I was able to shave my arm with it. Examination with a light microscope at 100x revealed a blade edge that was sharp if a little irregular. Given the price, I felt it was acceptably good.



Having mentioned price, let me take a moment to compare this to the overly expensive German brand "me too" putative Chinese Cleavers. They are pretty. They are nicely made and well finished. They are pleasing to hold. And they are not Chinese Cleavers. The ones I have examined are made from the same sort of indestructible stainless steel used in so many western style knives. They believe that we are idiots, unable to care properly for our knives, and satisfied with something that looks trendy without actually functioning like the object being emulated. After all, the important thing is how it looks sitting in your kitchen, right ? Sadly, there are enough customers for this sort of thing that I don't see these products being improved. Too bad, because there are some stainless steel alloys that would do a credible job of improving on the traditional product, but only a few knife makers are using them, because (horrors) they will stain, chip, and rust if not properly cared for.



I'm not a cheapskate, I cook with All-Clad Copper Core, Le Creuset, and Mauviel. But I also use Lodge, and Victorinox - both great bargains. I enjoy finding an inexpensive tool that will meet or exceed the performance of the high priced brand. I'm not going to tell you this is the ultimate Chinese Vegetable Cleaver. It is simply made, not fancy, and typical of what you are likely to find in many homes. I believe it is a great buy for someone wishing to give them a try, and that properly cared for, there is no reason that it could not serve you well in years to come. Two "leftover" details I'd like to mention, the blade is slightly rockered, not square, and care should be taken to keep moisture from getting between the wooden handle and the tang. Personally, I never immerse any knife, but simply wash the blade under cold running water, then dry it by hand before putting it away. Handles clean up nicely with a damp cloth.



Given the price, you can hardly go wrong - you can always keep it on your desk as a paperweight. But, if what you receive is anything like what I received, I believe you will be pleased.