Butcher Knife Vs Cleaver

The main difference between butcher and cleaver knives is their blade shape, thinness, and spine design. But both butcher and cleaver knife are used to cut, trim, slice, and chop meat in specific ways and shapes. Cleaver knives are primarily used for trimming, slicing, stripping, splitting, and other precise work. While on the other hand, butcher knives are used for cutting, chopping, and deboning the meat on a large scale.

By comparing butcher knives vs cleavers, we will comprehensively differentiate both knives, including their shape, blade design, length, handle structure, blade spine, edges, and budget. So, you can quickly get the right knife for your home or commercial use according to your needs.

Cleaver knives are more refined, sharp, and large, while butcher knives are thick, wide, and mainly used for general purposes. Let’s see a quick difference between a butcher knife and vs cleaver knife.

Features	Cleaver Knife	Butcher Knife
Material	Stainless Steel, HC Steel	German Steel, Japanese Steel
Blade Shape	Straight	Curved
Blade Length	Shorter	Longer
Blade Spine	Limited Spine	Long Sharp Spine
Weight	Between 1.0 Pound To 5.0 Pound	Between 0.5 Pound To 3.0 Pound
Budget	Low	High
Blade Construction	Thicker	Thinner
Area Of Use	Cutting, Slicing, Chopping	Slicing, Chopping, Trimming, Deboning, Splitting

What Is A Butcher Knife Used For

Butcher knives are traditional rectangular cutting knives with wide and short blade structures. They are perfect for large-size meat portions and heavy-duty purposes. Their primary purpose is to cut the large meat portions into smaller pieces that can be sliced by using Chinese cleaver knives.

These knives are primarily used at the professional level, so they are only recommended for professional chefs. That’s why they are primarily seen in meat processing industries and restaurants. The material commonly used for making butcher knives is high-carbon stainless steel, which is harder, sharper, and easy to maintain.

A butcher knife is used for heavy-duty tasks, including cutting bones a few times, so having a rugged and reliable material is highly beneficial. The second thing that separates it from a meat cleaver knife is its versatile use and better control. Having a sharp, short, rectangular shape is also beneficial for vegetables and fruits.

You can also use it as a chopping tool for vegetables and salad. Their sharp, rugged, and smooth blade creates precise and accurate results without tearing or distorting the meat parts. They also feature a wide, rectangular, and non-slip knife handle perfect for your comfort, effortless cutting, and tireless performance.

TUO Butcher Knife – Japanese Butcher Knife

TUO knife is an extremely sharp knife with a standard size of 14” for performing any kitchen activity efficiently and in no time. As seen from its blade shape and edges, the knife is highly recommended for slicing, chopping, trimming, deboning, carving, and other precise functions.

The first and ultimate feature of the blade is its long-lasting and super sharpness that will save you time and effort while doing anything. Compared to the cleaver meat knife, the butcher knife has only 1.34” in width, whereas most cleaver knives have 3” to 16” in width.

This thinness is excellent for slicing, deboning, and other activities that have tight or thinner structures to penetrate to prevent tearing or distorting the meat. They are lighter as compared with cleaver knives. Most butcher knives are made from flexible and forged steel for long-life performance.

When it comes to the drawbacks of the butcher knife, it should be used only for softer meat instead of frozen or boning parts. You can only use hand wash or warm water with any soap or detergents for cleaning purposes. The chef knife is a good choice for both professional or home kitchens, with lots of work for vegetables and meat.

What Is A Cleaver Knife Used For

On the other hand, a cleaver knife is a long, thinner, and curved blade used to chop, slice, and cut meat in small portions into different shapes like pork, BBQ, steak, and others. If you need to cut or slice any meat part without tearing or distorting meat, especially near-to-bone parts, then this is made for you.

Due to its curved shape blade design can be used for chopping purposes by holding with both hands. When it comes to the construction of the blade, most cleaver knives are made from HC Steel and Stainless Steel. They are lighter, longer, sharper, and more flexible than butcher knives.

So, they are only recommended for a limited purpose, and it is strictly prohibited for heavy-duty tasks because of the risk of damaging the blade edges. The main difference between a butcher vs cleaver knife is its blade design. Cleaver has a long, thinner, and curved shape, while butcher has a thick, straight, and short blade.

Sometimes, you also need to provide extra force for cutting or chopping purposes, increasing your efforts. It is the only drawback of the knife. Compared to a heavy butcher knife, it is perfect for both professional and home kitchens.

TUO Cleaver Knife – Japanese Cleaver Knife

It is a high-quality Japanese steel knife with an elegant and unique blade surface. It is designed for vegetables and meat for preparing multiple dishes with comfort and without effort. It comes with a 7” blade length and beautiful packing for safe carrying purposes or use as a gift to your precious ones.

The most crucial factor of the blade is its durable and rugged construction, which features AUS-10 high carbon steel as the core of the blade with 66 layers of softer steel. The steel is processed with vacuum heat treatment and nitrogen cooling effect with a Rockwell hardness of 62, making it one of the toughest and most reliable tools for heavy-duty and excessive tasks.

The blade also featured an advanced sharpening technique for long-lasting sharpening and edge retention. The external layer blade surface is highly beneficial for slicing to prevent any food from sticking. Due to its razor-sharp design, any of your kitchen activities will be performed in no time.

There is also a vast and durable steel bolster for safety and hygiene purposes. The only reason the butcher knife lacked behind the cleaver knife is its less effective slicing property. The butcher knife is only recommended for cutting and chopping purposes.

Frequently Asked Questions About Butcher Knife Vs Cleaver

How To Sharpen A Butcher Knife?

The easiest way to sharpen the blade is to use a whetstone or honing steel. For this purpose, hold the blade in a way that the spine of the blade should be straight up, and the handle side should be in a straight down position. Sharpen the knife for 5 to 10 minutes to get the best results.

How To Use A Cleaver Knife?

First of all, hold the knife near to handle of the blade and adjust your thumb on one side of the handle. The remaining fingers should be adjusted in a curved shape, and the handle. To avoid any accidental slipping, make sure your knife handle should be clean and dry.

How Long Is A Cleaver Knife?

Usually, cleaver knives feature a blade length between 6” to 8” overall. The total length of the cleaver knife is between 10” to 12”. The width or height of the blade is between 3” to 5”. The average weight of the cleaver knife is between 1.0 Pounds to 3.0 Pounds.

How Long Is A Butcher Knife?

Usually, butcher knives feature a blade length between 10” to 16” overall. The total length of the cleaver knife is between 12” to 18”. The width or height of the blade is between 1.0” to 3.0”. The average weight of the cleaver knife is between 1.0 Pounds to 2.0 Pounds.