Don’t underestimate your cleaver—it’s not just for butchers. This heavy-duty blade is one of the most versatile tools you can bring to your kitchen or outdoor cooking setup. Here's a list of 30 tasks your cleaver can tackle, with a little more detail on why it excels at each one.
1. Chop Through Meat and Bone
Thanks to its thick spine and heavy weight, a cleaver slices through joints and bone with ease, making it ideal for whole chickens, pork ribs, or beef shanks.
2. Break Down Whole Chickens
It gives you the leverage to segment a chicken quickly—no struggling with kitchen shears or boning knives.
3. Crush Garlic or Ginger
Use the flat of the blade to smash garlic cloves or ginger root, which makes peeling and mincing much easier.
4. Slice Dense Veggies
Thick produce like pumpkins, yams, and cabbage meet their match with the cleaver’s weight-driven cut.
5. Mince Herbs in Bulk
The wide blade lets you rock it gently over herbs for a fine chop in seconds—great when you're cooking for a crowd.
6. Tenderize Meat
The spine of the cleaver works like a meat mallet. Use it to flatten chicken breasts or tenderize steaks before cooking.
7. Scoop and Transfer Ingredients
After chopping, use the broad blade to scoop everything straight from the board to the pan.
8. Portion Ribs and Steaks
No need to saw through meat—cleavers offer clean, confident cuts.
9. Split Lobsters and Crabs
The sharp edge breaks shells neatly, while the weight helps you avoid crushing the meat inside.
10. Crack Open Coconuts
When camping or working with fresh coconuts, the cleaver makes it safer and easier than smaller knives.
11. Chop Kindling for a Campfire
A sturdy cleaver can split small sticks or twigs when you're prepping a fire pit outdoors.
12. Prep Large Fish
For bigger catches like salmon or snapper, the cleaver handles both gutting and portioning.
13. Pop Jar Lids
The blunt spine is perfect for giving tight jar lids a gentle whack to loosen them.
14. Cut Frozen Foods
Skip the defrost—your cleaver can break down frozen meats or veggies without chipping.
15. Score Meat for Marinades
Create shallow cuts to let flavors penetrate deeper when grilling steaks or pork belly.
16. Smash Whole Spices
Crush peppercorns or cardamom pods with the flat blade for fresher seasoning blends.
17. Halve Large Fruits
Split watermelons, pineapples, or cantaloupes quickly and evenly.
18. Divide Dough
The straight blade is a baker’s best friend when it comes to portioning bread or pizza dough.
19. Scale Fish
In a pinch, the spine of your cleaver can remove fish scales almost as well as a scaler.
20. Sharpen Skewers or Sticks
Whittle campfire skewers into shape with the tip of the blade.
21. Chop Chocolate or Nuts
Break up chocolate blocks or tough nuts like almonds without much effort.
22. Speed Through Onion Chopping
The cleaver's wide blade gives you better grip and control, even with slick onion layers.
23. Dice Root Vegetables
Carrots, potatoes, turnips—your cleaver powers through firm textures in seconds.
24. Split Sandwiches or Burgers
Slice massive stacked sandwiches or juicy burgers with one downward motion.
25. Butterfly Meat Cuts
Use the long edge to open up chicken breasts or pork chops for even grilling.
26. Scrape the Grill Grates
A clean spine edge can help you scrape residue from hot grill grates in a pinch.
27. Serve Rustic Cuts
A cleaver doubles as a serving knife when slicing meats or cheeses for a crowd.
28. Cut Homemade Soaps or Wax
If you’re into crafting, use the cleaver for straight, smooth cuts on dense materials.
29. Trim Fresh Herbs or Veg in the Wild
Perfect when foraging or harvesting from your garden or campsite.
30. It Just Feels Good
Let’s be real—using a cleaver makes every chop feel a bit more satisfying.
Shop These Cleavers
Special Edition Cleaver
The knife that started it all. Originally designed and patented by MenWithThePot, this cleaver brings you one step closer to nature. With its full tang build and acacia wood handle, it’s made for outdoor cooking adventures—and for anyone who wants to cook like they mean it.
Specs:
• Blade Material: German 1.4116 stainless steel
• Hardness: 56+ HRC
• Blade Thickness: 1.6–1.8mm
• Blade Length: 19cm (7.5")
• Blade Width: 74mm
• Handle Length: 10.7cm
• Handle Material: Acacia Wood
• Full Tang Design
Leather sheath available separately
Damascus Cleaver
If you thought the original MWTP cleaver was badass, this one takes it to the next level. Forged from 67 layers of stainless Damascus with an AUS-10 core, it’s not just a cleaver—it’s a work of art. Strong, sharp, and seriously stunning.
Specs:
• Blade Material: 67-layer stainless Damascus with AUS-10 core
• Hardness: 59–61 HRC
• Blade Thickness: 2.2–2.3mm
• Blade Length: 19cm
• Blade Width: 74mm
• Handle Length: 10.7cm
• Handle Material: Brazilian Rosewood
• Full Tang Design
