# Write up on Chinese cleavers



## blokey (Oct 26, 2022)

Hi, everyone. Seeing more people are getting into Chinese cleavers, I kind want to write something on the subject, since there’s some confusion on the subject. By no means I’m an expert on Chinese cleavers, nor actually good at using it, but I do grow up using them just like my parents and grandparents, while now I do use gyuto more (sorry ancestors), I still enjoy using Chinese chef knives, especially for dicing vegetables. Being able to research source in Chinese do helps a lot with the subjects do help a lot, and with some friends familiar with knife making. Please do not take this as an authoritative take on the subject, it may contain errors. If you see any errors, please let me know.
The Chinese cleaver, or better called Chinese chef knives are not a single knife, there is a huge misconception not only among foreigners, but also among many Chinese home cooks that Chinese chef only use one knife for everything. This is simply not true, while in Chinese home, people tend to use one knife, likely Zhan Qie Dao/Wen Wu Dao for everything, this can also be said for home cooks around the world, Japanese housewives use just one Santoku or Western home cooks only use an 8inch chef knife to do everything. Demonstrated here in Ang Lee’s masterpiece Drink Eat Man Woman, Chinese chef can have an arsenal rivals his Japanese counterpart.


The Chinese chef knives are divided into three main categories, Wen Dao/文刀/Pian Dao/片刀, also know as Slicers in English, there are the Chinese equivalent to Chef knife or Gyuto, and when people talks about Chinese chef knives they are talking about there. Next is 文武刀/Wen Wu Dao/Mon Mo Dao/斩切刀/Zhan Qie Dao, these are known as all purpose cleavers, they usually have different thickness and edge angles at front and back, when people talks about Chinese cooks use only one knife for everything, they are talking about this knife. The front of the knife has a shallow angle for slicing while the back have a larger angle for smaller bones like chicken or fish. Zhan Qie Dao, compared to the other two, it’s actually quite recent invention, tracing its root to early 20th Century. The last one is 武刀/Wu Dao/砍骨刀/ Kan Gu Dao, this is the actual cleaver part of Chinese chef knives, they are butcher knives specialized knives for bones, from chicken to beef, there are various sub categories for different purpose. There are also many specialized and regional knives like fish knives, pork knives and Peking duck knives, those are only really seen in professional settings, but they can be fun in home too.

Wen Dao/文刀/Pian Dao/片刀/Slicer，the workhorse in any Chinese kitchen, is what ,most people are discussing on the forum, CCK 1302, Sugimoto no.6, Shibazi F-208, Chopper King slicer are all different incarnations of Pian Dao, they are usually rectangular and slightly curvy depending on which region they are from. One thing they have in common is that they are very thin behind the edges, and should definitely not be used on bones and frozen food. There are several popular sub-categories of Pian Dao.
First is Da Pian Dao/大片刀/Large slicer, like the name, it is a large slicer, usually starts at 220mm x 110mm, but can go up to 240mm x 130mm or even larger. They are the equivalent of 10-inch Western chef knives, in that they are rarely seen in home kitchens, but act as absolute workhorse in any professional Chinese restaurant. They excel at precisely processing large amounts of vegetables and meat, and also act as garlic smashers and scoops. Large slicers can have quite different profiles depending on which region they are from. Here’s some examples.
Here's the Chan Chi Kee large slicer from Hong Kong, they cater largely towards Cantonese cuisine, Chan Chi Kee knives prized by high end Cantonese eateries for their cutting ability. You can see they are essentially the larger and thicker version of beloved CCK 1302 Sang Dao, the profile is quite flat and very rectangular.





Here’s a large slicer from the town of Long Shui, Da Zu District, Chong Qing. Long Shui is a famous town for knife making, but these days it got overshadowed by Yang Jiang, much of the knife making here are still in small shops, One of the more famous manfacturers from this area is Deng Jia. Their profile is usually on the curvy side, with a thick T shape spine. I’ve seen T spine on knives from other regions, however they are not as dominate as the ones from Chong Qing and SiChuan.







Northern China also have their style of cleaver, most of them are quite similar to Sichuan and Chong, sometimes curvier. One style of knife interested me is called Beijing Styled chef knife, which features a rounded heel area, but they are not as popular as others nowadays. You can see in the examples below, one by Wang Ma Zi, an old Beijing, their spine gradually tapers down rather than forming a T shape.







Old and modern examples of Beijing chef.








Of course many other regions also have their own styles of large slicers, but since the industrialization and regulations against population, many manufacturers either moved or out sourced their production to Yang Jiang, where now produce most of knives in Chine. These 3 knives below are from 3 brands based in Beijing, Chongqing and Yangjiang respectively, and you can see them are quite similar now.











Here’s a good clip of large slicer in action, being thin behind the edge is must in order to slice ingredients in the video.


Xiao Pian Dao/ Siu Pin Dao/小片刀/Small slicer, as their name imply, they are slicer but smaller. They can be seen everywhere, from home cooks to professionals. They also vary greatly in size, from just a little smaller than a large slicer to what basically is just a taller nakiri. CCK 1902 is a good example, the famed Dexter Russell Chinese chef could be also labelled as a Siu Pin, as they are based on the knives used by early Cantonese immigrants. Some of the interesting examples of Siu Pin are beef knife and Yu Sheng (Chinese Sashimi) Knife, they usually have lower front height than the back, they are used predominantly in Chao Shan restaurants for beef hot pot and Chinese sashimi dished.


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## blokey (Oct 26, 2022)

Here's an example of classic Siu Pin, the CCK KF1902, very much a square.




Here’s a beef knife by Shuang Shi/Double Lion, an old Cantonese manufacturer,




Here’s them in action.

Here’s the CCK in action, being smaller and nimble helps deal with delicate ingredients.

he last entry here is Sang Dao/桑刀/mulberry knife, which is beloved by many forum members and knife enthusiasts due to their unparalleled cutting ability. Legend has it that the knife originated in the need to thinly slice mulberry leaves in order to feed the silkworm. Nowadays Sang Dao is used to slice ingredients very finely, especially popular among southern Chinese cuisine. They are very thin throughout the whole knife from spine to edge. CCK 1301-1303 are classic examples of this knife, the famed Shibazi F-208 is also supposed to be a Sang Dao, but it has grown way too thick even for Siu Pin. Due to the misconception of many home cooks or even professional cooks that one knife can do everything, manufacturers beefed their knives up in order to avoid chipping in the hands of average home cooks, many professional like the one below has sadly resorted to thinning their brand new knives for over 10 hours in order to properly perform its original function. This is also why CCKs are popular among professionals, they are a restaurant supply store and they don’t need to cater to home cooks, so they get the things right from the start.



The classic CCK


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## blokey (Oct 26, 2022)

This is more of a fun research projects for me, let me know if you have advice, I will finish on the parts of all purpose cleaver and bone cleavers in the coming days.


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## blokey (Oct 26, 2022)

Forgot to include a rather interesting knife, Rou Gui Dao/肉桂刀/ Asian Cinnamon knife, this knife originated as a tool for Chinese medicine pharmacist to cut up Asian Cinnamon, hence the name, like the mulberry knife, it grew popular around chefs, and nowadays it is very popular among Taiwanese home cooks. The knife's profile looks more like a combination between bunka and gyuto, and slices by combination of rocking and push cut, it is quite different from other rectangular Chinese chefs. Some manufacturers sell it as fish knife or all purpose knife, and some interations of Rou Gui Dao is actually more of a Zhan Qie Dao than a slicer, as they can have a thicker heel area for chpping.
Here's one in action


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## blokey (Oct 26, 2022)

It is quite interesting that you can guess where the majority of Chinese immigrants is from by looking at the local iterations of Chinese chef knives. In North America, where large number of early immigrants is from Canton/ Guang Dong, Siu Pin like Dexter Russell become dominate in the restaurant supply market. Celebrity chef Martin Yan is a of Cantonese ancestry and use his small cleavers masterfully. Whereas in Japan, large number of Northern and Sichuanese immigrants brought larger slicers with them, sugimoto no.6 is a primary example, the famous iron chef Chen Kenichi who popularized Japanese styled Chinese cuisine like mapo tofu is from Si Chuang.







Martin and his knives.

Chen Kenichi, look at that massive knife, is that the Tojiro vg10?


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## stringer (Oct 26, 2022)

Thanks for sharing @blokey
This will be a wonderful resource for anyone looking for info on Chinese chef knives.


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## Barmoley (Oct 26, 2022)

Excellent write up, very interesting. Thank you for sharing.


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## kpham12 (Oct 26, 2022)

blokey said:


> It is quite interesting that you can guess where the majority of Chinese immigrants is from by looking at the local iterations of Chinese chef knives. In North America, where large number of early immigrants is from Canton/ Guang Dong, Siu Pin like Dexter Russell become dominate in the restaurant supply market. Celebrity chef Martin Yan is a of Cantonese ancestry and use his small cleavers masterfully. Whereas in Japan, large number of Northern and Sichuanese immigrants brought larger slicers with them, sugimoto no.6 is a primary example, the famous iron chef Chen Kenichi who popularized Japanese styled Chinese cuisine like mapo tofu is from Si Chuang.
> View attachment 205150
> 
> Martin and his knives.
> ...



Great great write-up. That is the Tojiro VG-10 being used by Chen Kenichi. A very good utilitarian option for Chinese cleavers. I think the Sugimoto, Tojiro and Sakai Takayuki INOX are three of the more commonly used Chinese cleavers in Chinese restaurants in Japan.

I love that circular cutting block that he’s using, it’s hard to find them in the U.S. The wooden ones are more common, but that one looks like it’s synthetic rubber. I also like how he mentions using a push cutting motion with the cleaver instead of a straight up and down chop as to avoid crushing the scallions.


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## JASinIL2006 (Oct 26, 2022)

Very cool!


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## r0bz (Oct 26, 2022)

@blokey 
*wow as a chinese cleaver lover i thank you sincerly for all of the information!!!
i have a shibazi f208 and it is preety sad that all of them are thick behind the edge aswell as many german knifes....
very hard for me to get a cck
also how would you suggest thinning for a Chinese cleaver 
using this angle of approach?*

*or this angle of approach?*


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## blokey (Oct 26, 2022)

r0bz said:


> @blokey
> *wow as a chinese cleaver lover i thank you sincerly for all of the information!!!
> i have a shibazi f208 and it is preety sad that all of them are thick behind the edge aswell as many german knifes....
> very hard for me to get a cck
> ...



Both works, use what method you are comfortable with.


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## drrayeye (Oct 26, 2022)

Thanks, Blokey,

Great background information. For my purposes as a home cook, the Shibazi F208-2 has been the perfect complement to my smaller Japanese nakiri--and I wouldn't want to thin it as some have suggested. 

I use my Seki Magoroku nakiri, light and thin, as a slicer, and my Shibazi as a vertical chopper. That was what I was missing before my Shibazi f208.


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## chefwp (Oct 26, 2022)

Thanks for the very interesting write up. I addeded a CCK 1103 a while back and the more I use it the more I like it. I was thinking that I need to experiment with the form some more and maybe add a couple to my kit.

What do you think of the Japanese 'chuka' versions, often times fabricated with higher quality, and sadly more expensive, steels?


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## blokey (Oct 26, 2022)

chefwp said:


> Thanks for the very interesting write up. I addeded a CCK 1103 a while back and the more I use it the more I like it. I was thinking that I need to experiment with the form some more and maybe add a couple to my kit.
> 
> What do you think of the Japanese 'chuka' versions, often times fabricated with higher quality, and sadly more expensive, steels?


I like them, they are based more on the large slicers. Since most of them are catered towards professionals they tend to be heavier and more rugged. Ive used both Gesshin Ginga and Sakai Kikumori Gokujyo no.6, they are really fun. The biggest difference between Chuka and most Chinese large slicer is actually grind, traditional Chinese grind tend to be either full flat like seen in the pics above or high V grind, Chukas have grind more like nakiri, where the thickest park is actually the Shinogi rather than the spine, forming kind of a Oliver shape. This could help with some food release, but would crack some taller ingredients. BTW I've seen some similar Oliver grind in Chinese knife too. CCK 1302 is kind like that where the thickest part is the end of KU finish, chopper king large slicer is also kind like this. So it's really just different take on grind, with good thinness bte both can cut well.
Here's the back and front choil of my Sakai Kikumori.


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## blokey (Oct 26, 2022)

kpham12 said:


> Great great write-up. That is the Tojiro VG-10 being used by Chen Kenichi. A very good utilitarian option for Chinese cleavers. I think the Sugimoto, Tojiro and Sakai Takayuki INOX are three of the more commonly used Chinese cleavers in Chinese restaurants in Japan.
> 
> I love that circular cutting block that he’s using, it’s hard to find them in the U.S. The wooden ones are more common, but that one looks like it’s synthetic rubber. I also like how he mentions using a push cutting motion with the cleaver instead of a straight up and down chop as to avoid crushing the scallions.


Yoshikawa makes one, but I have no idea where to get one in NA. Personally I like rectangular cutting board in home kitchen.


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## blokey (Oct 26, 2022)

Some interesting find when researching all purpose cleaver, these are some of vintage slicers from Northern China, most of them are quite unique compare to what's on market today.


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## BillHanna (Oct 26, 2022)

That last shape is super interesting. I wonder why they chose that.


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## blokey (Oct 26, 2022)

BillHanna said:


> That last shape is super interesting. I wonder why they chose that.


It is actually very close one of the best selling all purpose cleaver Shibazi Flying Globe, tho the Shibazi is a bit less exaggerated. The idea could be more weight towards the back where the bone chopping happens. Contrary to that the Beijing style chef clearly has more to the front, probably for rapid tap chop. The beef knife also have that shape but likely for a very different reason.

A limited edition Flying Global, might be made by Kurosaki (jk)


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## r0bz (Oct 27, 2022)

blokey said:


> Yoshikawa makes one, but I have no idea where to get one in NA. Personally I like rectangular cutting board in home kitchen.


from what meterial is the board made out of do you know?


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## stringer (Oct 27, 2022)

blokey said:


> Some interesting find when researching all purpose cleaver, these are some of vintage slicers from Northern China, most of them are quite unique compare to what's on market today.
> View attachment 205293
> View attachment 205294
> View attachment 205295
> ...


I think the bulge on that last one's spine could be to toughen it up so it doesn't deform as much when you give it a little mallet encouragement. 

I love watching the fish butchers at Chinese groceries hacking the heads off of giant fish with a cleaver and mallet.


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## blokey (Oct 27, 2022)

r0bz said:


> from what meterial is the board made out of do you know?


Synthetic rubber like Hasegawa and Asahi.


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## r0bz (Oct 28, 2022)

blokey said:


> Synthetic rubber like Hasegawa and Asahi.


would you recommend this board over a regular wooden board ?


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## blokey (Oct 28, 2022)

r0bz said:


> would you recommend this board over a regular wooden board ?


I use a Hasegawa rectangular board with similar material, personally I like it, simply because of the convenience, it doesn't soak up odor and color, easier to clean and lighter.


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## r0bz (Oct 29, 2022)

blokey said:


> I use a Hasegawa rectangular board with similar material, personally I like it, simply because of the convenience, it doesn't soak up odor and color, easier to clean and lighter.


do you know if it has been tested and approved for food safety?


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## blokey (Oct 29, 2022)

r0bz said:


> do you know if it has been tested and approved for food safety?


Yoshikawa similar to Asahi, Hasegawa, used in many restaurants and shops, I'd imagine they passed safty standard there.


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## Water (Oct 29, 2022)

Hello Folks, A pair of 文武刀/Wen Wu Dao No.2 & No.3 from the 70s made in Hong Kong.


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## Noodle Soup (Nov 10, 2022)

blokey said:


> Forgot to include a rather interesting knife, Rou Gui Dao/肉桂刀/ Asian Cinnamon knife, this knife originated as a tool for Chinese medicine pharmacist to cut up Asian Cinnamon, hence the name, like the mulberry knife, it grew popular around chefs, and nowadays it is very popular among Taiwanese home cooks. The knife's profile looks more like a combination between bunka and gyuto, and slices by combination of rocking and push cut, it is quite different from other rectangular Chinese chefs. Some manufacturers sell it as fish knife or all purpose knife, and some interations of Rou Gui Dao is actually more of a Zhan Qie Dao than a slicer, as they can have a thicker heel area for chpping.
> Here's one in action
> 
> View attachment 205146



Interesting, I was told by the owner of a knife shop in Thailand that their common cooking knife pattern as made by Kiwi, Penguin and others, was originally based on these knives brought to their country by Taiwanese immigrants


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## blokey (Nov 11, 2022)

Noodle Soup said:


> Interesting, I was told by the owner of a knife shop in Thailand that their common cooking knife as made by Kiwi, Penguin and others, was originally based on these knives brought to their country by Taiwanese immigrants


I can see some Kiwi models are based on Rou Gui Dao but smaller overall.


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## baggyjorts (Nov 21, 2022)

Does anyone know of some sort of equivalent of yahoo auctions japan for chinese knives?


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## blokey (Nov 21, 2022)

baggyjorts said:


> Does anyone know of some sort of equivalent of yahoo auctions japan for chinese knives?


Xianyu or TaoBao maybe


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## pownedju (Nov 21, 2022)

What do you think about Watanabe cleavers? I was between Sugimoto #1 or #6, but I prefer very thin knives, and one of the complaints I saw about the Sugimotos is that they weren't thin enough. Currently using a CCK 1303 that I love, but I'd like something more exotic haha.


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## kpham12 (Nov 23, 2022)

pownedju said:


> What do you think about Watanabe cleavers? I was between Sugimoto #1 or #6, but I prefer very thin knives, and one of the complaints I saw about the Sugimotos is that they weren't thin enough. Currently using a CCK 1303 that I love, but I'd like something more exotic haha.


Here is a good comparison of a Sugimoto #6 and a Watanabe cleaver if you haven’t seen it already.



I have a Sugimoto #6 I’ve used a lot, but I recommend this Sugimoto #1 as it’s a little narrower, lighter, a bit thinner and a decent bit cheaper than the #6.









Sugimoto White Steel Japanese Chef's Chinese Cooking Knife 220x95mm [#1 - 4001]


Made-in-Japan Thousands Selection of Japanese Knives --- Sashimi and Sushi Knife (Japanese Knife) series --- with Excellent Design and Unparalleled Tradition. Direct Delivery from Japan Worldwide. Highly recommended for GIFT of Anniversary as well as for Your Best Professional Cooking Experience.




www.hocho-knife.com





Watanabe is good if you want a flatter profile, but Sugimoto has nicer taper down the spine. Japanese cleavers won’t really be as thin overall as a CCK, but Sugimoto and Watanabe are pretty thin right behind the edge. You’ll want to thin your cleaver every few sharpenings anyways.


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