Meat Cleaver for Cutting Bone [Strong, Effective & Stylish]

When it comes to making homemade meals, some people have certain preferences like cutting their meat.

This can be done using a meat cleaver but you want to make sure it can cut through bones and that’s why we bring you the best meat cleaver for cutting bone.

This way, you can purchase large sizes of your favorite meat and cut through any joint to provide you with your desired smaller sizes.

They have a sharp, broad blade for cutting through meat and sometimes the side of their blades can be used to cut herbs or veggies.

Raw fresh cross cut veal shank and meat cleaver on wooden cutting board

Are you ready to see the list of some of the best products you can invest in that we’ve expertly compiled for you? Let’s get into it.

Is It Worth Investing in Meat Cleaver for Cutting Bone?

Yes, it is – in all aspects; quality, functionality, style. You don’t even have to be a professional chef to own one; it can be used at home as well. So if you’re having challenges cutting through meat and bone, these products are your best bet to achieve your desired results.

They are highly durable as they are made from the best materials; mostly the winning combination of stainless steel and wood for the blade and handle respectively. Ease of use, storage, and maintenance are some of the other great attributes of these products.

They are also multi-purpose tools, you can easily use them as vegetable cleavers or to slice and dice fruits. So what we’ve been trying to say in essence is that you would get your money’s worth should you decide to go for it.

Are Chinese Cleavers and Meat Cleavers the Same?

Chinese cleavers are different from meat cleavers and that difference lies in their blade thickness. Generally, meat cleavers have a thicker blade than Chinese cleavers which makes Chinese cleavers more suitable for soft meats and bones.

Chinese cleavers have a thickness range from 1 – 4 with 4 being the least thick and that’s not strong enough to cut through bones.

However, meat cleavers can chop medium to large-sized bones with ease and that’s because they have thick, sharp blades, mostly on a thickness level of 1.

How do I hold the Meat Cleaver during Use?

The first method is to grab the handle by the bolster and then place your thumb on one side of the blade with your index on the other. The most used and preferred method is to wrap your hands around the handle with your thumb against the bolster.

What is the Hole in the Top Right Corner of the Blade for?

That hole is called a hanging loop and as its name suggests, it is used to hang your meat cleaver whenever you want to store it. Although steel won’t rust if placed on the side, the blades can get dull, so using the hanging hole seems like a smart move – unless, of course, you have a better storage option.

The hanging loop can also be used to hang the tool on the belt of butchers. This provides them with easy access to it when they are working.

How to Use a Meat Cleaver for Cutting Bone

Meat cleavers are easy to use but one has to be careful as they have very sharp blades. To use them effectively and safely, follow these steps.

Set Up Your Cutting Board

First of all, ensure the cutting board is super strong. The next thing you want to do is place it on a flat and non-slip surface to ensure your safety.

Decide How To Hold The Meat Cleaver

Depending on what you intend to cut, pick either the first or second method of holding meat cleavers. If you plan on cutting roast turkey into two pieces for instance you can use the first method and if it’s tough meat, the second method.

Start Cutting

Cutting meat and bone don’t necessarily mean heavy strokes, take advantage of the heavy-duty blade and let it do the work for you. With the tool in your hand, slightly raise your arm, tilting your wrist in the right direction, and then bring it down on the meat or bone you want to cut.

If your meat cleaver gets stuck in the bone, use your other hand to put pressure on the spine of the cleaver until it pushes it downwards to finish the cut.

What Type of Blade Edge Works Best for Cutting Bone?

Straight edges are the best fit for cutting through bones, especially tough ones. Blades with serrated edges are more suitable for soft meat and bone. Some may prefer curved edges which allow them to go back and forth to finish cuts that couldn’t be completed with the initial cutting force.

How to Clean a Meat Cleaver

To make maintaining your product hassle-free, we suggest you get a dishwasher-safe product, but considering how only a few meat cleavers are compatible with dishwashers, you may have to clean manually.

Hand washing has proven to be an effective method of cleaning also. Simply place the blade under running water and if there is stuck food on the blade make use of a brush to wipe them off (don’t use your hand).

For the handle, simply wipe clean with a dry, clean cloth.

Factors to Consider When Buying

We want you to get your money’s worth and for that to happen you have to have these factors at the back of your mind when shopping.

What Type Of Steel Is The Blade Made From?

Steel is a reliable material because it has high strength and it’s resistant to rust and corrosion. Commonly used steel types are high carbon stainless steel, German stainless steel, or Japanese steel.

Some products make use of 1.4116 alloy of steel which is stronger. Preferably, check to see if the manufacturing process included modern vacuum heat treatment and cooling treatment. That also makes the blade stronger.

If the Rockwell level is made available, check if it’s A 58 – that’s one of the hardest blades you can find and would do an excellent job.

What Are The Width And Thickness Of The Blade?

Large blade widths will allow you to cut through a large meat slab with a single swing of the meat cleaver. Also, if you have big hands, you may prefer blades with a larger width. Blades with a width range of 6-8 inches are the most common and they work perfectly.

You also want to make sure the blade is thick enough especially if you intend to use it for tough meats and bones. Thick blades cut through bones easily and you don’t have to repeat strikes. Blades with thin thickness will warp when cutting through bones.

Material And Safety Of The Handle

Woods like Rosewood and Pukkawood are commonly used to make meat cleaver handles that are less likely to slip off your hands.  Other types of wooden handles are made from Walnut wood or Wenge wood. Some products make use of polypropylene handles which is also a good choice.

When it comes to the safety of meat cleavers, the riveting of the handle plays a vital role. Most products use between 2 – 3 rivets, but we suggest you go with 3 rivets as they are more secure.

Meat Cleaver for Cutting Bone Reviews

1. Golden Bird Meat Cleaver

Highlighted Features

  • 3mm thick carbon steel blade
  • Full tang rosewood handle
  • Blade is 16° double-beveled
  • Broad, strong bolster

This product is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to heavy-duty meat cleavers. It embodies aesthetics, quality, and functionality. It is made from high-quality materials which involve carbon steel for the blade craftsmanship and full tang rosewood for its handle.

6HRC – that’s what the carbon steel blade is heat-treated to. It was ground to 16° in a double bevel and forged to produce edges that are ultra-sharp passing a series of hand-grinding tests.

It has a total length of 370mm with the blade covering more than half of that at 240mm. The sharp blade features an upward curve which is great for dicing, mincing, and slicing.

Between the strong rosewood handle and the end of the blade is a broad, strong bolster to protect your hand from cuts. The wooden handle is non-slip and ensures secure grips. Attached to the end of the wooden handle is a brass eagle head to add to the product aesthetics.

Besides being a meat cleaver, it also qualifies as a vegetable cleaver.

2. WALLOP Heavy Duty Meat Cleaver

Highlighted Features

  • German stainless steel blade
  • Full tang natural wood handle
  • Versatile
  • Handle is securely fixed with triple rivets

This is an excellent meat cleaver for cutting bone. Its 6 inches sharp blade made from German stainless steel will cut through meat and bone effortlessly. The blade has a thickness of 2.5mm with a broad surface.

The full tang wooden handle, made from Pakkawood, is about 5” long and is securely connected to the blade by not one or two, but three rivets. The color of the handle blends well with the blades and makes it kind of fancy.

Whenever you need to cut through the meat and bone of fish, poultry, or sheep, this is your best bet. It provides multiple functions, allowing users to also make use of it to chop vegetables or cut cooked food.

3. Cinlinso Bone Cutting Knife

Highlighted Features

  • Stainless steel blade
  • Non-slip Shabi pear wood handle
  • Advanced heat treatment tech
  • Multiple uses

This heavy-duty bone cutting knife is constructed by combining advanced heat treatment technology with old hot-forging methods and the result is phenomenal – ultra-sharp stainless steel blades that cut through meat and bone easily and efficiently.

Like most knives, it has a wooden handle triple riveted to the blade to ensure permanent joining. The handle is made from Shabi pearwood so you know it won’t deform and is anti-slip.

This product comes in handy in different situations. For instance, it can be used for chopping, slicing, or shredding veggies and herbs. It also does a great job crushing ginger, garlic, tomato, etc.

4. Sato Forged Heavy-Duty Meat Cleaver

Highlighted Features

  • Stainless steel forged blade
  • Full tang walnut handle
  • Hanging loop in the blade

Sato Forged Heavy-Duty Meat Cleaver hides its highly functional abilities behind a very simple design. Its broad, sharp blade is constructed using stainless steel and its handle is full tang walnut wood. The handle is double riveted to the blade to ensure a secure joint.

This 8” long and 4” wide product is all you need to effortlessly cut your meat into desired sizes and guess what, the meat bones don’t stand a chance against its sharp blade.

The blade has a built-in hanging loop for storage so that’s an option to consider if your storage drawers are full. Some users have said they found it to be dishwasher-safe but hand wash is recommended.

5. Juvale Meat Cleaver

Highlighted Features

  • Stainless steel blade
  • Strong wooden handle
  • Dishwasher-safe
  • Storage loop in the blade

A stainless steel and wood combination is unmatched and this meat cleaver is further proof of that. It features sharp, broad stainless steel blades which you’ll find really useful in cutting through meat bones.

Still, on the blade, it is 8″ long and has a storage loop so you can just hang it when you’re out of storage options. The blade is hand-sharpened and features a curved blade with a honed edge.

There’s a wooden handle attached to the blade for non-slip holds and is triple-riveted for improved safety. Unlike most meat cleavers, this particular product is dishwasher-safe to make cleaning more convenient for users.

6. TUO Stainless Steel Meat Cleaver

Highlighted Features

  • German stainless steel blade
  • Solid Pakkawood handle
  • Advanced heat treatment
  • Traditional hand-sharpening process

Little wonder this product was rated one of the best in the world some few years back. This heavy-duty meat cleaver is constructed using stainless steel for the blades and Pakkawood for the handle to ensure all-round long-lasting quality.

The stainless steel used is processed through a heat treatment method that utilizes advanced-tech vacuum and nitrogen cooling techniques. These processes enhance the quality of the steel, improve its corrosion resistance, and introduce superior edge retention.

The ultra-sharp blade provides unmatched results as its cutting edge is hand-sharpened by highly experienced smiths who employ traditional Honbazuke techniques. The handle is comfortable to hold and the full tang provides counterweight and stability to the size of the blade.

7. DRAGON RIOT Hand Forged Cleaver Knife

Highlighted Features

  • Handmade
  • Blade made from carbon and manganese steel
  • Full tang Wenge wood handle
  • Vacuum heat treatment

Take a look at the 4mm thick blade of this product, what do you see? Fierceness? Whatever meat or bone you’re dealing with, this meat cleaver is unstoppable – thanks to its vacuum heat treatment coupled with cooling treatment.

Why? It is handmade, combining carbon steel and manganese steel to make the curved blade – it sure looks like dragon glass from Game of Thrones, but no, it isn’t.

It’s perfect for both home and industrial use. It is a multi-purpose tool; you can also use it to slice or dice vegetables and fruits.

Its handle is wave-shaped to prevent slips. It is made from Wenge wood and riveted three times for maximum durability and safety.

8. SKY LIGHT Meat Cleavers

Highlighted Features

  • High carbon stainless steel blade
  • Non-slip steel and ABS handle
  • Hanging loop
  • Well-designed bolster

This is the first product on our list that makes use of steel for both the blade and handle. The blade is made from high carbon stainless steel and the handle is also made from steel with a touch of ABS.

The blade is sharp, rust-resistant, and efficiently cuts through meat and bone. You can make use of the hanging loop in the blade if you ever run out of storage ideas. Its ergonomic handle is comfortable to hold and ensures tight secure holds.

Speaking of secure holds, the handle is triple riveted to the blade. The bolster adds a sleek touch to the product but also does a great job keeping your fingers safe.

9. Kitory Meat Cleaver

Highlighted Features

  • Wide high carbon steel blade
  • Long triple-riveted wooden handle
  • Best treatment processes

Jokingly called “kitchen Thanos”, although, it looks more like Thor’s hammer, this product is a nightmare to any type of meat bone.

Its blade is made from the best treatment processes combining traditional methods with advanced techniques to achieve optimum results. Its 6.5mm thick blade conveniently cuts through any type of meat or bone.

The wooden handle, which is full tang, is triple-riveted so you don’t have to ever worry about it slipping off. It adds a sleek look to the product and feels really comfy in your hands.

Although it’s heavier than regular meat cleavers, it makes up for that by being three times stronger than others.

10. MSY BIGSUNNY Bone Chopping Knife

Highlighted Features

  • German stainless steel blade
  • Solid Pakkawood handle
  • The blade is hand polished

Last but not least is this incredible bone chopping knife from MSY BIGSUNNY. Its sleek and fancy design is sure to catch your attention but there’s more to this product.

The broad blade is made from German stainless steel and hand-polished at 30° on each side to give it its sleek look. There’s more to it. The cutting edge is expertly tapered with stainless steel so it cuts meat and bone perfectly.

It features a not-so-long handle made from Pakkawood with a fascinating design. Most importantly, it ensures tight grips. The design also includes a bolster to ensure users’ safety during use.

Final Thoughts

Meat cleavers are the number one choice for butchers and professional chefs and you also can benefit from the numerous merits that come along with owning this kitchen tool.

This post contains all you need from factors you need to consider to reviews of the meat cleavers – and now it’s about to get better, here are two recommendations for you.

Golden Bird Meat Cleaver is a top-notch product and should be on your shopping list. It has a sharp, heavy-duty blade made from high carbon steel and a full tang Rosewood handle.

Those who seek an affordable heavy-duty knife will love Juvale Meat Cleaver. It has a sharp stainless steel blade with a strong wooden handle. It is dishwasher-safe.

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