The Forge Journal
Knife Guides for Cleavers, Chef Knives, BBQ and Care
These are plain guides on choosing, using and looking after hand forged high carbon steel knives, written by Matt. Read one before you buy, and another before you put a cleaver anywhere near the dishwasher.
- 14 guides
- Written by Matt
- Updated
Start here
If you only read three, read these.
How to Pick the Best Meat Cleaver for Your Kitchen
A buyer's guide to the best meat cleaver for your kitchen. What weight, blade length, height, spine, handle, finger hole and steel actually change,...
What Is a Serbian Chef Knife? The Cleaver Shaped Blade Explained
A Serbian chef knife is a thick, hand forged, cleaver shaped chef knife that chops, rocks and scoops. Here is what the style really...
High Carbon Steel Knife Care: Rust, Patina, Oiling and Sharpening
High carbon steel rewards a simple routine. Here is how to wash, dry and oil a carbon steel knife, remove light rust, force a...
Meat Cleavers
Everything we have written on cleavers, from choosing one to sharpening it after it meets its first bone.
How to Pick the Best Meat Cleaver for Your Kitchen
A buyer's guide to the best meat cleaver for your kitchen. What weight, blade length, height, spine, handle, finger hole and steel actually change,...
What Is a Meat Cleaver Used For? 9 Jobs It Does Better Than Your Chef Knife
What is a cleaver knife used for? Nine kitchen jobs a meat cleaver does better than your chef knife, from spatchcocking chicken and portioning...
Meat Cleaver vs Butcher Knife: Which One Your Kitchen Needs
A meat cleaver chops through joints and bone with weight and a tough edge. A butcher knife slices, trims and portions with a long,...
Cleaver vs Chef Knife: Which One Do You Actually Need?
Cleaver or chef knife? What each knife is actually for, where the tall Serbian style chef cleaver sits between them, how weight and cutting...
How to Sharpen a Meat Cleaver: Angle, Stones and Step by Step
A plain guide to sharpening a meat cleaver at home. Why a cleaver edge is ground differently from a chef knife, how to find...
Chef Knives and Knife Sets
The one knife that does most of the work in a kitchen, and how many others you really need next to it.
What Is a Serbian Chef Knife? The Cleaver Shaped Blade Explained
A Serbian chef knife is a thick, hand forged, cleaver shaped chef knife that chops, rocks and scoops. Here is what the style really...
What Is a Chef Knife Used For? Jobs, Sizes and How to Hold One
What a chef knife is used for, and what it should never be asked to do. How to pick a blade length for your...
Best Chef Knife Set: What a Home Cook Actually Needs
What makes the best chef knife set for a home cook. How many knives you actually use, the working trio of chef knife, cleaver...
BBQ, Butchering and Fish
Long slicers for brisket, and the thinner blades for taking meat off the bone or fish off the skin.
Best Knife for Slicing Brisket: Length, Edge and Timing
What makes the best knife for slicing brisket: a long straight edge, enough length to cross a packer flat, and a sharp blade that...
Boning Knife vs Fillet Knife: What Is the Difference?
Boning knife or fillet knife? The real difference is stiffness. Here is how the two shapes compare, which one to use for fish, poultry,...
Buying, Gifts and Care
Read these before you spend money on a knife, whether it is for you or for someone else, and read the care guide after.
Hand Forged vs Stamped Knives: What Actually Changes
Forged vs stamped knives, explained by people who forge them. How a stamped knife is made, how drop forged and hand forged knives differ,...
Are Hand Forged Knives Worth It? An Honest Answer
Are hand forged knives worth it? An honest answer from a forge. What the extra money actually buys, what it does not, how long...
Knife Gifts for Men: Hand Forged Picks by Budget and Person
A hand forged knife gift guide sorted two ways. By budget, from under $100 up to full sets, using our current prices. By person,...
High Carbon Steel Knife Care: Rust, Patina, Oiling and Sharpening
High carbon steel rewards a simple routine. Here is how to wash, dry and oil a carbon steel knife, remove light rust, force a...
All guides
Every guide in the journal, newest first.
What Is a Chef Knife Used For? Jobs, Sizes and How to Hold One
What a chef knife is used for, and what it should never be asked to do. How to pick a blade length for your...
Best Chef Knife Set: What a Home Cook Actually Needs
What makes the best chef knife set for a home cook. How many knives you actually use, the working trio of chef knife, cleaver...
Knife Gifts for Men: Hand Forged Picks by Budget and Person
A hand forged knife gift guide sorted two ways. By budget, from under $100 up to full sets, using our current prices. By person,...
Are Hand Forged Knives Worth It? An Honest Answer
Are hand forged knives worth it? An honest answer from a forge. What the extra money actually buys, what it does not, how long...
Hand Forged vs Stamped Knives: What Actually Changes
Forged vs stamped knives, explained by people who forge them. How a stamped knife is made, how drop forged and hand forged knives differ,...
Best Knife for Slicing Brisket: Length, Edge and Timing
What makes the best knife for slicing brisket: a long straight edge, enough length to cross a packer flat, and a sharp blade that...
Boning Knife vs Fillet Knife: What Is the Difference?
Boning knife or fillet knife? The real difference is stiffness. Here is how the two shapes compare, which one to use for fish, poultry,...
Cleaver vs Chef Knife: Which One Do You Actually Need?
Cleaver or chef knife? What each knife is actually for, where the tall Serbian style chef cleaver sits between them, how weight and cutting...
How to Sharpen a Meat Cleaver: Angle, Stones and Step by Step
A plain guide to sharpening a meat cleaver at home. Why a cleaver edge is ground differently from a chef knife, how to find...
High Carbon Steel Knife Care: Rust, Patina, Oiling and Sharpening
High carbon steel rewards a simple routine. Here is how to wash, dry and oil a carbon steel knife, remove light rust, force a...
Meat Cleaver vs Butcher Knife: Which One Your Kitchen Needs
A meat cleaver chops through joints and bone with weight and a tough edge. A butcher knife slices, trims and portions with a long,...
What Is a Meat Cleaver Used For? 9 Jobs It Does Better Than Your Chef Knife
What is a cleaver knife used for? Nine kitchen jobs a meat cleaver does better than your chef knife, from spatchcocking chicken and portioning...
How to Pick the Best Meat Cleaver for Your Kitchen
A buyer's guide to the best meat cleaver for your kitchen. What weight, blade length, height, spine, handle, finger hole and steel actually change,...
What Is a Serbian Chef Knife? The Cleaver Shaped Blade Explained
A Serbian chef knife is a thick, hand forged, cleaver shaped chef knife that chops, rocks and scoops. Here is what the style really...
Ready to pick one?
You have done the reading, so go look at the knives, or build a custom one if nothing on the shelf fits.
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