Aurochs 6" Hand Forged Serbian Cleaver, Spear Point, High Carbon Steel, Black Rosewood Handle

The Aurochs is a 6" Serbian cleaver, hand forged from high carbon steel with a spear point where you would expect a square nose. That one change makes it a different tool. You get cleaver mass in the back and a tip up front that can pierce, score and work around a joint.

At the Pit

This is a BBQ prep cleaver first. Trim a pork butt, split a rack of ribs, portion chicken thighs, and it will not flinch. The deep belly rocks through herbs and onions for a rub or a mop sauce, and the spear point lets you score the fat cap on a brisket without reaching for a second knife. At 6" it also rides along easily for camp cooking.

It is not the knife for long slicing. If you want a choke up grip, the Razorback 6" meat cleaver adds a finger hole and a saw tooth spine, and the bigger blades are all in our cleaver collection.

A Gift That Gets Used

Give the Aurochs to the friend who hosts every cookout, or to a new homeowner with a shiny grill on the patio as a housewarming gift. The black rosewood and dark forge scale look right hanging next to a smoker, and the spear point gets noticed at the table. It fits Father's Day and Christmas without trying hard. More ideas live in our knife gifts collection.

Every Xcutlery blade is high carbon steel, hand forged one at a time in the Serbian style: thick stock, a lot of hammer work, and the forge finish left on the flats.

Serbian style cleavers are known for a thick, hand hammered blade with the forge scale left on, and the Aurochs follows that pattern. The blank is hammered out thick, the belly is swept deep so it can rock, and the spine is brought down to meet the edge in a spear point. The dark scale on the upper blade stays on purpose, because it protects the steel and gives it that raw look. Only the edge is taken down to bright, polished metal. Then it gets a black rosewood handle set with heavy steel pins.

Why high carbon steel

It takes a very fine edge and comes back quickly on a whetstone. The price of that edge is a little care. This steel is not a rust resistant alloy, so water left on the blade will mark it. Wash it, dry it, wipe on a light coat of oil, and it will be cutting long after the cutting board has given up.

Patina

With use the steel darkens to a grey or blue patina. That is normal for high carbon steel and it helps protect the blade. Red rust is a different thing, and it comes from a knife left wet.

• 6" hand forged high carbon steel blade
• Spear point profile
• Raw forge scale with a polished edge
• Full tang with steel pins
• Black rosewood handle
• Built for BBQ prep, butchering and camp cooking

Specifications

• Blade: 6" hand forged high carbon steel, spear point profile
• Finish: Raw forge scale, polished edge
• Construction: Full tang with steel pins
• Handle: Black rosewood
• Use: BBQ prep, butchering, camp cooking

• Aurochs 6" hand forged Serbian cleaver
• Lifetime warranty against defects in materials and craftsmanship

Each blade is forged by hand, so the forge texture, hammer marks and wood grain on yours will be its own.

Hand wash it and dry it at once. A light coat of food safe oil keeps the forge scale and the edge in good shape. Keep it out of the dishwasher and never leave it soaking.

Every time you use it

• Hand wash it right after use and dry it straight away
• Wipe on a light coat of food safe oil before it goes away
• Cut on wood or plastic boards
• Touch up the edge on a whetstone when it starts to drag

Keep it away from

• The dishwasher, and a sink full of water overnight
• Glass, stone or metal cutting surfaces
• Prying, twisting or throwing

The full routine is in our high carbon steel knife care guide, and the edge work is in how to sharpen a meat cleaver.

Every Xcutlery knife is covered for life against defects in materials and craftsmanship. If a handle works loose from the tang, a pin comes free, or there is a flaw in the steel or the build that came from us, we repair or replace it free of charge.

It does not cover normal wear such as a dull edge, damage from misuse, or rust from the dishwasher or soaking. Slight differences in forge texture, hammer marks and wood grain are part of a handmade knife, not defects.

To make a claim, email sales@xcutlery.com (Australia: sales@xcutlery.com.au) with your order number and photos. Separately, you have 30 days from delivery to return an unused knife. Engraved and custom knives cannot be returned for a change of mind. Full terms are on the warranty page.

What is a Serbian cleaver?
A thick, hand forged cleaver with a tall blade and a raw forged finish, used for chopping and general meat prep. The Aurochs is forged in that style with a spear point added.

Is it good for brisket?
For trimming and scoring, yes. For slicing a finished brisket you want a long slicer, and those are in our BBQ knives.

Does it cut bone?
Ribs, chicken bones and joints are fine. Leave frozen meat and heavy beef bones alone.

Does it come sharp?
Yes. The edge is polished and ready for work when it arrives.

The spear point scores a brisket fat cap and the cleaver weight behind it splits a rack of ribs, so one blade covers both jobs. If you are weighing it against a heavier cleaver, read our notes on picking a cleaver for BBQ prep.