Razorback 6" Hand Forged Meat Cleaver, High Carbon Steel, Saw Tooth Spine, Finger Hole, Rosewood Handle

The Razorback is a 6" meat cleaver hand forged from high carbon steel, built for the pitmaster who wants one blade that chops, trims and takes a beating at the campsite. It is short enough to steer and stout enough for joints, and it has two things most cleavers skip: a saw tooth spine and a finger hole.

At the Board and at the Fire

The Razorback does its best work on ribs, chicken, pork shoulder and anything with cartilage and thick joints. The textured flats break suction, so cuts fall away instead of sticking to the steel. Hook your index finger through the hole and you can choke up for careful trimming, which is hard to do on a plain rectangle cleaver. The saw tooth spine takes on tough connective tissue, and out at camp it will notch wood.

What it is not: a slicer. If you want long, clean brisket slices, look at our BBQ knives. If you want a longer blade for big breakdown jobs, the 7.5" Hand Forged Butcher Cleaver is the bigger choice. The full lineup lives in our cleaver collection. Want a spear point instead of a finger hole? The Aurochs 6" Serbian cleaver is the same size with a tip for scoring a fat cap.

A Gift That Gets Used

Buy this for the guy who owns a smoker and talks about bark like it is a sport. It suits Father's Day, a birthday, or a groomsman who spends his weekends at the pit or the lake. The finger hole and toothed spine give it a look people ask about, and at 6" it packs into a camp box without a fight. For something built to order, see our custom knife page.

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.

This is a Serbian style hand forged cleaver, so the shape comes off the hammer and not off a grinder template. A thick blank is drawn out, the deep sweeping belly is set, and the finger hole and spine teeth are worked into the blade. The flats keep their brute de forge finish, the dark scale you see in the photos, and only the edge gets polished. No two come out exactly alike, and that is the point.

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
• Saw tooth spine
• Finger hole for close control
• Brute de forge flats with a polished edge
• Full tang with steel pins
• Rosewood handle

Specifications

• Blade: 6" hand forged high carbon steel
• Features: Saw tooth spine, finger hole
• Finish: Brute de forge flats, polished edge
• Construction: Full tang with steel pins
• Handle: Rosewood
• Warranty: Lifetime, against defects in materials and craftsmanship

• Razorback 6" hand forged meat 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, dry it right away, and wipe on a light coat of food safe oil. No dishwasher and no soaking in the sink. High carbon steel darkens over time with use, and that is normal.

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.

Does the Razorback cut bone?
It goes through cartilage, joints and poultry bones. Keep it off frozen meat and big beef marrow bones, which are hard on any carbon steel edge.

What is the finger hole for?
Grip. Put your index finger through it to choke up on the blade for close, controlled cuts.

Does it come sharp?
Yes. The edge is polished and ready to use out of the box.

How do I stop rust?
Dry it right after washing and keep a thin coat of food safe oil on the blade. Rust starts when water sits on the steel.

Choking up through the finger hole for rib trim is where the Razorback earns its place at the fire. To see how it compares with the rest of our cleavers, read finding the right meat cleaver.