Rhino 8" Hand Forged Serbian Cleaver, Modified Cleaver Knife, High Carbon Steel, Walnut Handle

The Rhino is an 8" Serbian cleaver for the cook who wants one heavy blade to handle most of the daily work. It is a modified cleaver, with a deeper belly and distinct forward weight, so it rocks through vegetables as easily as it chops through meat. Hand forged from high carbon steel, dark forge scale on the flats, warm walnut handle.

Everyday Prep, Heavy Hitting

Dense root vegetables are where the Rhino shows off. Sweet potatoes and winter squash give way under the weight, and the tall blade scoops the pile straight to the pan. On the meat side it handles heavy proteins for BBQ prep and butchering boneless cuts with the same ease. It is not a bone crusher. If you split big bones often, get the Mammoth 9.1" cleaver for that. Browse the rest of our cleavers, or our chef knives if you want something slimmer.

A Gift That Gets Used

The Rhino suits the home cook who does the chopping every night and deserves better than a thin stamped blade. It makes a strong housewarming gift, since it covers most of what a new kitchen needs, and it works for a birthday for anyone who cooks more than they talk about cooking. The walnut handle keeps it warm looking on the counter. Want one built your way? Look at a custom knife.

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 the shape most people picture when they hear Serbian chef knife: a tall, heavy, hand hammered blade that sits somewhere between a cleaver and a chef knife. The forge scale stays on the flats and only the edge is polished, so you get a rough dark top and a clean bright line along the bottom. The deeper belly is the modified part. It lets the Rhino rock when mincing herbs and push through a butternut squash, jobs where a straight edged cleaver just bangs on the board.

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.

• 8" hand forged blade, modified cleaver profile
• High carbon steel
• Dark forge scale with a polished edge
• Full tang with steel pins
• Walnut handle
• Built for heavy chopping, butchering and BBQ prep

Specifications

• Blade: 8", hand forged, modified cleaver profile
• Steel: High carbon steel
• Handle: Walnut
• Finish: Dark forge scale with a polished edge
• Construction: Full tang with steel pins
• Made for: Heavy chopping, butchering, BBQ prep

• Rhino 8" 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 and dry it straight after use, especially after acidic vegetables like onions or tomatoes. A light coat of food safe oil keeps the steel protected. No dishwasher and no 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 chef knife?
A heavy, hand hammered blade that sits between a cleaver and a chef knife. The Rhino is that kind of blade, with a deeper belly for rocking cuts.

Is it good for vegetables?
Very. The weight and the curved belly make short work of dense produce like squash, cabbage and sweet potatoes.

Does it come sharp?
Yes, it ships with a sharp polished edge ready for work. It is also covered by a lifetime warranty against defects in materials and craftsmanship.

How do I stop it rusting?
Dry it the moment you finish washing it and keep a thin coat of food safe oil on the blade between uses. Over time high carbon steel darkens into a patina, which is normal and actually helps protect it.

If you are torn between a cleaver and a chef knife shape, the guide on how a Serbian chef knife is used covers the rocking and chopping this blade is built for, and it names the Rhino as the heavy version of the idea.