Alpha Stainless Steel Metal Handle 8 1/2 "Cleaver

Big, heavy. I like it! Great price too. Gets right through the bone. Don't know why anyone would pay more for a cleaver.

This is a big knife. It is heavy and very sharp. I did not think it was this large from the picture. It took some getting use to it from my last cleaver, which I thought was big and heavy. This Alpha tops that last cleaver in the big and heavy category. I am not as fast with the Alpha on veggies, maybe with more practice. I have cut a whole chicken into pieces w/ bone-in and it worked fine. I would get the butcher to cut my ox tail. I don't cook with oxtail very often. If you want a sharp functional cleaver, this is good choice. It will scare those paring knife only people. Keep it away from the kids. I'm sure the Global or MAC is better, but why bother w/ the $$$.

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This cleaver is fantastic. I bought it back in June and haven't sharpened it yet... it's still sharp enough to be painless on contact if one accidentally gets a body part in the way.

I use it to (primarily) cut up the whole chickens I buy from the Surprise Creek (Hutterite) Colony. I buy about 24 + chickens at a time and cut up approximately half that amount. I also use it to cut up whole turkeys (also purchased from the Colony) to debone them to make turkey burger.

This cleaver goes through the meat and the bone like a hot knife through butter.

Yeah, for some of the thicker bones I might have to whack a few times, or bang on the top of the cleaver with the heel of my palm to "help" it get through, but for the most part, it gets the job done in one swing.

I've also used it to cut up frozen beef, elk, and deer roasts, etc... Again, like buttah. Sliced through baby back pork ribs -no problem. :-)

I have not tried to cut up ox tail (as yet).

I think this is a fantastic cleaver for a really good buy (price is great). I'd take a pic of it to show how large it is compared to another recognizable item, but it's in the dishwasher being washed at the moment.

Yep. That's right. This sucker goes in the dishwasher, and the only thing I have to watch for is that it doesn't cut through the tines on the rack when I put it in (if I put it in upright instead of lying down).

I. LOVE. that it goes into the dishwasher. All stainless steel, handle included... bought it for this reason in addition to the chopping up stuff thing. I have a household of 6. The less stuff I need to wash by hand, the better.

The only mark down I can think of (and why the subtraction of 1 star) is that it doesn't come with some kind of slip cover or case for safe storage. I keep it propped upright next to my cutting blocks, but since it's *such* a sharp knife, I would rather it have something I can slip over the blade to keep myself and others from accidentally nicking oneself. I might move it to my magnetic knife strip. We'll see. I'll try to remember to take a pic and post it after the dishwasher is done.

To summarize: This is a good buy cleaver. It does what a cleaver is supposed to do, is dishwasher safe, and inexpensive. Recommend. :-)

ETA: I thought I'd uploaded the pics, didn't realize I hadn't. They're up now. :-)

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Based on the two prior reviews I had hopes this was a decent item with good steel and no wooden handle that other cleaver reviews mentioned tended to be cheaply attached. Looked good when I got it--but upon first use (chopping oxtail into smaller pieces) the edge was pretty much a burred jagged mess. Since I don't believe an item like this should require getting out a grinder ever time it is used, I have to give this the lowest rating (I am hopeful it can be returned.)

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i purchased this cleaver to replace a $50 cleaver that cracked as I was cutting up deer meat. i used this shortly after recieving it & had no problem cutting through bone. very shap. be very careful when using it