Chuka-bocho and Chinese Cleavers

About

The Chinese cleaver (chuka-bocho in Japanese) is a unique and versatile shape of the knife. For many classically trained Chinese chefs, these hefty blades are their chef's knife, performing nearly every kitchen task imaginable. Those who have trained seriously can wield these with precision and grace rarely seen in western kitchens. They come in a variety of blade thicknesses, ranging from razor-thin for slicing garlic, to wedge-thick for splitting bones. Many chefs will sharpen different parts of their chuka-bocho for different purposes, allowing them to do everything with one large blade.