Chinese Cleaver

Your Everyday Chinese Cleaver—Durable, Sharp, and Easy to Live With

Caidao = Chinese chef’s knife (“vegetable cleaver”). Thin, tall, and precise, it slices vegetables and boneless meats, tap-chops herbs, smashes aromatics, and scoops big piles of prep. Typical sizes are 7” to 9” long, with a flatter edge that excels at push-cutting. Modern san-mai builds a pair of high-performance cores with stainless steel cladding for toughness and rust protection, and easy care, plus gorgeous Damascus options. Hand-wash, dry, and sharpen around 12–15° per side. If you want one knife that can do chef-knife work and scoop like a pro, the Chinese cleaver caidao is it.

Looking for a Chinese cleaver that’s tough, stainless, and easy to live with? This series pairs a proven 7Cr17MoV stainless core with a striking blackened, stonewashed blade—about two-thirds of the blade shows the textured black finish, the upper third is polished stainless for a clean, retro look. Thin enough to slice cleanly, stout enough (2.6 mm spine) to stay stable through big veg. If you’ve been hunting the best Chinese cleaver for everyday prep, this is your no-drama daily driver and comes in two different sizes 7” and 8”

7" vs 8": what you gain (and trade)

• 8" gains: Longer draw-cuts, bigger scoops from board to pan, more reach across large boards and bulky veg (cabbage, squash).
• Trade-offs: Slightly more blade to manage; a touch less nimble in tight spaces.
• Choose 7" if you have smaller boards/hands or prioritize maximum agility.
• Choose 8" if you batch-prep and want speed and board-to-pan efficiency.

7Cr17MoV vs 9Cr18MoV (Which one is the best Chinese cleaver for you?)

Edge retention: 9Cr18MoV > 7Cr17MoV
Toughness/chip resistance: 7Cr17MoV ≥ 9Cr18MoV (especially at HRC 57 vs HRC 59)
Sharpening ease: 7Cr17MoV is a bit easier, friendlier on basic stones
Corrosion resistance: Both are excellent; 7Cr often shows a slight stainlessness edge on paper
Thickness: 7Cr series 2.6 mm feels a touch more stable; 9Cr cleavers at ~2.4 mm feel a touch nimbler

Quick pick:

• Choose 7Cr17MoV (HRC 57) if you value forgiveness, durability, and easy maintenance—great for households, batch prep, and newer users.
• Choose 9Cr18MoV (HRC 59) if you want sharper for longer with a slightly lighter, faster feel—great for enthusiasts.

Quick FAQ

• Can it replace my chef’s knife? For most home cooks and many pros—yes. It covers almost all chef-knife tasks and adds scooping power.
• Will it stick to magnetic boards? Yes. SUS405/410/420 cladding is martensitic stainless and magnet-friendly.

Why do some say “vegetable cleaver”? To distinguish it from the heavy bone cleaver; the caidao is a slicer, not a splitter.