In the Kitchen: How to use a Chinese Chef's Knife/ Chinese Slicing Cleaver

[@chandansimms9167]

I really enjoy watching you’re channel it’s very informative and matter of fact; especially in regards to you’re reviews of the products in you’re videos.

[@swamp.stomper]

I see you’re not that active the moment but thanks for the video. I came to your channel because I am working on thinning and reprofiling a Chinese cleaver. After seeing your knives I think I wil go quite thin and flat. The edge has a lot of belly at the moment

[@jcloiseau]

I applaud your consistency with the uploads and content quality :)

[@MrGavhawk1]

Lifetime fan here. Big fan of your work. Thanks for the demo. Maybe you could show us your sharpening setup as well some time - how well do these blades hold an edge, how often they need to be sharpened.

[@cookingwithcleavers6842]

Thanks, I will have a sharpening video up soon

[@u2bst1nks]

Thanks for this. Can you explain the use of various grips? I've seen videos of Chinese chefs using a grip where the thumb is on top of the handle at around the 10 clock position, with the forefinger extended straight on the right side of the blade, at an angle to the spine. I see this grip used a lot on Tik Tok Chinese knife skill videos. I'm more used to a pinch grip with the index finger extended perpendicular to the spine or a peace sign pinch grip.

[@cookingwithcleavers6842]

I almost exclusively use a normal pinch grip, for most cooking it provides the greatest control and comfort, peace sign grip is really just a modified pinch grip. Professionals will adjust to what they find comfortable and for special cutting, also not normal methods will be used knife trick videos and demos.

[@stevewebber707]

There are several variants to pinch grips. The one you described using being the most common, at least in western cuisine. Other grips extending further up the blade can additionally add more control by choking up more on the blade. And since a Chinese chef knife is fairly large and sometimes heavy, and balanced usually well forward of the grip, a very forward grip could make sense in some situations. If the cases you were seeing involved more precise control, they may have modified the grip accordingly. And for gaining the additional control, there is a loss of strength in the grip. So it makes sense to use differing grips for different applications. For cutting through a hard squash, I probably wouldn't use any pinch grip, and may well even add my other hand to push the blade. Another variant, is to extend the index finger along the spine of the knife. This is usually for maximum control and when using lighter knives than this. For applications like cutting for sushi for example. As with most issues about knives, it's not about right and wrong, but about what works best for you. If the grip you use is most comfortable, and effective for you, don't fix what isn't broken.

[@u2bst1nks]

I get the idea that choking up on the blade to get near the balance point will give you more control at the expense of power. What's sorta odd is the grip I'm asking about is the opposite. It's like they slide the pinch grip down the handle away from the blade, and pinch the handle with the thumb and only the tip of the index finger touches the blade. I can see this giving more power to cut hard items, but I've seen chefs use it for delicate work. The chef in this video uses it at around 9 seconds in while cutting an eggplant: watch?v=9si5l-5eE1k also in the Shibazi demo of these knives, a similiar grip is used too at the end with the cai dao: watch?v=rtWTY7tpCw0 I've seen this grip used so often, but I've never heard anyone explain when/why it's used.

[@stevewebber707]

@@u2bst1nks That technique is a bit new for me. The two things I particularly noticed about it was the thumb riding the heel of the knife, and also that grip requires the wrist to be rotated very differently. If I had to hazard a guess, I think the grip would provide more delicate control over the depth of cuts. As opposed to control over thickness of through cuts. Which is what a standard pinch grip helps with. In other words, focusing on vertical control, rather than horizontal control. So perhaps applicable for hasselback potatoes and the like. Very interesting question. There are so many techniques out there, that we always have more to learn.

[@ChrisLeeW00]

Maybe it wasn't intentional, but I liked the screen shake with each cut, it adds weight to the action on screen!

[@Azziee]

Cool demonstration, only wish camera wasn't on the same table and shake.

[@Mikey4808]

How do these Chinese cleavers perform when filleting fish? I hear you say they are versatile, but from my experience as a fisherman, a curved blade is more suitable to filleting fish. What's your opinion?

[@cookingwithcleavers6842]

will not be the most ideal blade for filleting, you can do it but there are better tools for the job

[@Mikey4808]

Cool thanks man. Been interested in these Chinese cleavers for a while. Might pick one up soon

[@cookingwithcleavers6842]

@@Mikey4808 10 out of 10 would recommend

[@GermanBadGuy]

Thanks for that one! I guess I can rest in peace with my FOMO regarding food sticking with the Shibazi by seeing how the CCK indeed is on similar levels. Just sucks how it sticks when trying to partition e.g. onions to slice up afterwards, ruins the prep. Also how it sticks on the right side while you would use the left to transfer food, meaning what's sticking to the blade is at the bottom when transfering... Btw. do you prep your veggies like the onions and peppers with the cleaver as well? It somewhat works, thouh it's clearly a bit big for the job. So having to use a second smaller kitchen knife is another disadvantage I'm discovering. Keep it up!

[@cookingwithcleavers6842]

I have cleavers of multiple sizes, but I usually tend to use my larger ones most often even for tasks that could be done with much smaller. I probably looked more awkward chopping up stuff due to the filming set up. you can always get cleavers of different sizes if that is more comfortable.

[@GermanBadGuy]

@@cookingwithcleavers6842 Ah no worries. I was more thinking about the prep for chopping like peeling the onions, removing the core of the peppers and alike. Do you do such things with the cleaver you're intending to chop things up with as well?

[@cookingwithcleavers6842]

@@GermanBadGuy Yes, I do prep with the cleaver too, it is a bit big so you have to adjust a bit, certainly using a smaller knife for prep is always an option.

[@RiverCityBBQ]

Do you oil the carbon steel blades at all?

[@cookingwithcleavers6842]

yes, but not every day. If you live in a more humid environment then you need to oil frequently. I oil mine about once a week or before I move it from my in use knife rack to storage.

[@mdunu]

What type of oil do you recommend using?

[@alanpatrick7465]

what cutting board is that?

[@cookingwithcleavers6842]

This is a very cheap no brand cutting board. check out my video on cutting boards kzbin.info/www/bejne/o6fEkpJ4fLdmY7s

[@SecularSoutherner504]

Where do you get you knives?

[@cookingwithcleavers6842]

I am in Taiwan so I get most online on a cite called shopee, but you can get similar knives in the US on amazon or ebay. Most chinese markets also have some options

[@alexh.4068]

Even with a thin CCK slicing cleaver you can see that it is wedging the sweet potato.

[@davepratt3912]

Ok man where did you get that carrot. Das a big carrot.

[@anonymousperson4363]

There is some cleavers you have to rock more, more I prefer the flatter kind for the reason you mentioned. Btw, I don't think there is a such thing as "normal chef's knife". I think there's western style versus various eastern types. Give me eastern, preferrable the Chinese, I believe.

[@domading2759]

Clearly not professional.. You should work on your game before telling us