Antique Knapp & Cowles Carbon Steel Oriental Chef Cleaver Knife RAZOR SHARP

Please read our Terms below for details. This is an extraordinary knife with so many extraordinary features and qualities that it's hard to know where to start. Stamped on its hand-forged blade, "KNAPP & COWLES, CAST STEEL, " along with their butterfly logo, you're looking at one of the finest pieces of professionally cutlery ever produced in the USA, and one of the very first pieces manufactured in this country that adheres to a strictly Asian form.

It was probably manufactured in the mid-late 19th Century, perhaps as part of the Victorian world's then-growing obsession with Asian forms in all things from textiles and furniture to pottery and jewelry. I don't know that for sure, just extrapolating, but I do know that this is like a Chinese chef's cleaver on steroids, in the best possible sense of that idea. I say that because it represents a perfect synthesis of two great traditions: the classical profile of an Oriental chef's vegetable cleaver knife married to the much more sturdy and technologically superior forging and hafting techniques of the Industrial Revolution, when most steel hand-tools were being made to outlast their makers by several generations. Its beautiful blade was hand-forged from the finest, virgin crucible-cast carbon cutlery steel at a time when such attention to quality was the norm rather than the exception, and it has everything going for it one could hope to have in a chef's knife. In addition to the superb quality of its carbon steel, it was hafted with a beautiful turned birch handle, pierced through with a full tang and pommeled with a steel dome.

Its most striking design element is, though, by far, the elongated bolster, which fixes the blade to the handle. It serves not only to fasten the blade, but also to provide your hand the perfect resting place for the perfect grip to afford pinpoint control. In my esteem, however, the knife's single most desirable quality is the lightness, balance and speed that it enjoys in the hand. This is NOT a butcher's meat cleaver for hacking ribs apart (though it would do that job well, in a pinch). It is, instead, a graceful giant, capable of turning your inner demon loose in the kitchen, to the utter horror of onions, celery, mushrooms or anything else you need to chop fast and furious. I have NEVER seen another knife of this size and shape handle so well--you could easily accomplish any job in the kitchen with it, including precision work of every description. It's in very good condition, as the photos show, with a full blade and undamaged handles--ready for another lifetime or two of outstanding service. This exceptional knife was recently given an EXTREMELY sharp professional edge and must be treated with extreme care or will land a careless user in the ER needing stitches. In the old days, many classically trained French chefs didn't consider a knife fit for professional use until it received its first "working" edge upon receipt from the factory. Sushi chefs continue this tradition with their rituals of water stones and the resulting keen of their blades is virtually alien to casual (and to many professional) users of Western indoctrination. This knife comes pretty close to just that kind of sharpness and you'll have no trouble finding a myriad of uses for it. If you've never used carbon steel knives before, you're in for a treat. Only a true carbon steel blade can consistently attain the razor-sharp edge that makes using it a true pleasure you must wipe the knife after every use to avoid stains and rusting, but will be richly rewarded with superior performance! Whether you're a chef, collector or simply someone who appreciates fine cutlery for any purpose, here's an excellent opportunity to upgrade your arsenal with something singularly special. It has excellent heft at 13.2 ounces and it measures 12.25" long with a 6-7/8" by 3-1/8 blade. By any measure this is an heirloom-quality piece in heirloom-quality condition that is sure to thrill a serious user and collector alike as one of your very favorite pieces. Our store's inventory is searchable using the search field or may be browsed by clicking on categories, with each option found on the left side of the store's homepage. Don't see it or can't find what you're looking for? It's wrong--it's STEALING--and you WILL be turned in to us by one of the legion of our loyal customers, who inevitably see your plagiarism and notify us about it.

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We'd like to sell'em cheaper.. But MY WIFE won't let me!! The item "Antique Knapp & Cowles Carbon Steel Oriental Chef Cleaver Knife RAZOR SHARP" is in sale since Wednesday, March 11, 2020. This item is in the category "Collectibles\Kitchen & Home\Kitchenware\Utensils\Cutlery". The seller is "ralph1396" and is located in Los Angeles, California. This item can be shipped worldwide.

Country/Region of Manufacture: United States