Smaller Vintage Custom VILLAREAL Mexican Chef's Hand-forged Carbon Cleaver Knife
Please read our Terms below for details. PLEASE NOTE: We take our photos in natural light outdoors and as a result there are sometimes reflections or shadows or glare shown in the blades. In person none of these exist; we will say so in the description if it may be otherwise. This is the second of TWO very fine Villareal cleavers we're offering for sale tonight and it is the SMALLER of the two but let's be perfectly clear about one thing: there is NOTHING small about it at all!
Without a doubt this is one of the very finest cleavers we've ever been able to offer and if you view the photos and read the description without elevating your pulse... Then you just might be dead! In terms of its quality of design, materials, craftsmanship, condition, beauty and especially performance, it's world-class in every respect. It's stamped "VILLAREAL, " the maker's name but I don't know anything about them. They were probably based in Sayula, the cutlery capital of Mexico, but that's just a guess.We obtained it as part of a larger collection of Villareal knives but no other info was forthcoming. What's beyond speculation, however, is the abundant quality of this knife and in terms of its quality of materials, craftsmanship, condition, size and especially performance, it offers everything and more that any user or collector alike might long for in such a piece. It's also rare because Villareal was one of the few makers who forged blades TO SHAPE, meaning its geometry of edge and its tapered tang were all done with a hammer in the forge, not later by grinding down a hand-forged blade to the shape you want.
It's a subtle difference but one that will make any knife-maker or blacksmith smile approvingly. With its pointed, up-curving blade, this magnificent professional chef's or butcher's meat cleaver/knife was custom-made and hand, hammer-forged in Mexico but in a style known as a Swiss cleaver. They're virtually not made at all these days because the up-curving blade requires extra hand-finishing and uses a much larger piece of expensive blade steel, and that is truly a shame because it's one of the most handy configurations any chef or butcher might ever wield in the serious kitchen. It's shape makes it equally suitable for slicing and cutting meat as it is for your toughest cutting and trimming and chopping.
It measures 12" long with a 7.25" by 3.25" blade, which is over 1/8" thick. Weighing in at an impressive 17.4 ounces it wants for nothing in terms of heft but its balance and razor sharp edge permit it to be used for much more than just chopping. It comes with a hand and hammer-forged carbon steel blade and handles made of some kind of local hardwood, brass-pinned over the full and tapered tang. Condition is flat-out superb, appearing to have been used very little, if at all, with no problems of any kind, and in one key way, it will serve its lucky winner better than when it was new: it has been given a superior professional edge for the purpose of this sale that is keen enough to shave a man's face. Still, we hope you will prefer to wield it in your kitchen for the betterment of your family and dinner guests.A good guess of its age would be late early-mid 1950's, but the utility, beauty and value of a piece like this are timeless, so it could be older or newer. A superior-quality piece of professional chef's cutlery that is sure to become, for collector and user alike, an instant and much beloved heirloom. 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.
All items come from a smoke-free home. There will be NO EXCEPTIONS to this policy. If you dislike this or find this unfair, PLEASE shop elsewhere; we only want happy customers and it's our feeling that no one should be able to claim dissatisfaction with this policy, since we're stating it up front.
It's not an attempt to profit, simply the only way my elderly bones can continue to offer so many items. WE SELF-INSURE using our business policy. I will gladly send you the forms necessary to file. Late, so again, we ask you in advance to please forgive our humanity. We take customer service very seriously and want to do whatever it takes to meet your needs. If you're not in total agreement with us here or disagree for any reason, we can only urge that you PLEASE shop elsewhere. International packages will be calculated on the basis of a MINIMUM ONE POUND weight. IMPORTANT: After TWELVE YEARS of doing everything we could to hold the line on int'l. If you're not in total agreement with us here or disagree for any reason, again, we can only urge you to PLEASE shop elsewhere. We'd like to sell'em cheaper.. But MY WIFE won't let me!! The item "Smaller Vintage Custom VILLAREAL Mexican Chef's Hand-forged Carbon Cleaver Knife" is in sale since Monday, August 10, 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: Mexico