Chan Chi Kee has been making cleavers in Hong Kong for generations, and the KF1303 is the knife that put them on the map for Western cooks. This style of knife - called a sangdao, or small Chinese chef knife - is built for speed and precision rather than brute force. It is not a bone chopper. What it is, is one of the most capable and enjoyable vegetable and protein knives you can put on a cutting board, and it has earned a devoted following among home cooks and professionals alike. It was featured in Christopher Kimball's Milk Street Magazine, and demand jumped significantly as a result. That kind of attention does not happen by accident.
The KF1303 is made from carbon steel with a kurouchi (black, as-forged) finish that adds surface toughness and gives the blade a distinctive, workmanlike look. The blade is notably thin for a cleaver - thin enough to take a keen edge and move through dense vegetables and boneless meats with very little resistance. A slight belly in the edge profile keeps the tip from digging into the board during fast chopping strokes. The flat of the blade doubles as a bench scraper for transferring prep work, and the wide face gives you a confident, stable platform for rocking cuts. At 210mm it is compact enough to feel nimble rather than intimidating, which is part of why so many people who pick one up never go back to a traditional chef knife.
What Customers Are Saying: Owners describe this as a knife that consistently surprises people who expect a cleaver to feel heavy and unwieldy. The sharpness out of the box draws repeated praise, and many report that a quick session on a basic whetstone takes the edge to a level that makes hard vegetables feel like no resistance at all. Professional cooks mention reaching for it during full shifts across a wide range of tasks. Several long-term users note that it has quietly replaced the rest of their knife roll for daily prep. A common theme is that first-time cleaver users find the format clicks almost immediately, and a number of reviewers specifically note how well it handles garlic, ginger, and other fine work that you might not associate with a cleaver profile.
Care Instructions: The KF1303 is made from carbon steel and will develop a patina with use. Wipe and dry the blade immediately after use and avoid leaving acidic foods on the edge. Hand wash only - no dishwasher. Apply a light coat of food-safe oil such as camellia oil if storing for any extended period. Do not use this knife on bones, frozen foods, or hard materials - it is a vegetable and boneless protein knife and should be treated accordingly.
The KF1303 is made from carbon steel with a kurouchi (black, as-forged) finish that adds surface toughness and gives the blade a distinctive, workmanlike look. The blade is notably thin for a cleaver - thin enough to take a keen edge and move through dense vegetables and boneless meats with very little resistance. A slight belly in the edge profile keeps the tip from digging into the board during fast chopping strokes. The flat of the blade doubles as a bench scraper for transferring prep work, and the wide face gives you a confident, stable platform for rocking cuts. At 210mm it is compact enough to feel nimble rather than intimidating, which is part of why so many people who pick one up never go back to a traditional chef knife.
What Customers Are Saying: Owners describe this as a knife that consistently surprises people who expect a cleaver to feel heavy and unwieldy. The sharpness out of the box draws repeated praise, and many report that a quick session on a basic whetstone takes the edge to a level that makes hard vegetables feel like no resistance at all. Professional cooks mention reaching for it during full shifts across a wide range of tasks. Several long-term users note that it has quietly replaced the rest of their knife roll for daily prep. A common theme is that first-time cleaver users find the format clicks almost immediately, and a number of reviewers specifically note how well it handles garlic, ginger, and other fine work that you might not associate with a cleaver profile.
Care Instructions: The KF1303 is made from carbon steel and will develop a patina with use. Wipe and dry the blade immediately after use and avoid leaving acidic foods on the edge. Hand wash only - no dishwasher. Apply a light coat of food-safe oil such as camellia oil if storing for any extended period. Do not use this knife on bones, frozen foods, or hard materials - it is a vegetable and boneless protein knife and should be treated accordingly.
- Brand: CCK (Chan Chi Kee)
- Location: Hong Kong
- Steel: Carbon Steel
- Finish: Kurouchi (Black As-Forged)
- Engraving: Laser Engraved
- Weight: 8.8 oz (249g)
- Blade Length: 210mm
- Total Length: 315mm
- Spine Thickness at Heel: 3mm
- Blade Height: 89mm
Reviews
26 review(s) WRITE A REVIEW (Reviews are subject to approval) Cleavers are awesome , February 16, 2025Posted By: Jay
30 people found this review helpful
My very first Chinese cleaver was a Mercer Culinary I purchased from Amazon for about $30. Ever since then, I have always enjoyed the cool factor and versatility of using the cleaver profile and decided to upgrade to a carbon steel CCK. The CcK 1303 became my first CKTG purchase and I am a happy man. A quick sharpening session with a Sharpal 325/1200 grit diamond stone and a strop was all I needed to bring the knife to a seriously scary sharp edge. Never experienced a blade so sharp it cuts through peppers and carrots with almost zero resistance. Definitely one of my favorites.
30 people found this review helpful
My very first Chinese cleaver was a Mercer Culinary I purchased from Amazon for about $30. Ever since then, I have always enjoyed the cool factor and versatility of using the cleaver profile and decided to upgrade to a carbon steel CCK. The CcK 1303 became my first CKTG purchase and I am a happy man. A quick sharpening session with a Sharpal 325/1200 grit diamond stone and a strop was all I needed to bring the knife to a seriously scary sharp edge. Never experienced a blade so sharp it cuts through peppers and carrots with almost zero resistance. Definitely one of my favorites.
Iconic, December 24, 2024Posted By: Larry Johnson
41 people found this review helpful
I bought mine over a year ago and put it in my cleaver stand a couple months ago. I’ve been using it daily ever since, so my review covers many different aspects of use for a professional cook.
It has decent edge retention. It’s not aogami, so don’t expect a week in between sharpening. But if you strop it regularly it will last a couple of days.
I use it for everything; cutting toast for breakfast, the entire salad station prep, melons, pineapple, chicken breast, skinning and portioning fish, preparing beef to grind; literally everything. Most days I only use a cleaver and a 100mm petty.
I’d love to know what kind of steel it is. It is getting a very functional patina. As a daily routine I wash lightly it with a rust eraser and dry it with a microfiber cloth, then polish with a few drops of mineral oil.
It sharpens easily; I polish the edge and sharpen it on my Binsui. I use denim and buffalo strops on the Richmond 3x11 holder.
It is incredibly lightweight; great for my arthritic hand.
I’m not crazy about the handle.
I have several great cleavers and tall nakiris. I could easy only use this one.
41 people found this review helpful
I bought mine over a year ago and put it in my cleaver stand a couple months ago. I’ve been using it daily ever since, so my review covers many different aspects of use for a professional cook.
It has decent edge retention. It’s not aogami, so don’t expect a week in between sharpening. But if you strop it regularly it will last a couple of days.
I use it for everything; cutting toast for breakfast, the entire salad station prep, melons, pineapple, chicken breast, skinning and portioning fish, preparing beef to grind; literally everything. Most days I only use a cleaver and a 100mm petty.
I’d love to know what kind of steel it is. It is getting a very functional patina. As a daily routine I wash lightly it with a rust eraser and dry it with a microfiber cloth, then polish with a few drops of mineral oil.
It sharpens easily; I polish the edge and sharpen it on my Binsui. I use denim and buffalo strops on the Richmond 3x11 holder.
It is incredibly lightweight; great for my arthritic hand.
I’m not crazy about the handle.
I have several great cleavers and tall nakiris. I could easy only use this one.
7 year reviewPosted By: Ryan C
33 people found this review helpful
This is a dramatic improvement from common household knives and even my old family's japanese nakiris. Compared to good san mai however those are noticeably better. I've used the hell out of this and has been a perfect knife to really nail down how I like my edge geometry (flat back/right hand asymmetric sharpening). 7 years on I can confidently say this was the best knife I could have gotten to start me on and has helped feed thousands of meals to my family. P.S. Under the kurouchi there's some nice dings and scratches that I really love.
33 people found this review helpful
This is a dramatic improvement from common household knives and even my old family's japanese nakiris. Compared to good san mai however those are noticeably better. I've used the hell out of this and has been a perfect knife to really nail down how I like my edge geometry (flat back/right hand asymmetric sharpening). 7 years on I can confidently say this was the best knife I could have gotten to start me on and has helped feed thousands of meals to my family. P.S. Under the kurouchi there's some nice dings and scratches that I really love.
My favorite knife Awesome, one changePosted By: Zeke Blackwell
55 people found this review helpful
I’m not going to repeat all of the praise others have given here. Well deserved. This is a great knife.
If I would change anything, I’d get rid of the etched in QR code in the center of the blade. It somehow makes the knife feel cheaper and loses a lot of its charm.
55 people found this review helpful
I’m not going to repeat all of the praise others have given here. Well deserved. This is a great knife.
If I would change anything, I’d get rid of the etched in QR code in the center of the blade. It somehow makes the knife feel cheaper and loses a lot of its charm.
CCK 1303Posted By: Jimmy Subia
41 people found this review helpful
Love this cleaver!! My first cleaver purchase and money well spent. I would've paid more for this cleaver if given the chance. Very sharp, light, and balanced for me personally. I work in a restaurant and this cleaver makes cutting carrots and other fruits and vegetables almost effortless and fun. This cleaver should be in every home and restaurant. The only minor issue is some food tends to stick a little to the cleaver when cutting.
41 people found this review helpful
Love this cleaver!! My first cleaver purchase and money well spent. I would've paid more for this cleaver if given the chance. Very sharp, light, and balanced for me personally. I work in a restaurant and this cleaver makes cutting carrots and other fruits and vegetables almost effortless and fun. This cleaver should be in every home and restaurant. The only minor issue is some food tends to stick a little to the cleaver when cutting.
First Chinese CleaverPosted By: Cody Ellis
48 people found this review helpful
First introduction to carbon steel / cleaver / higher end knife and it's absolutely amazing. I wasn't sure about the handle at first but i've grown to love it. It takes getting used to but now normal knifes feel irregular to use. It 'cut' my prep time in about half, I never worry about not making a full cut. After sharpening with shapton 2k stone, it is even sharper than when it arrived. I'm not sure if I'm even going to get a nakiri anymore after this order or any other knife at this point.
48 people found this review helpful
First introduction to carbon steel / cleaver / higher end knife and it's absolutely amazing. I wasn't sure about the handle at first but i've grown to love it. It takes getting used to but now normal knifes feel irregular to use. It 'cut' my prep time in about half, I never worry about not making a full cut. After sharpening with shapton 2k stone, it is even sharper than when it arrived. I'm not sure if I'm even going to get a nakiri anymore after this order or any other knife at this point.
Cck small cleaver Ms My new go-to knife!Posted By: David
47 people found this review helpful
I love prepping with this! I had a cleaver before, but it was a big heavy one for meats and bones. This is an absolute delight for veggies--it especially makes garlic and ginger so much easier. I'm delighted I bought it!
47 people found this review helpful
I love prepping with this! I had a cleaver before, but it was a big heavy one for meats and bones. This is an absolute delight for veggies--it especially makes garlic and ginger so much easier. I'm delighted I bought it!
Insanely sharp and versatilePosted By: Carlos
47 people found this review helpful
This Chinese chef's knife has become my primary day-to-day knife. It is incredibly sharp, lightweight and sturdy. I'm only a regular home cook and enjoy making more complex recipes once or twice a week. This knife makes quick work out of any vegetable and it works wonderfully at slicing and mincing meats. Just be careful because it is TRULY sharp. I've accidentally cut my fingers a few times, only my fault for not being careful.
47 people found this review helpful
This Chinese chef's knife has become my primary day-to-day knife. It is incredibly sharp, lightweight and sturdy. I'm only a regular home cook and enjoy making more complex recipes once or twice a week. This knife makes quick work out of any vegetable and it works wonderfully at slicing and mincing meats. Just be careful because it is TRULY sharp. I've accidentally cut my fingers a few times, only my fault for not being careful.
Very good under rated knife that is a lazerPosted By: Earl
51 people found this review helpful
Using a basic 400/1000 grit budget friendly whetstone with a few passes with each grit, this knife became hair splitting sharp and able to slice through a sheet of copy paper while it was standing up. Cutting hard root vegetables like carrots and potatoes has very little resistance, and this doubles as a bench scraper too. This is a reactive carbon steel blade, so a bit of maintenance will be needed, but not a big issue. The cutting motion is a push/pull slice, and a light duty chopping; do NOT use it to chop through bone or anything hard. It is light, nimble, cuts like a lazer and very versatile. It is not limited to just Chinese Cuisine, it can be used to make a lot of western dishes as well. Like all knives, to maximize edge retention, use a honing steel and a synthetic cutting board. This is such a fun knife to use and it has helped me grow my culinary repertoire.
51 people found this review helpful
Using a basic 400/1000 grit budget friendly whetstone with a few passes with each grit, this knife became hair splitting sharp and able to slice through a sheet of copy paper while it was standing up. Cutting hard root vegetables like carrots and potatoes has very little resistance, and this doubles as a bench scraper too. This is a reactive carbon steel blade, so a bit of maintenance will be needed, but not a big issue. The cutting motion is a push/pull slice, and a light duty chopping; do NOT use it to chop through bone or anything hard. It is light, nimble, cuts like a lazer and very versatile. It is not limited to just Chinese Cuisine, it can be used to make a lot of western dishes as well. Like all knives, to maximize edge retention, use a honing steel and a synthetic cutting board. This is such a fun knife to use and it has helped me grow my culinary repertoire.
Perfect Christmas Gift Very good under rated knife that is a laser.Posted By: Earl
37 people found this review helpful
Using a basic 400/1000 grit budget friendly whetstone with a few passes with each grit, this knife became hair splitting sharp and able to slice through a sheet of copy paper while it was standing up. Cutting hard root vegetables like carrots and potatoes has very little resistance, and this doubles as a bench scraper too. This is a reactive carbon steel blade, so a bit of maintenance will be needed, but not a big issue. The cutting motion is a push/pull slice, and a light duty chopping; do NOT use it to chop through bone or anything hard. It is light, nimble, cuts like a laser and very versatile. It is not limited to just Chinese Cuisine, it can be used to make a lot of western dishes as well. Like all knives, to maximize edge retention, use a honing steel and a synthetic cutting board. This is such a fun knife to use and it has helped me grow my culinary repertoire.
37 people found this review helpful
Using a basic 400/1000 grit budget friendly whetstone with a few passes with each grit, this knife became hair splitting sharp and able to slice through a sheet of copy paper while it was standing up. Cutting hard root vegetables like carrots and potatoes has very little resistance, and this doubles as a bench scraper too. This is a reactive carbon steel blade, so a bit of maintenance will be needed, but not a big issue. The cutting motion is a push/pull slice, and a light duty chopping; do NOT use it to chop through bone or anything hard. It is light, nimble, cuts like a laser and very versatile. It is not limited to just Chinese Cuisine, it can be used to make a lot of western dishes as well. Like all knives, to maximize edge retention, use a honing steel and a synthetic cutting board. This is such a fun knife to use and it has helped me grow my culinary repertoire.
Small chef’s cleaver Amazing! Fantastic knife!Posted By: Tyler
49 people found this review helpful
This is a fantastic knife! And an extremely good value. I am the Chef of an Asian restaurant and my whole staff uses cleavers every single day… I will encouraging everyone to get one of these! Light, nimble but very capable, great balance and THINNNN. Was quite sharp ootb but a quick touch up on my Shapton glass 2k and this thing is deadly! I have a vast collection of knives but this will be my new go-to for sure. If you are curious about Chinese cleavers or you are looking for a prep beast, get this knife!!! Looking into picking up the large one next…
49 people found this review helpful
This is a fantastic knife! And an extremely good value. I am the Chef of an Asian restaurant and my whole staff uses cleavers every single day… I will encouraging everyone to get one of these! Light, nimble but very capable, great balance and THINNNN. Was quite sharp ootb but a quick touch up on my Shapton glass 2k and this thing is deadly! I have a vast collection of knives but this will be my new go-to for sure. If you are curious about Chinese cleavers or you are looking for a prep beast, get this knife!!! Looking into picking up the large one next…
One SHARP KnifePosted By: Cockerill
41 people found this review helpful
Rarely do I leave reviews. I'm not a chef but love to cook. Especially if I have good tools. This is one SHARP knife. Straight out of the box, no sharpening was necessary. It does have a very, very thin blade. It slices through vegetables, BS chicken like nobody's business. Sliced a cantaloupe this morning. No effort was needed. Would definitely buy again.
41 people found this review helpful
Rarely do I leave reviews. I'm not a chef but love to cook. Especially if I have good tools. This is one SHARP knife. Straight out of the box, no sharpening was necessary. It does have a very, very thin blade. It slices through vegetables, BS chicken like nobody's business. Sliced a cantaloupe this morning. No effort was needed. Would definitely buy again.
sooooo good Excellent knife My New Go To KnifePosted By: Patrick - verified customer
41 people found this review helpful
I love this knife. I've been fascinated by the idea of using a Chinese chef's knife for a while, and I'm glad I made this purchase. Pretty sharp right out of the box. Light, easy to handle. It's the knife I reach for for just about any basic prep work now.
41 people found this review helpful
I love this knife. I've been fascinated by the idea of using a Chinese chef's knife for a while, and I'm glad I made this purchase. Pretty sharp right out of the box. Light, easy to handle. It's the knife I reach for for just about any basic prep work now.
My New Go To KnifePosted By: Patrick - verified customer
41 people found this review helpful
I love this knife. I've been fascinated by the idea of using a Chinese chef's knife for a while, and I'm glad I made this purchase. Pretty sharp right out of the box. Light, easy to handle. It's the knife I reach for for just about any basic prep work now.
41 people found this review helpful
I love this knife. I've been fascinated by the idea of using a Chinese chef's knife for a while, and I'm glad I made this purchase. Pretty sharp right out of the box. Light, easy to handle. It's the knife I reach for for just about any basic prep work now.
Awesome Product Yes, it lives up to the hype.Posted By: Broc H - verified customer
48 people found this review helpful
I would pay $120 for this and still feel like I got a deal. Its the first knife i have been able to push cut paper other than my Aogami super. Awesome on the line, awesome during prep. Overall badass blade.
pros: light, dont have to worry about it as much as I do expensive knives, easy and fun to sharpen.
cons: can easily torque weird and possibly bend or chip, water gets trapped under metal ferul thingy.
48 people found this review helpful
I would pay $120 for this and still feel like I got a deal. Its the first knife i have been able to push cut paper other than my Aogami super. Awesome on the line, awesome during prep. Overall badass blade.
pros: light, dont have to worry about it as much as I do expensive knives, easy and fun to sharpen.
cons: can easily torque weird and possibly bend or chip, water gets trapped under metal ferul thingy.
Just what I was looking for. Wicked sharpPosted By: AA - verified customer
42 people found this review helpful
Holy cow! This thing is wicked sharp right out of the box. Maintains the edge well. Surprisingly nimble for a cutting instrument this size. Does it all well, from slicing garlic paper-thin to cutting through carrots and boneless meats with ease. Thought it was pricey but the results convinced me otherwise.
42 people found this review helpful
Holy cow! This thing is wicked sharp right out of the box. Maintains the edge well. Surprisingly nimble for a cutting instrument this size. Does it all well, from slicing garlic paper-thin to cutting through carrots and boneless meats with ease. Thought it was pricey but the results convinced me otherwise.
