The Chopper King White #2 Small Slicer is a serious upgrade for cooks looking to step into carbon steel performance without breaking the bank. Featuring imported Japanese White #2 carbon steel, stainless cladding, and a comfortable maple round handle, this knife delivers traditional edge feel at a price that competes aggressively with many mass-produced Chinese cleavers. It is built for cooks who want real cutting performance, not just a big blade.
This knife is hammer-forged in Taiwan using san mai construction with a White #2 (Shirogami #2) carbon steel core imported from Japan. White #2 is prized for its extremely pure composition, fine grain structure, and ability to take a screaming sharp edge quickly. Hardened to 60–61 HRC, it sharpens unbelievably fast and responds beautifully on water stones. One customer noted that after professional thinning and a slight hollow grind adjustment, the knife absolutely sailed through food. The steel has proven surprisingly tough for hard prep, showing only minor micro nicks even under heavy use. While edge retention is typical of White #2, touch-ups are fast and easy, often going straight to a 2000-grit stone for quick maintenance. The stainless cladding helps reduce reactivity and makes carbon steel easier to manage in a busy kitchen.
Handcrafted Note: Chopper King cleavers are made with good steel and are forged by an excellent blacksmith, but minor scratches, uneven grind lines, and visible hammer marks are common. They offer tremendous performance for the price, but they are not museum-quality showpieces.
Care Instructions: Hand-wash and dry thoroughly after use. The core steel is reactive and will develop a patina with use. Do not put in the dishwasher. Avoid cutting frozen foods or hard bones. Maintain the edge with water stones and avoid torquing the blade sideways during use.
Maker: Chopper King
Location: Taiwan
Construction: Hammer Forged, San Mai
Edge Steel: White #2 Carbon Steel from Japan
Cladding: Stainless Steel
HRC: 60-61
Weight: 10.7 oz (304 g)
Edge Length: 205 mm
Total Length: 318 mm
Blade Height at Base: 85.5 mm
Blade Height at Middle: 88.5 mm
Spine Thickness at Base: 3 mm
Spine Thickness at Middle: 2 mm
Handle: Maple, Round
This knife is hammer-forged in Taiwan using san mai construction with a White #2 (Shirogami #2) carbon steel core imported from Japan. White #2 is prized for its extremely pure composition, fine grain structure, and ability to take a screaming sharp edge quickly. Hardened to 60–61 HRC, it sharpens unbelievably fast and responds beautifully on water stones. One customer noted that after professional thinning and a slight hollow grind adjustment, the knife absolutely sailed through food. The steel has proven surprisingly tough for hard prep, showing only minor micro nicks even under heavy use. While edge retention is typical of White #2, touch-ups are fast and easy, often going straight to a 2000-grit stone for quick maintenance. The stainless cladding helps reduce reactivity and makes carbon steel easier to manage in a busy kitchen.
Handcrafted Note: Chopper King cleavers are made with good steel and are forged by an excellent blacksmith, but minor scratches, uneven grind lines, and visible hammer marks are common. They offer tremendous performance for the price, but they are not museum-quality showpieces.
Care Instructions: Hand-wash and dry thoroughly after use. The core steel is reactive and will develop a patina with use. Do not put in the dishwasher. Avoid cutting frozen foods or hard bones. Maintain the edge with water stones and avoid torquing the blade sideways during use.
Reviews
2 review(s) WRITE A REVIEW (Reviews are subject to approval)
Love this knife, February 26, 2026Posted By: Tony
Bought in April 2024, now end of February 2026 and still near 10 times out of 10 the knife I reach for first/the default.
I have other far more expensive knives that might be pretty but this one is what I actually use, barring special use cases (e.g. boning, something where a pointed tip is called for, bread knife, etc.)
The steel is excellent— minutes to sharpen and holds well, and great size and performance overall from a shape and size standpoint.
Can’t think of anything I’d change really, you can pay more for a brand or maker name, looks, etc but this knife far more than adequate and I would buy it again without hesitation.
Would recommend it over other options that cost more and are functionally equivalent or just visually different. Better or the same performance, better price.
Bought in April 2024, now end of February 2026 and still near 10 times out of 10 the knife I reach for first/the default.
I have other far more expensive knives that might be pretty but this one is what I actually use, barring special use cases (e.g. boning, something where a pointed tip is called for, bread knife, etc.)
The steel is excellent— minutes to sharpen and holds well, and great size and performance overall from a shape and size standpoint.
Can’t think of anything I’d change really, you can pay more for a brand or maker name, looks, etc but this knife far more than adequate and I would buy it again without hesitation.
Would recommend it over other options that cost more and are functionally equivalent or just visually different. Better or the same performance, better price.
A great knife for the money but with poor quality control , November 18, 2025Posted By: Mathan
1 people found this review helpful
I was looking to try out a higher quality Chinese style cai dao/veggie cleaver after falling in and out of love with Kiwi's cheap, flimsy version, and also to get my feet wet with carbon steel. A Japanese shirogami core with stainless cladding sounded perfect, especially for the price. But after getting the knife, I realized the grind needed a lot of work as it was extremely uneven along the length of the knife with multiple bevels that even had some concave areas. I was able to get it shaving sharp in only a couple of minutes, but the performance of the knife still left a lot to be desired. The matte bead blast effect on the blade road, which doesn't help with food release, seems to be designed to hide the sloppy grind. After a few months of occasionally trying to buff and grind the knife at home and it getting occasional use, I finally shelled out and took it to a professional knife shop, where they put a slightly hollow grind on it. Boy did that make a difference! The blade road is still all over the place but beyond aesthetics it doesn't seem to affect performance. This knife sails through anything. The blade is surprisingly tough for how much abuse it gets - never gotten more than micro nicks on it. As you'd expect from shirogami it doesn't hold its edge super long but it sharpens unbelievably fast - and like I said I've never gotten a deep chip on it so it's straight to the 2000 grit stone every time.
1 people found this review helpful
I was looking to try out a higher quality Chinese style cai dao/veggie cleaver after falling in and out of love with Kiwi's cheap, flimsy version, and also to get my feet wet with carbon steel. A Japanese shirogami core with stainless cladding sounded perfect, especially for the price. But after getting the knife, I realized the grind needed a lot of work as it was extremely uneven along the length of the knife with multiple bevels that even had some concave areas. I was able to get it shaving sharp in only a couple of minutes, but the performance of the knife still left a lot to be desired. The matte bead blast effect on the blade road, which doesn't help with food release, seems to be designed to hide the sloppy grind. After a few months of occasionally trying to buff and grind the knife at home and it getting occasional use, I finally shelled out and took it to a professional knife shop, where they put a slightly hollow grind on it. Boy did that make a difference! The blade road is still all over the place but beyond aesthetics it doesn't seem to affect performance. This knife sails through anything. The blade is surprisingly tough for how much abuse it gets - never gotten more than micro nicks on it. As you'd expect from shirogami it doesn't hold its edge super long but it sharpens unbelievably fast - and like I said I've never gotten a deep chip on it so it's straight to the 2000 grit stone every time.
