Chopper King is a small operation out of Taiwan producing Chinese-style cleavers and slicers with Japanese steel at prices that make little sense until you pick one up and realize the quality is genuine. CKTG is the first US dealer to carry them. This 210mm cleaver is built around a core of White #2 (Shirogami #2) carbon steel imported from Japan - the same steel found in high-end Japanese knives prized for its pure composition, fine grain structure, and ability to take an exceptionally keen edge quickly.
With a blade length at just over 210mm and a tall profile, this is a Chinese chef knife in the classic mold - a shape that has been handling vegetables, aromatics, and boneless proteins in professional kitchens across Asia for centuries. It arrives sharp and gets sharper fast: reviewers report screaming edges on Shapton Glass stones, and call the price-to-performance ratio off the charts. The profile is large enough to be an authoritative presence on the board and works equally well for scooping ingredients into a pan. The maple round handle is comfortable and practical.
What Customers Are Saying: A professional sharpener who makes short videos on his knives reports that the edge after refinement is exceptional for a cleaver. Another reviewer warns that it is a large knife that walks a fine line for smaller users but calls it perfect for him - particularly for smashing garlic and scooping prep. The grind along the edge can be slightly uneven in spots, but reviewers consistently note this is purely cosmetic and does not affect cutting performance. The spine and choil arrive sharp and benefit from a quick pass with sandpaper before heavy use.
Care Instructions: White #2 is a reactive carbon steel - the edge will develop a patina naturally with use. Wipe and dry the blade immediately after each use. Avoid leaving acidic foods on the edge. Hand wash only. Apply camellia oil before storage.
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 are a tremendous value for the performance you receive, but they are not museum-quality showpieces.Maker: Chopper King
Location: Taiwan
Construction: Hammer Forged, San Mai
Edge Steel: White #2 (Shirogami #2) Carbon Steel from Japan
Cladding: Stainless
HRC: 60-61
Handle: Maple, Round
Weight: 11.8 oz (334 g)
Blade Length: 212 mm
Total Length: 320 mm
Spine Thickness at Base: 3 mm
Blade Height at Base: 103 mm
Blade Height at Middle: 107 mm
With a blade length at just over 210mm and a tall profile, this is a Chinese chef knife in the classic mold - a shape that has been handling vegetables, aromatics, and boneless proteins in professional kitchens across Asia for centuries. It arrives sharp and gets sharper fast: reviewers report screaming edges on Shapton Glass stones, and call the price-to-performance ratio off the charts. The profile is large enough to be an authoritative presence on the board and works equally well for scooping ingredients into a pan. The maple round handle is comfortable and practical.
What Customers Are Saying: A professional sharpener who makes short videos on his knives reports that the edge after refinement is exceptional for a cleaver. Another reviewer warns that it is a large knife that walks a fine line for smaller users but calls it perfect for him - particularly for smashing garlic and scooping prep. The grind along the edge can be slightly uneven in spots, but reviewers consistently note this is purely cosmetic and does not affect cutting performance. The spine and choil arrive sharp and benefit from a quick pass with sandpaper before heavy use.
Care Instructions: White #2 is a reactive carbon steel - the edge will develop a patina naturally with use. Wipe and dry the blade immediately after each use. Avoid leaving acidic foods on the edge. Hand wash only. Apply camellia oil before storage.
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 are a tremendous value for the performance you receive, but they are not museum-quality showpieces.
Reviews
7 review(s) WRITE A REVIEW (Reviews are subject to approval) Great value, November 30, 2025Posted By: Mbd
This thing is a pretty remarkable value. The edge gets screaming sharp, is very easy to sharpen, and it's quite comfortable!
The grind along the edge is a little uneven, there's some low spots that stick out when sharpening, but it's purely aesthetic. No complaints aside from that, this is a very functional veggie slicer that gets incredibly sharp at a very fair price.
This thing is a pretty remarkable value. The edge gets screaming sharp, is very easy to sharpen, and it's quite comfortable!
The grind along the edge is a little uneven, there's some low spots that stick out when sharpening, but it's purely aesthetic. No complaints aside from that, this is a very functional veggie slicer that gets incredibly sharp at a very fair price.
price to performance ratio is off the charts, November 11, 2025Posted By: Dave
Be warned that it is pretty large and walks a fine line for usability. It's perfect for me, but smaller users may be intimidated. Need to smash a garlic clove? Scoop some ingredients into a pan? This is your jam.
As stated by other it takes a very sharp edge without a lot of effort. Works very well on my Shapton glass stones.
The spine and choil are a bit sharp out of the box, but some work with a strip of sandpaper or a dremel will fix that.
Makes you feel like Martin Yan!
Be warned that it is pretty large and walks a fine line for usability. It's perfect for me, but smaller users may be intimidated. Need to smash a garlic clove? Scoop some ingredients into a pan? This is your jam.
As stated by other it takes a very sharp edge without a lot of effort. Works very well on my Shapton glass stones.
The spine and choil are a bit sharp out of the box, but some work with a strip of sandpaper or a dremel will fix that.
Makes you feel like Martin Yan!
Excellent Chinese Chef knife!, January 27, 2025Posted By: DroneShotFPV
32 people found this review helpful
I was excited after seeing this Chinese Chef knife available on CKTG. I have been intrigued by these Chinese Chef knife / Cleavers for some time, but was not really ready to pull the trigger. I like the CCK's, but wasn't a fan of all the writing and QR code on the blade side. Yes, that is just cosmetics, and doesn't affect performance, but just a personal thing... Not that I won't ever own one, but something I wasn't wanting right away. The other thing was the CCK's didn't tell you exactly what steel to expect, just Carbon Steel. That's good and all, but as a pro sharpener and steel nerd I want to know more about it and get it's history, etc.
Well, in comes this Chopper King... I won't lie, the name threw me at first... It sounds like something from an 80's infomercial, something comical to be sold out of the back of a magazine, but looking past all that and seeing A.) The steel type being a favorite of mine (I love the Shirogami's and Aogami's) and B.) The visual appeal and C.) The price, I was sold. Reading the reviews helped, but still there wasn't a ton of information on it out there, yes there was some, but I wish there was more (hence why I made a short video about it).... But I pulled the trigger and I couldn't be happier!
It arrived the other day, and out of the box she was sharp, as expected from anything in the Shirogami / Aogami steel lines of nearly anything (yes, you can have bad ones, but MOSTLY it's good experiences OOTB). But being that I love to sharpen and do so as a side job, I immediately refined the edge and put my own touches on it.. Holy smokes, for a "cleaver"nbsp;No
32 people found this review helpful
I was excited after seeing this Chinese Chef knife available on CKTG. I have been intrigued by these Chinese Chef knife / Cleavers for some time, but was not really ready to pull the trigger. I like the CCK's, but wasn't a fan of all the writing and QR code on the blade side. Yes, that is just cosmetics, and doesn't affect performance, but just a personal thing... Not that I won't ever own one, but something I wasn't wanting right away. The other thing was the CCK's didn't tell you exactly what steel to expect, just Carbon Steel. That's good and all, but as a pro sharpener and steel nerd I want to know more about it and get it's history, etc.
Well, in comes this Chopper King... I won't lie, the name threw me at first... It sounds like something from an 80's infomercial, something comical to be sold out of the back of a magazine, but looking past all that and seeing A.) The steel type being a favorite of mine (I love the Shirogami's and Aogami's) and B.) The visual appeal and C.) The price, I was sold. Reading the reviews helped, but still there wasn't a ton of information on it out there, yes there was some, but I wish there was more (hence why I made a short video about it).... But I pulled the trigger and I couldn't be happier!
It arrived the other day, and out of the box she was sharp, as expected from anything in the Shirogami / Aogami steel lines of nearly anything (yes, you can have bad ones, but MOSTLY it's good experiences OOTB). But being that I love to sharpen and do so as a side job, I immediately refined the edge and put my own touches on it.. Holy smokes, for a "cleaver"nbsp;No
Carbon steel performance without the fussPosted By: Ryan E
48 people found this review helpful
This knife is the twin sister of the Chopper King Aus-10 cleaver. They are functionally identical, with the only difference being that this model features a carbon steel core. Because this knife has stainless cladding, you get the best of both worlds—the performance and sharpenability of carbon steel with the ease of maintenance of stainless. Yes, you do have to wipe the blade down after using it to prevent rust formation, but it's much easier to care forttps://cktgreviews.com/yreviews/ssl/yreview_reviews.php?RevID=8362&Score=-1')>No
48 people found this review helpful
This knife is the twin sister of the Chopper King Aus-10 cleaver. They are functionally identical, with the only difference being that this model features a carbon steel core. Because this knife has stainless cladding, you get the best of both worlds—the performance and sharpenability of carbon steel with the ease of maintenance of stainless. Yes, you do have to wipe the blade down after using it to prevent rust formation, but it's much easier to care forttps://cktgreviews.com/yreviews/ssl/yreview_reviews.php?RevID=8362&Score=-1')>No
Great Value RileyPosted By: Larry Johnson
31 people found this review helpful
So after looking at my chopper king for a day and a half I pulled it out to do some vegetable prep. I squared off a carrot and proceeded to cut an incredibly fine julienne, the thinnest I’ve ever cut. Literally cut like it was butter.
My server Riley was standing next to me, staring in amazement. All she could say was that the cuts were not fine enough. Lol
All I can say is after 46 years in the kitchen it was the best experience I’ve ever had with a knife. Period.
31 people found this review helpful
So after looking at my chopper king for a day and a half I pulled it out to do some vegetable prep. I squared off a carrot and proceeded to cut an incredibly fine julienne, the thinnest I’ve ever cut. Literally cut like it was butter.
My server Riley was standing next to me, staring in amazement. All she could say was that the cuts were not fine enough. Lol
All I can say is after 46 years in the kitchen it was the best experience I’ve ever had with a knife. Period.
Impressive Posted By: Larry Johnson
40 people found this review helpful
This is an impressive blade. It’s heavier than my Dao Vua Small Cleaver, I’m guessing the stainless cladding accounts for the additional weight. I’m got complaining; the leaf spring has quite a funky patina that is rather menacing but I have to wipe it all the time as I use it constantly. Anyway, I’m gonna spend a few hours working polishing it so I needed a replacement. I did abuse it today on a case of chickens, so it needs a little tlc.
I’m excited to graduate to Shirogami carbon steel. It looks like it will get stupid sharp after a pass or two on my Cerax 1000. And with the curved belly I’ll be able to do a little rocking. My cooking is very simple but the garnishes are very intricate; very fine julienne and brunoise. It doesn’t make sense to me to invest in quality knives and stones and not use them. If I’m in the kitchen and not behind the stove I’ve got a knife in my hand.
I don’t own a gyuto. A cleaver with an assortment of petty knives works for me. This will be a welcome addition too my knife bag.
40 people found this review helpful
This is an impressive blade. It’s heavier than my Dao Vua Small Cleaver, I’m guessing the stainless cladding accounts for the additional weight. I’m got complaining; the leaf spring has quite a funky patina that is rather menacing but I have to wipe it all the time as I use it constantly. Anyway, I’m gonna spend a few hours working polishing it so I needed a replacement. I did abuse it today on a case of chickens, so it needs a little tlc.
I’m excited to graduate to Shirogami carbon steel. It looks like it will get stupid sharp after a pass or two on my Cerax 1000. And with the curved belly I’ll be able to do a little rocking. My cooking is very simple but the garnishes are very intricate; very fine julienne and brunoise. It doesn’t make sense to me to invest in quality knives and stones and not use them. If I’m in the kitchen and not behind the stove I’ve got a knife in my hand.
I don’t own a gyuto. A cleaver with an assortment of petty knives works for me. This will be a welcome addition too my knife bag.
Carbon steel performance without the fussPosted By: Ryan E
48 people found this review helpful
This knife is the twin sister of the Chopper King Aus-10 cleaver. They are functionally identical, with the only difference being that this model features a carbon steel core. Because this knife has stainless cladding, you get the best of both worlds—the performance and sharpenability of carbon steel with the ease of maintenance of stainless. Yes, you do have to wipe the blade down after using it to prevent rust formation, but it's much easier to care for than knives with reactive cladding, such as the CCK small slicer (1303). In my experience, the Chopper King White #2 cleaver is also much less likely to impart any off flavors to food products, which sometimes happens with other carbon steel knives before they have developed a patina. On mine, I used a little yellow mustard to force a patina, and now I basically treat it like any other knife in my collection, no special care required.
If you haven't owned a knife with White #2 steel (also called Shirogami #2), you owe it to yourself to try one out. They are an absolute dream to sharpen. Like other commenters have said, they almost "want" to get sharp on their own. If you value simplicity, this knife is a good candidate for a one-stone sharpening routine using something like the Naniwa Aotoshi Green Brick, also available here on the site. This Chopper King cleaver comes with a nice out-of-the-box edge. Mine had no problem passing the paper slicing test when I received it.
Overall, I am thrilled with this knife. I view it as an across-the-board upgrade from my CCK 1303. If you started with a CCK and are looking to change things up a bit, this Chopper King would be a great model to consider. This is also a great option for folks looking to try a Chinese cleaver for the first time. They are amazingly versatile kitchen tools.
48 people found this review helpful
This knife is the twin sister of the Chopper King Aus-10 cleaver. They are functionally identical, with the only difference being that this model features a carbon steel core. Because this knife has stainless cladding, you get the best of both worlds—the performance and sharpenability of carbon steel with the ease of maintenance of stainless. Yes, you do have to wipe the blade down after using it to prevent rust formation, but it's much easier to care for than knives with reactive cladding, such as the CCK small slicer (1303). In my experience, the Chopper King White #2 cleaver is also much less likely to impart any off flavors to food products, which sometimes happens with other carbon steel knives before they have developed a patina. On mine, I used a little yellow mustard to force a patina, and now I basically treat it like any other knife in my collection, no special care required.
If you haven't owned a knife with White #2 steel (also called Shirogami #2), you owe it to yourself to try one out. They are an absolute dream to sharpen. Like other commenters have said, they almost "want" to get sharp on their own. If you value simplicity, this knife is a good candidate for a one-stone sharpening routine using something like the Naniwa Aotoshi Green Brick, also available here on the site. This Chopper King cleaver comes with a nice out-of-the-box edge. Mine had no problem passing the paper slicing test when I received it.
Overall, I am thrilled with this knife. I view it as an across-the-board upgrade from my CCK 1303. If you started with a CCK and are looking to change things up a bit, this Chopper King would be a great model to consider. This is also a great option for folks looking to try a Chinese cleaver for the first time. They are amazingly versatile kitchen tools.
