Chuka Bochos are Chinese cleavers, and Moritaka makes a perfect one! They primarily serve as chefs’ knives in traditional Chinese kitchens. They can be used for veggie prep and slicing on the bias across thinner proteins like chicken breast. These are very tall blades that provide for a nice gliding surface while chopping and for food transfer onto your cooking surface.
The iron-clad Aogami Super (AS) blades of the Moritaka Supreme series are crafted with a kurouchi finish, the rustic aesthetic of which evinces the centuries of tradition in the art of hand-forged blade-craft that Moritaka brings to bear. The core AS steel is treated to achieve a Rockwell Hardness rating of 64-65, which is ultra-hard. These knives take and hold seriously refined edges and, due to the higher alloy content of AS, are a bit more corrosion-resistant than other carbon blades. Bevels and grinds are symmetric, making this series of knives equally well-suited to right- and left-handed users.
Blacksmith: Moritaka
Location: Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan
Construction: Hammer Forged, San Mai
Core Edge Steel: Aogami Super
Cladding: Soft Iron
Finish: Kurouchi
Weight: 12.9 oz (368 g)
Edge Length: 196 mm
Overall Length: 352 mm
Spine Thickness at Heel: 3.9 mm
Blade Height: 104.4 mm
Handle: Ho Octagonal
Ferrule: Black Buffalo Horn
Reviews
3 review(s)WRITE A REVIEW (Reviews are subject to approval)
Fantastic cleaver!
Posted By: Jay R - verified customer 2 people found this review helpful
Great edge and the balance of the cleaver is fantastic. I'm running it through some paces and enjoying using it.
After a lot of thought I purchased this Moritaka instead of a stainless blade, I'm so glad I did !The quality is excellent, it's a true joy to use and the edge out of the box is superb.Buy with the knowledge that someone has actually 'made' the blade for you.
This is a truly wonderful knife. If you are looking to drop some money on a cleaver you intend to use for a long time this would not be a bad purchase. Handforged, razor sharp out of the box, amazing edge retention and impeccable fit and finish are all attributes of this knife. While it is smalled than most Chukabocho out there its size is perfect for someone working in a professional kitchen where space is tight but a cleaver is still your weapon of choice. It is well balanced and dead straight on the edge, no belly at all. It is slightly thicker than one you might order from Moritaka but perhaps that is just my knife. I have seen absolutely zero loss in functionality though in light of its thickness. This knife is a work of art that I would recommend to any cleaver lover.