Lg Antique ARITAINE French Chefs Butcher Cleaver Knife Start Price USD 9.99 Current Price USD 161.00 Time Left - Bid Count 10 Buy It Now Price - Reserve Price - Start Time Friday, November 28, 2008 End Time Monday, December 08, 2008 Location Beautiful Southern California See more about 'Lg Antique ARITAINE French Chefs Butcher Cleaver Knife' Description This deeply, darkly and beautifully patinated piece of antique cutlery was once found in every French kitchen or butcher shop, known there as a "feuille," which means sheet or leaf, or here in the English-speaking world, as a Swiss Cleaver. When the French go to giving their knives special names ("cuisine massif/cuisine massive," "trenchelard" and "tournier" are others), you can be sure it is because they are treasured, and that should surprise no one who has ever used such a knife as this. With its up-curving pointed tipped blade, this magnificent professional chef's cleaver/knife was hand-forged in France with a carbon steel blade that's marked with the number "0," and on its thick, elongated bolster, "ARITAINE EXTRA," which is a brand I do not recognize. One needs only to thump its blade with a finger, however, to immediately recognize that this is a superior piece of hand-forged carbon steel, the likes of which are virtually gone from the modern market. It was probably made by one of the companies from the Thiers region that were eventually amalgamated into the consortium known here in the USA today as Sabatier. It very closely resembles those made by Thiers-Issard, who was a major producer of these fine blades, but it differs in that its handle is obviously turned from some kind of beautifully burled hardwood (probably walnut), not beechwood, which was much more common. If you prefer one with beechwood, we're selling one now in our ebay store--check it out!They're not made at all these days because the style of its construction is quite labor-intensive and requires considerable craftsmanship and extra hand-finishing (and honing--it's sharpened all the way around to the point at top of blade to permit chopping, slicing AND scraping in a push motion) and uses a much larger piece of expensive blade-stock. It's shape makes it as adept at slicing and cutting meat as it is for your toughest cutting and chopping. It's size is deceptive, and it is much more maneuverable and agile than you might think, despite the fact that it measures a whopping 14.5" long with a blade that's 9" long and 3.75" wide. Though made for whacking chops, steaks or poultry parts from a larger piece of meat, it's beautifully balanced and excels at finer mincing and dicing, leaving even some very pricey oriental cleavers in the dust, in terms of performance. For most western users, it will be a first; it's much more like a chef's knife than what we in America think of as a cleaver, which tends to be thick and clunky, like an ax. Best of all, perhaps, this exceptional knife was recently given an EXTREMELY sharp professional edge and must be treated with extreme care. You can literally shave your face with it. In the old days, many classically trained French chefs didn't consider a knife fit for professional use until it received its first "working" edge upon receipt from the factory. Sushi chefs continue this tradition with their rituals of water stones and the resulting keen of their blades is virtually alien to most home cooks (and to many professional chefs) of Western indoctrination. This knife comes pretty close to just that kind of sharpness, but please exercise MAXIMUM caution, since a careless user may find himself in the E.R. in need of fingers.As you can see in the photos, its original turned and grooved bat-style handle has some minor hairlines between the bolster and the "skullcrusher"-style pommel, which is solid carbon steel, but the entire piece is quite tight and still provides a very sure grip; there should be no doubt that this piece will serve faithfully for another few generations, if called into service to do so. You'll find that this piece is fully capable of attaining heirloom status in the collection of any professional or amateur chef who is lucky enough to acquire it. This is a superior-quality piece of professional chef's cutlery, offered to amateur and pro alike only right here on ebay. Do NOT let it get away! IMPORTANT!!! Terms of SaleBy bidding or buying, you certify that you are above 18 years of age and that you agree to all terms of sale as detailed below. If you have any questions, please email prior to bidding or buying.Please be SURE to visit my Store for an even greater selection of excellent vintage cutlery and related items for the professional chef or serious amateur. Remember, store items WON'T always appear in ebay searches, so the only way to see them is to just click on the "Store" price-tag logo or on our store name to see some of the finest knives and other related goodies on ebay!Please email any questions and PLEASE read our terms prior to bidding. By bidding you certify that you are at least 18 years of age--we do NOT sell to minors. All images and descriptions are copyrighted, and we aggressively pursue legal remedy as well as ebay's rules against plagiarizing them--it's stealing, it's wrong, and you WILL be caught. All items come from a smoke-free home with no pets unless otherwise indicated. SHIPPING: Buyer pays $9.95 flat rate insured shipping anywhere in USA. We will do whatever we can to minimize your shipping costs on multiple purchases, and in most cases, combining multiple wins will save BIG, often shipping two or more items for the cost of one. In order to streamline the process, we will provide a flat, upfront shipping rate in our auctions whenever possible for all U.S. buyers. Keep in mind that our prices for shipping in USA always INCLUDE insurance unless otherwise stated (sorry, no exceptions to this.) We ship on Wednesdays and Saturdays; if you have special needs, please email prior to bidding. Items lost or damaged in transit require buyer to file U.S. Post Office or UPS insurance claim. I will gladly ship you the insurance receipt and the shipping receipt necessary to file. 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