# Can anyone tell me what brand knife this is?



## zaxmyth (Jul 28, 2015)

While wandering my local Salvation Army, which I do about once a week looking for neat kitchen gadgets, old knives, etc, I found a small (about 6.5" blade) cleaver for $.25. I figured I would try to put an edge on it and use it for sushi, tomatoes, little things like that. If it wouldn't hold one, at least it would look awesome in my kitchen. When I got home and started cleaning it up I noticed it had some writing on it "nevco stainless steel Japan". It took me forever to decipher the cursive and make out "nevco" and even after a lot of searching the web, ebay, and the likes, I can't find anything like it. I've found the company, and some of their products have the same ivory colored Bakelite handle, but I'm having zero luck finding a a date or anything else. Does anyone have any info? I'll also post a picture shortly.


----------



## zaxmyth (Jul 28, 2015)

DSC_0040.JPG




__
zaxmyth


__
Mar 11, 2016








Also, I discovered when I put an edge on it that it is actually a very nice knife. I was able to get it RAZOR sharp and it holds an edge better than any knife I have used. Its actually become my favorite knife and I'll catch myself using it for anything and everything because its so nice to use haha


----------



## brianshaw (Dec 18, 2010)

Well good for you, finding s knife that works for you... And especially at such a good price. Many of us have "junk" knives that meet our needs!

Interestingly, there are some who share your use of a cleaver for general purpose use. I tried but failed.


----------



## Hank (Sep 8, 2015)

Nice find. I once was out for a walk and found a cleaver at a garage sale. I bought it for a buck but had to carry it home for 2 miles! Got a couple funny looks, but the cops didn't get involved. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/peace.gif


----------



## zaxmyth (Jul 28, 2015)

Haha that's my favorite part, the looks when I get to the register and I'm buying an old hand mixer, a bag of old cutlery, a box of bungie cords, and an ancient miniature garlic press are priceless lol


----------



## zaxmyth (Jul 28, 2015)

BrianShaw said:


> Well good for you, finding s knife that works for you... And especially at such a good price. Many of us have "junk" knives that meet our needs!
> 
> Interestingly, there are some who share your use of a cleaver for general purpose use. I tried but failed.


This one is small and light but it's very balanced so it's like a chef knife/santoku hybrid, if you found one that had the right balance, you could do it for sure.


----------



## cerise (Jul 5, 2013)

Way to go! I searched eBay in the US under nevco. Did not see the cleaver you described, but looks like their products are circa 1950 to about 1967. Great find.


----------



## rick alan (Nov 15, 2012)

Looks like carbon, so it automatically takes a better edge than your typical stainless kitchen knife.  Thin it out at the edge and it will work even better.


----------



## zaxmyth (Jul 28, 2015)

It just looks like its a very dull grey patina, that's a horrible picture because I dropped my phone and the outer lense on the camera shattered and fell out haha I'm fairly certain its stainless of one variation though. I tested it with some vinegar on a small section overnight and it didn't even have a hint of patination after. . . but I think that something like chromoly, which is very high in carbon, won't patina like regular carbon steel if I remember right? I guess long story even longer, I have absolutely no idea what its made of but don't judge it from that picture is what I'm getting at lol any ideas for an ideal thickness on the edge? I have it double beveled with each side ~12.5 degrees/side and if I stropped it instead of only steeled I bet I could shave with it.


----------



## zaxmyth (Jul 28, 2015)

P.S. Sorry for getting so long winded, I have a mystery basket tasting tomorrow to determine if I'm hired as the Sous at the restaurant for a four diamond hotel that sits right on the water on one of the Finger Lakes in the heart of upstate NY wine country. . .so I've been doing a lot more studying and obsessing over my technique rather than getting any sleep ten fold more than usual the past week haha


----------



## rick alan (Nov 15, 2012)

Hope they pick you.

Oh Brother, now I see you told us the blade was inscribed "stainless."  We've come across some older Japanese made knives that had a rather fine grained stainless, but were also rather soft, though they responded well to realigning or touchups on a fine Arkansas.  Do a google like Cerise and it appears the company was doing business in the fifties and sixties.  I think a number of companies selling stainless came and went during that early period for stainless knives.

You may have a Bakelite handle, which would be a nice touch.  Bakelite is a tough and very stable plastic material that is expensive to produce as it is labor intensive, but Japanese labor at that time was very cheap.  Bakelite jewelry and ornementation was popular in the first half of the 20th centruy.

Back then for stainless that took a fine edge and held it well, that would have to be 440C, but 440B was better than the ordinary also.  The Japanese could have used it, and may have had an equivalent.  I believe Deluxe Personna made them from 440C, but that was rare for kitchen cutlery as it was relatively pricey material and folks back then didn't spend on knives like some do nowadays.

Thinning is done at a shallow angle, about 3deg or less.  Since your knife is not going to be the hardest, don't go crazy thin, or you'll dimple the edge just by touching up against bone or not being careful on the board.


----------

