Tidal Black 7" Damascus Cleaver Knife — Produce Cleaver, Real Forged

Last updated: August 25, 2026

Real forged Damascus. Not laser-etched. The Tidal Black 7" Cleaver Knife is built around a 10Cr15CoMoV cutting-core steel — the same alloy class as premium Japanese knife steels — wrapped in 67 total layers of true forged Damascus cladding. Hardness rating: HRC 60±2. Ergonomic black-burl resin handle, riveted through. Hand-wash only. Backed by our 2-Year Epicurean Promise.

What this knife is for

The 7-inch cleaver is your produce-breakdown workhorse. This is NOT a butcher's cleaver — it's not designed for bones. It's a heavy-blade chopping tool for the produce and portioning tasks that make a chef's knife feel undersized.

• Butternut squash, spaghetti squash, whole pumpkins. The weight of the cleaver does the work — you just guide it. Butternut in 60 seconds instead of 5 minutes.
• Whole cabbages, iceberg lettuce heads. One clean chop through the core, then wedge cutting is easy.
• Watermelons, cantaloupes, honeydews. Beats trying to muscle a chef's knife through a whole melon.
• Garlic crushing. Lay the flat side of the blade on a peeled garlic clove and press — fastest crush technique in a professional kitchen.
• Prep station transfer. The broad flat blade scoops chopped ingredients from cutting board to pan in one motion (chefs call this "bench scraper" duty).

What NOT to cut with this cleaver: bones, frozen food, ice, or anything hard enough to chip a Damascus edge. If you need a bone cleaver, buy a dedicated cheap Chinese cleaver — don't use Damascus.

What steel is this knife made from?

The cutting core is 10Cr15CoMoV steel — a high-carbon alloy in the same chemistry class as premium Japanese knife steels (roughly 1% carbon, 15% chromium, plus cobalt, molybdenum, and vanadium). Cobalt is why this steel class holds an edge: it lets the blade be heat-treated to HRC 60±2 without becoming brittle. Cheaper Damascus knives using plain 9Cr18MoV or generic "high-carbon stainless" typically max out at HRC 56-58.

Full blade specifications

How to care for Damascus knives

1. Hand-wash only, dry immediately. Never dishwasher. Dishwasher detergent attacks the softer outer Damascus cladding and the tumbling cycle nicks the edge.
2. Store on a magnetic bar, in a wooden knife block, or in a blade sheath. Loose in a drawer = dinged edge.
3. Cut on wood or soft plastic. Never glass, ceramic, or stone. Never cut bones or frozen food — those chip a Damascus edge fast.
4. Hone before each use with a ceramic rod. Realigns the edge micro-serrations. Takes 10 seconds.
5. Sharpen with a whetstone once or twice a year. The 10Cr15CoMoV core responds beautifully to a 1000/6000-grit stone.

The 2-Year Epicurean Promise

Every knife we sell is backed by our 2-Year Epicurean Promise. If a handle fails under normal residential kitchen use within 2 years, we cover the cost of that knife — replacement or refund, your choice. Send us one photo showing our logo and we'll make it right. No fine print, no receipts required, and no upsell for extended coverage — it's already included at the price on the tag. Read the full 2-Year Epicurean Promise.

Also in the Tidal Collection

Save with the full 8-piece sets — real forged Damascus, 67 total layers, 10Cr15CoMoV cutting core, HRC 60±2:

• Tidal Blue 8pc — $325 (cerulean burl)
• Tidal Black 8pc — $325 (deep black burl)
• Tidal Red 8pc — $325 (wine-red burl)

Ships free anywhere in the United States

Every US order ships free, dispatched in 1-3 business days. Standard delivery in 3-7 business days. 30-day return policy on unused product in original packaging.

Author: Mike Kyle, Owner, The Epicurean Cook (596 Retail LLC). USPTO Reg. No. 8307059.