Jaya Mata JM552-3 Cai Dao Style Cleaver

We're excited to be among the first direct importers of Jaya Mata knives into the United States. We worked directly with Jaya Mata to bring these Malaysian-made knives to a wider audience because we think they deserve far more recognition outside Southeast Asia. If you're curious about the shop itself, their Instagram is well worth a look—it offers a glimpse into the people and craftsmanship behind these knives.

The JM552-3 is forged from a high-carbon spring steel core clad in iron, creating a knife that feels refreshingly simple, tough, and easy to maintain. The core steel takes a keen edge without fuss and sharpens easily on ordinary water stones, while offering somewhat better corrosion resistance than many simple high-carbon steels like 1095. The exposed iron cladding, however, is extremely reactive and should be dried promptly after use and protected with mineral or camellia (tsubaki) oil when stored.

One of the first things you'll notice is the geometry. At just 2 mm at the spine with a pleasant distal taper, the knife isn't especially thick, and the JM552-3 is ground a little thinner behind the edge than the JM552-2. The result is a cai dao that leans a bit more toward finer prep and more delicate work while still being plenty robust for everyday kitchen use. It rewards a lighter touch and feels especially satisfying on vegetables, herbs, and boneless proteins.

For anyone looking at the current prices of classic Hong Kong cai daos like CCK, the JM552-3 offers an appealing alternative. It delivers the same general style of knife with handmade construction, excellent cutting performance, and a much more approachable price point, making it an outstanding value for cooks who appreciate traditional carbon steel cai daos.

The knife arrives with Jaya Mata's natural black surface finish, which the manufacturer tells us is not a paint or intentionally applied coating. It may gradually wear with use, developing the character expected of a well-used carbon steel knife. Each knife is fitted with a simple rubberwood barrel handle that responds well to food-safe cutting board oils or wax finishes. Some examples include a small screwed cap at the end of the handle where the tang exits, while others do not; this varies during production and cannot be guaranteed.

Because these knives are shipped internationally in a heavy protective grease, some may arrive with the grease partially dried. We recommend washing the knife thoroughly before its first use.

Steel: High-carbon spring steel core with iron cladding

Construction: High-carbon spring steel core with iron cladding

Blade length: 7.5 in (190 mm)

Blade height: 107 mm

Spine thickness: 2.0 mm

Handle: Rubberwood barrel handle

Weight: 348 g

Origin: Handmade in Perak, Malaysia

In Use: The JM552-3 still has the reassuring feel of a traditional cai dao, but it rewards a little more finesse than its sibling. The thinner geometry glides through vegetables and boneless proteins with noticeably less resistance, making repetitive prep feel almost effortless. It isn't fragile by any means—it simply shifts the balance a bit toward cutting performance over brute durability. If your prep leans more toward slicing, push cutting, and finer knife work than heavy chopping—or if you've been priced out of classics like CCK—this is an excellent place to start.