Cutting tools have been around a long time. If you look at tools there have been no real innovations lately. Yes, we finally hafted those sharp lithic blades to a handle and then went through a copper,bronze and iron age. I have to wonder if they had similar debates over metallurgy or just resolved the dispute with a blow to the head <img src="images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />? Tool designs were also in parallel development. Things either worked or got discarded ( or sold at the prehistoric equivelent to EBAY as "rare and unique survival knives with 122 FREE extras in the bamboo handle) <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> Cleavers are a food processing tool. They are wonderfull for dismembering animals and dicing up vegetable and roots. But what do they come with? A chopping board or table. That short,heavy tool is the equivelent to a short hatchet. Swinging one is an invitation to self injury. Mors Kochanski discusses the dangers of a short hatchet ( and alternatative safe methods if using one) in his BUSHCRAFT book. The second disadvantage is length. You simply cannot get enough mass and momentum in these shorter cleavers to chop comfortably or efficiently. I used a British MK4 to hack my way out of an old abandoned trailor ( caravan.) I was exausted <img src="images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />. A small axe easily demolished the remaining 3 panels in under an hour. Cleavers actually are the oldest survival knife. Take a look at the ancient aechulian hand axes. then again, we could try Tom Hank's ice skate <img src="images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />