Kitchen axe. 
I was in quite a posh Chinese restaurant once (actually nearly 40 years ago, dear God) when a relatively minor scrap broke out between two customers. Two guys I assume were cooks came running out of the kitchen brandishing stuff like that. The scrappers took one look and ran at full tilt into the street, leaving their respective g/f’s to settle the bills.
VB
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I shall be expecting a post with gratuitous pic in the Slaughterhouse thread any day soon.
Nice blade, I have images of Cato flying through the air as peter Seller’s ducks.
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How many ducks has he got?
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None, Cato is his ducks, is has a canny ability to be two ducks at once does Cato. 
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The way he sharpens it on the steel towards his hand 
That’s how every butcher I’ve seen does it.
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I can use a steel ok and always towards my hand which is the way my (ex fish monger) grandad taught me. I practiced furiously as a kid (when he wasn’t around) because the old sod reckoned I’d not be able to do it. 
Mine has a guard.
Interestingly, the melt, I mean butcher over the road holds his steel like he is holding a dagger, pushes the tip firmly against his block and strikes the knife downwards and away from him. The warm glow of superiority flows through me… 
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Lou’s Dad used to be a butcher. He saw me using a steel, striking away from me, and promptly put me right. I couldn’t do it as fast as him though, no matter how much I tried.
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I can steel either way though I’ve a preference for holding the steel in my left hand and the knife and working end to hand with no guard.
When I start to steel my knife the dogs run to the kitchen very quickly
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Yes, I hold the steel in my left too, not sure I could do it the other way around.
With a conventional knife I’m ok but this one might be different as the blade is so broad. I think I will be starting slowly!
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Tell me these fingers can be stitched back on right?
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On the stroke facing him the angle is too large. Angle should be about 20°.
As for cuting body parts, I’ve never cut myself steeling a knife. Highest chance of cutting yourself is when boning out particularly a shoulder of lamb. Fucking awkward doing them.
I used to steel a cleaver that way, haven’t done it for years though. Full butcher’s cleaver is at least twice the size of a chef’s.
Yes, I think a much more robust and massive blade too. Are they as sharp? I’ve never had any need for one!
They’re a lot heavier. Made for splitting through the spines of lambs and pigs.
Should be as sharp as any knife. It’s hard enough to do accurately and even worse if the blade is blunt
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