Skilful when holding a meat-axe (7)
I believe the answer is:
cleaver
'meat-axe' is the definition.
I can't judge whether this defines the answer.
'skilful when holding a' is the wordplay.
'skilful' becomes 'clever' (I've seen this before).
'when holding' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'clever' going around 'a' is 'CLEAVER'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for cleaver that I've seen before include "(Meat) chopper" , "Meat axe" , "A butcher's chopping tool" , "A butcher may use it" , "dangerous object?" .)