This Saw 40 Years Ago

[Bob La Londe]

Back in the 70s my mom used this saw to break down sides and quarters of beef in the meat department in our grocery store. Pieces way too big to fit on the bandsaw.

More recently Fry's grocery stores will periodically put sections of rib roast up for sale really cheap. it used to be if we bought a whole section they would slice it for us, but they won't anymore. About a year ago they stopped slicing them for us. Or anybody I guess. For most of that time we've been just going to Albertsons when they have a sale on standing rib roast. They will still slice it for us into steaks. However, my wife wanting to stock up the freezer with all the local grocery stores having sales on ribs right now bought a section from Fry's. Then she bought a section from the other store in the area. Well, I've always kept some good sharp butcher knives in the house but I never really had a good way to that I was comfortable with breaking down ribs exactly at the thickness I want because I didn't have a big bandsaw. Well not one I wanted to put meat on anyway.

I asked my dad last year if they still had this saw. I'm not looking forward to spending the rest of the morning butchering but I will have a freezer full of steaks when I'm done.

I just might have to make a new handle for the old saw though. Probably not today.

[Bob La Londe]

For scale...

[JoeLee]

And old butcher shop saw. I have a couple of them. Both are stamped "NOT FOR SALE" They were rentals from some supply co. I guess that's the way it worked. Not to say that you couldn't buy one.

I wonder if blades can still be had for them or if they are some proprietary / special length ?

It would make a real long stroke hack saw if you could find the right type blade in that length.

JL.................

[Bob La Londe]

Well, after splitting one roast, and sawing the bone for two steaks off of that my forearm was screaming. I'll be taking the old diamond rotary wheel to the teeth one at a time before it goes back in the kitchen. If I can get the blades I will buy some. This one has a slight bend near the back that makes it hard to track well. I think we only ever had one blade for it, and my dad sharpened it with a diamond coated file. I hit it with a triangle file and the teeth sounded hard. I'm using the rotary even if I could sharpen it with a file.

And old butcher shop saw. I have a couple of them. Both are stamped "NOT FOR SALE" They were rentals from some supply co. I guess that's the way it worked. Not to say that you couldn't buy one.

I wonder if blades can still be had for them or if they are some proprietary / special length ?

It would make a real long stroke hack saw if you could find the right type blade in that length.

JL.................

I was thinking giant hacksaw too, but I'm to lazy to need something like that. There are not one, not two, but three metal cutting bandsaws in my shop, along with multiple angler grinders, abrasive chop saw, plasma cutter, torch, and a metal cutting circular saw.

[Alan Smith]

Bob, two things about using a butcher's saw. Cut the flesh as much as you can with a knife. Let the weight of the saw do the cutting and don't push too hard the saw will just jam up if you do no matter how sharp it is.
Sorry if I'm teaching my Granny to suck eggs but there is a trick to this.

[Bob La Londe]

Bob, two things about using a butcher's saw. Cut the flesh as much as you can with a knife. Let the weight of the saw do the cutting and don't push too hard the saw will just jam up if you do no matter how sharp it is.
Sorry if I'm teaching my Granny to suck eggs but there is a trick to this.

I'm good. Thanks for reminding me. The meat fills up the gullets if you don't cut as much as possible with the knife first. Still happens some.

[Bob Engelhardt]

... If I can get the blades I will buy some. ...

Couldn't you use a piece of a bandsaw blade? Anneal the ends for drilling the holes.

[Bob La Londe]

Couldn't you use a piece of a bandsaw blade? Anneal the ends for drilling the holes.

Maybe... Not sure if I have anything with a suitable pitch, but its a good idea.

[Arcane]

..........If I can get the blades I will buy some..........

https://www.lemproducts.com/product/hand-saw-blades/meat-processing-saws

Google is your friend.

[Bob La Londe]

Umahunter includes these little cheap diamond wheels with a tungsten grinder adapter kit that he sells on fleabay. He gave me a one of his setups because I gave him a speed handle for his miill vise a while back when I made a batch of them for myself. I have this one chucked up on this grinder because I was experimenting on using it for touching up some cutting tools. It was perfect for putting a touch up on each tooth of that bone cutting saw. I just pulled up a bench swung the magnifying lamp over and went to town. Didn't seem like it took very long at all. Now I have a freezer full of steaks.


I don't think it was as good as a fresh sharp blade but it was a heck of a lot better than it was before.

[Bones]

sawzall works great, also

[I make chips]

^ Mental image of my never cleaned up sawzall shaking and putting metal, wood, plastic chips and cutting oil into some meat I'm hacking up. Yum
But hey I'll use a new blade...

[Bob La Londe]

^ Mental image of my never cleaned up sawzall shaking and putting metal, wood, plastic chips and cutting oil into some meat I'm hacking up. Yum
But hey I'll use a new blade...

... or Every time you use your Sawzall afterwards the smell makes you want to grill.