What are /r/Butchery's favorite Products & Services?

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All of the swibo range of victorinox are good. Not too expensive but good strong blades. I'm not into spending loads of money on my knives, as I'm a whole carcass butcher. Even good knives only last around a year or so. https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00K5RF9U4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_PuQ.FbJR4GSER

Thank you, I figured it was more of a marketing thing. I couldn't find much information on it outside of this article from 1964 http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1499&dat=19640109&id=Wi8gAAAAIBAJ&sjid=VicEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7440,3581584

""The top grade consists of slices from the midsections of selected slabs weighing 8-14lbs. These slices have the best ratio of lean to fat, good color, neat and straight edges and the best size and location of fat and lean streak. The top grade meets rigid specifications as to width and thickness of slice. The slice count per pound for bacon is higher"

"The Slices for the second grade may be cut from the ends of the same slab that is used for first grade bacon. the end slices will have the same flavor as the first grade, but the slices will be uneven. 2nd grade may also come from heavier bacon slabs that often produce less tender bacon with courser texture. The bacon can come from lightweight slabs whose uneven distribution of fat and lean produces thick "chewy" streaks of lean. Slices from lightweight slabs would be narrow and not have the neat edges of bacon. It is difficult to obtain standard package weights with 2nd grade and some of the specifications allow a certain number of part slices for makeup weight. There are fewer slices per pound."

"There is usually a third grade of bacon consisting of broken slices and the extreme ends"

Victorinox Swiss Army Cutlery Fibrox Pro Curved Breaking Knife, 10-Inch https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0019WSLHC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_r91cFbYP63GXF

Victorinox are all my meat cutters buy. For the price and quality you just can’t go wrong. Also pretty convenient to buy online rather than go to a knife shop and paying middle man cuts. Good luck!

Victorinox is decent. I actually use Mercer Culinary knives these days though.

https://www.amazon.com/Mercer-Culinary-Curved-Boning-Ultimate/dp/B016BRBXHY

Everybody has their own preference when it comes to knives, I used flexible curved ones for years but these days I'd rather have stiff straight blades.

Are you working on a line?

If you're working retail and not really boning anything it's kind of overkill. I wouldn't say chainmail is light either lol. A couple extra pounds on your person adds up when you're working on your feet all day.

Here's the same thing on amazon

Carpal tunnel is often caused by disfunction elsewhere in the body, like the shoulder or hip. Mine went away pretty quickly after doing the exercises in this book: https://www.amazon.com/Pain-Free-Revolutionary-Stopping-Chronic-ebook/dp/B00KPBDCA4

Basic Butchery of Livestock and Game is probably the shortest most comprehensive book I could recommend. As far as a hands on course, there are not many to be had. The book is written by a veterinarian so it deals with the anatomy side of things very well. Here is a link to purchase the book

Late for sure, but here you go.

https://www.amazon.com/UltraSource-449018-Prime-Line-Breaking-Knives/dp/B00MGP329I/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=primeline+fluted&qid=1620448628&sr=8-3

Primeline manufactured by Giesser of Germany. You can't do better for edge retention. I did an apprenticeship under a German master butcher and we used nothing but Giesser. You will definitely happy if you are looking for higher end.

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Good luck in your knife hunting! :)

I bought these and I loosened the ear straps a bit and now when I breathe the air goes out of the bottom instead of the top and doesn't fog my glasses https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08J7LKDLF/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

What kind of butchery are you doing? Is this going to be a shared knife? How heavily are you using this between sharpening?

I love having a nice honesuki in my kit for swiftly breaking down birds.

I also have an old stiff boning knife for doing joint work on hogs, it rusts quickly but it keeps an edge. It's probably older than me but the company is still around and sell them on amazon https://www.amazon.ca/Ontario-Knife-Household-Boning/dp/B0014CZ65C/ref=sr_1_19?ie=UTF8&qid=1550728208&sr=8-19&keywords=boning+knife

If you have a dremel you can grind the handle into a nicer shape, I've also re-beveled mine a bunch of times and the thing is a workhorse.

The Manual of a Traditional Bacon Curer, by Maynard Davis.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1906122083/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fab_c7cFFbP8BC8VG

The guy spent a life time in the industry, and has tons of recipes.

We have a tri-Stone sharpener (not sure what brand, been there for a long time. I can find out if important.) Also this steel. I personally use these knives not sure what my co-workers use.

I've had my Seiko SNK973 for going on 10 years now. It's kinetic, meaning it requires no battery changes. It uses the momentum of your wrist movement to wind. It loses about 1 minute per 3 days, so you have to periodically set it to your phone to be completely accurate (if this is an issue for you.)
It is constructed of stainless steel and is fairly water resistant. I ruined my first one when I forgot to take it off prior to swimming and diving, but my second one has stood up to daily showers going on 10 years now.

I don't wear my watch when cutting and especially not while running any equipment, as jewelry of any kind can become a liability in a hurry. In being water resistant though, I usually just set it somewhere I can check it whenever and if meat juices or curing liquid ends up on it, it can wash it down in the sink. I typically only ever wear it while making sausage to keep track of sausages which are cooking in the kettle or smokehouse, and during lunch break. Having the day and date are also useful when doing invoices or rotation labeling.

Here's a link: Seiko SNK973 If I recall correctly, I paid about $80CAD for mine. I certainly wouldn't pay the $150USD that the current seller is asking, but if you look around, I'm sure a deal is out there! Good luck! :)

I will second this as well. Ultra source prime-line are manufactured by Geisser of Germany. Top of the line knives and the grip is unbeatable for anti-slip in greasy/wet conditions. I generally prefer to sharpen with a flap wheel followed by a felt buffing wheel, but these knives can shave hair with a simple belt sander and proper steeling.

Edit: Just as a reference for you... you will find them cheaper elsewhere and especially if purchasing in quantity.

https://www.amazon.com/UltraSource-449011-Prime-Line-Boning-Flexible/dp/B00MGP2WS0

The best steel I have ever owned. Going strong almost 10 years later.

F. Dick Combi Steel (Amazon)

F. Dick is one of the best manufactures of knives and accessories as far as I am concerned. Perhaps second only to Giesser. Both are manufactured in Germany of the highest quality materials.

Perhaps a nice whetstone would be a slightly cheaper alternative. Here's an excellent one also from F. Dick:

F. Dick Whetstone 360/1000 Grit (Amazon)

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Look around on Google for other retailers. Amazon is just the most convenient to search, but not necessarily the best value for money. Good luck, and congratulations to your Brother in Law. :) :)

https://www.amazon.com/F-Dick-Butcher-Packinghouse-Steel/dp/B000XTP7MY/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1517088299&sr=8-2&keywords=f.dick+steel I use one of these 90% of the time but then i am only a shop butcher

I got this book for Xmas and as somebody still learning it has a lot of useful information. Shows how to do a yeild test in one of the later chapters.

I'd recommend this set to start with. Has a cimeter, breaker, boning knife, filet knife, and steel. Get a scabbard to go with it. That's what I did. As for honing, you should do it pretty much every time you start cutting something. Remember that honing and sharpening are different things. Honing aligns the microscopic serrations on your knife with a steel. Sharpening grinds away the edge on a stone.

I have this set and love it. Highly highly recommend it.

As someone with butcher aspirations, I recommend you read The Butcher's Guide to Well-Raised Meat, if you haven't already. Best of luck!