Switched from electric to hand saws for breaking down primals

I finally gave up on my band saw after it bogged down on a frozen steer quarter last Tuesday. Picked up a 30 inch butcher's handsaw with a 7 tooth blade and it cut through like butter. No more waiting for meat to thaw or cleaning melted snow off the floor. Anyone else go back to hand tools for certain jobs?

2 comments

2 Comments

sanchez.mary10d ago

Cut through like butter" is exactly right. I had the same issue with my band saw bogging down on frozen stuff, it was a headache. Switched to a handsaw for breaking down larger primals and it's been a game changer. Less mess, no waiting for meat to thaw, and honestly it's more satisfying to work with. Your mileage may vary but I haven't looked back.

matthewgonzalez10d ago

Oh man, don't get me started on band saw bogging down. I swear every time I tried cutting a frozen pork shoulder it sounded like a dying lawnmower. I felt so dumb standing there with a half-stuck blade and meat juice everywhere. Totally agree with @sanchez.mary on the handsaw switch. I grabbed a basic one from the hardware store and felt like a caveman at first, but now I actually look forward to breaking down a big primal. Plus my wife stopped giving me that look when I'd thaw a whole ribeye roast just to cut it in half.