Passed 500 whole hog breakdowns this week and I still prefer doing it by hand over band saw...

I know everyone says a band saw is faster and more consistent for breaking down a hog, and maybe it is. But I hit my 500th hog this Tuesday down at Miller's Processing, and I tracked every single one by hand with a bone saw and knife. There's something about feeling the seams and the joints that a band saw just takes away. You lose a little meat sometimes, but you gain a lot of understanding of the animal. Am I the only one who thinks hand breakdown teaches you more over the long run?

3 comments

3 Comments

parker_palmer4413d ago

I mean is your band saw made of ham or what

jade_jenkins13d agoTop Commenter

Has anyone actually tried to cut a ham on a band saw though? Because I have a story. My buddy Rick got this wild idea to slice up a whole Christmas ham on his old Craftsman bandsaw, and let me just say the bone chips went everywhere. We spent three hours picking pork out of the blade guides. In my experience, band saws and ham don't mix unless you like your meat with a side of metal shavings. Your mileage may vary, but I'd stick to a good carving knife for the ham and keep the saw for wood. Just my two cents from a very messy holiday.

seth_shah13d ago

Nah it’s probably got more structural integrity than that joke.