Choosing between a band saw and a scimitar for breaking down sides

When I opened my shop five years ago, I had to pick between a new band saw or a good scimitar for breaking beef. I went with the scimitar because my old boss in Kansas City always said it gave you more feel for the muscle seams. It took about a month of practice to get the swing right, but now I can break a side in under 20 minutes with clean, smooth cuts. Anyone else stick with the old-school tools over the power equipment?

3 comments

3 Comments

riley434d ago

Scimitars are for breaking primals, not full sides.

janarivera4d ago

Parker_price nailed it, wrong tool for the job.

parker_price4d ago

Wait, isn't that the whole point riley43 is making? Like, if you try to use a scimitar on a full side wall, you're just gonna blunt the edge and waste time. It's the wrong tool. They're built for speed on a single, thick primal cut, not for powering through a whole side with all those different bones and joints. You'd grab a breaking knife or a cleaver for that job. Using the right knife for each step is what keeps things sharp and gets the work done fast.