Why Do Butchers Need to Take Good Care of their Knives?
Many butchers use a wide range of tools and equipment in their facilities. For instance, the butcher’s belt is quite common to see in almost any butchery in Australia. Some tools are essential for slicing or grinding the meat. Others are useful for mixing the ground meat with various herbs and spices for producing sausages and other meat products. Similarly, some machines and appliances serve to store the meat in refrigerated conditions. These refrigerated units help in keeping the meat fresher for longer. Without these, the meat could become stale quite rapidly and become unfit for consumption. In addition to these, butcheries will feature other tools and equipment needed for processing the meat or packaging it as well. However, if there is a single tool that butchers would probably value the most, it would be their range of knives.
Butchers typically use an assortment of knives in their daily operations. Some knives are useful for making deft cuts – especially around bones. Others serve to provide even cuts, by cutting through the bone. Not surprisingly, suppliers of butcher’s equipment usually provide a diverse selection of knives for these professionals. For instance, the F Dick range of knives is quite popular across the country. The F Dick boning knife is perhaps, one of the best in its class. But, the value that these knives offer also means that their price will be relatively higher as well. At the same time, frequent use will inevitably blunt the edge of the knife.
When you purchase some appliances for the home, you will want to get the best value for your money. This doesn’t mean that you will simply look at purchasing an appliance that offers most (or all) the features you need and fits into your budget. It means that you will take the necessary care of the appliance as well. The greater the care you take of the appliance, the longer it will function properly. Certainly, some wear and tear issues might appear from time to time. But, these will not usually involve spending a major sum of money towards repairing or replacing the appliance. Similarly, the knives that butchers use will require proper care and maintenance. It is worth highlighting that taking superb care of your knives could be the difference between safe and dangerous results while cutting meat.
It goes without saying that no appliance will last forever. This applies to butchers’ knives as well. With the passage of times, knives witnessing repeated use will become blunt. Each time the butcher uses the knife for cutting through the meat and bone, the edge will lose some its sharpness. Over time, this bluntness will become increasingly apparent. Ignoring the signs could be dangerous. This is because butchers will expend a greater amount of effort for producing the cuts that they need. This could result in wilder and erratic strikes, which could injure the butcher. This is especially so because the butcher will be focusing more on cutting the meat, rather than on safeguarding the self.
Some people might feel that discarding the knives and purchasing a new set might be the best recourse to take in this situation. However, if you have spent a significant amount of money on purchasing a quality set of knives, this might not be an option. In this scenario, purchasing an electric knife sharpener might be worthwhile. These sharpeners will realign the tip of the blade. This will serve to make the blade sharp once again. To accomplish this, butchers will need to hold the sharpener away from their bodies. They will need to place the blade against the body of the sharpener at its base. Thereafter, they will need to slide the knife along the sharpener for each side of the blade. When not in use, the knives will require proper storage. These knives are typically thin and precise. Thus, they will require storage in knife racks or cool, dry drawers to continue to perform at peak levels.
