umab86•10d ago

My band saw blade snapped mid-cut on a half-beef yesterday

I was breaking down a forequarter yesterday, about 30 minutes into the job, and the blade just let go. Sounded like a gunshot and sent a chunk of bone flying across the room. I had to stop everything, drain the blood from the tracks, and swap the blade out blind because my backup was dull. So here's the debate: do you keep multiple sharp blades on hand and swap them early, or do you push a blade until it fails like I did? What's your call on when to retire a blade?

2 comments

2 Comments

robert27510d ago

Read a article once from a butcher supply company. They said swap blades after 8 hours of use or right away if you hit bone weird. I change mine after a full cow now. Saves me the headache of a blowout.

olivia57310d ago

Man, I feel that @robert275. Nothing worse than fighting a dull blade when you're already deep in the work and just trying to get through it clean.