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Spent $400 on a new band saw blade and it's been a total game changer

I finally bit the bullet and got that fancy, high-end band saw blade for breaking down primals. It was about $400, which felt crazy for a blade. But man, the cuts are so much cleaner and faster, I'm saving maybe 15 minutes per side of beef. On the other hand, my buddy says I'm nuts and that his $80 blades from the supply house do the same job after a good sharpening. He thinks the extra cash is just for the brand name. What's your take? Is a premium blade worth the investment, or is it all hype?

3 comments

3 Comments

roberts.jesse1mo ago

My butcher shop saw a 20% drop in waste after switching to those pricey blades.

barbara42916d agoMost Upvoted

Did you see that study they did on knife sharpness and food waste? I read about it in some food service magazine my buddy left at the bar. It talked about how dull blades crush and tear meat fibers instead of cutting clean, so you lose more juice and little bits get stuck to the board. The savings from less waste probably covers the blade cost over time, especially if you're doing high volume like a butcher shop. The article mentioned restaurants seeing the same thing with veggies too, not just meat. Seems like one of those upfront costs that pays for itself if you track the numbers close enough.

betty_ward1mo ago

That's a big drop, @roberts.jesse. My math sees it differently.