# Reciprocating Saw for Hog Butchering?



## gilberte (Sep 25, 2004)

Thought I might replace the meat saw with a reciprocating saw for splitting the hog and cutting chops. Anyone do this? What's the best blade? Does it work well or should I forget it and stick with the hand meat saw?


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## GeorgeK (Apr 14, 2004)

the motor oils on power tools like that are not food grade, you might poison yourself


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## BobK (Oct 28, 2004)

Well don't know about cutting chops but a friend of mine swears by using his saw for splitting hogs.....I am going to try it this year for splitting our pigs....don't know where the oil would come from that George is concerned about but I know my saw does not have any oil on it or in it.......now a chainsaw might make a bit of a mess...


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## Patty0315 (Feb 1, 2004)

We use one all the time and we haven't died yet. No oil taste in the meat either !


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## moopups (May 12, 2002)

We butcher with one also, take the precaution to heat the paint off the blade before use. I do this with a propane torch. Chose a long blade with at least 10 teeth per inch, works best for us.


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## BobK (Oct 28, 2004)

Are you guys/gals using the saw for cutting up the carcass, e.g., chops ect., or just to split the pig? If your cutting chops ect with the sawzall how cold do you need the meat to do a clean job? 

I've thought about building a jig(s) with different size gaps for chops of varying sizes and use the sawzall for bopping off the chops.....might speed things up even though it doesn't take that long by hand in the first place.


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## djuhnke (Oct 7, 2004)

BobK said:


> Are you guys/gals using the saw for cutting up the carcass, e.g., chops ect., or just to split the pig? If your cutting chops ect with the sawzall how cold do you need the meat to do a clean job?
> 
> I've thought about building a jig(s) with different size gaps for chops of varying sizes and use the sawzall for bopping off the chops.....might speed things up even though it doesn't take that long by hand in the first place.


I don't know if a jig would work as some pigs are different sizes but that is an interesting thought.

I've used my ryobi sawz all (electric) with no grease and a new blade. splits it easy and fast.


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## quailkeeper (Aug 18, 2004)

I just use a hand bone saw. Takes about two minutes to saw down the backbone. Pretty easy really. Before we butchered our first hog we went out and bought a meat band saw. Sold it two weeks after we butchered our hog. We didn't even use it!! We cut the loin off and make boneless pork chops, much easier. No other cut required cutting thru a bone.


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## BobK (Oct 28, 2004)

I would make the jig adjustable by using some slots and bolts with wingnuts to control one edge of the jig....thus accomadating any size loin!

quailkeeper I really like a bone in chop...something about chewing on that bone makes the effort worthwhile....we are pretty set in our ways in cutting up our hogs....loins go to chops....bone and roll the Boston butt...bone the shoulder for sausage......bone the hams (not sent away for curing)) and either cut in chunks for pulled pork or grind for sausage.....and thats about it! Oh we do use the innards for making 'gut' cookies for the dogs....they love em!!!


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## Ronney (Nov 26, 2004)

I feel that I should know what a reciprocating saw is - but I can't bring it to mind which makes me think we may call it something different?

We use a meat saw to split our pigs or sheep but use the band saw to do the chops as Keven as arthritis in his hands and by the time he's got through 30-odd chops with the hand saw, he's in pain. The band saw is quick, easy and gives even sized chops. 

Bob, like you, I think a chop should have a bone in it.  You've got to have something to chew on. With the band saw the meat can actually be frozen but mostly we leave it in the freezer for a couple of hours until it becomes icey and firm to handle. Then I lay them on bakeing trays, put them back in the freezer and when they're frozen, free-flow them in plastic bags.

Cheers,
Ronnie


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## Haggis (Mar 11, 2004)

My elders taught me to butcher and they all used an axe the split the backbone, and a cleaver for the chops. I have a meat band saw with table, a reciprocating saw , and a hand meat saw; I use which ever fits the need at the time.

I've split plenty of backbones with a hand meat saw, but now I always use a reciprocating saw.

We are raising pigs again this year for the first time in a while, and we will use the reciprocating saw to split the backbones. We like our chops bone in so we can have a handle and our dogs enjoy waiting for us to get done with the handle so they can have a go at it.


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## GeorgeK (Apr 14, 2004)

I guess I was unclear in what I meant by poisoning. I'm not talking feel sick throw up, go to the hospital right away poisoning, I'm talking long term, if you do this on a regular basis the recurrent ingestion of small volumes of the kinds of chemicals that are going to be present in/on a reciprocating saw are things that are known to be the second most common environmental hazard resulting in cancer of the urinary bladder, the first most common is exposure to tobacco smoke


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## BobK (Oct 28, 2004)

GeorgeK said:


> I guess I was unclear in what I meant by poisoning. I'm not talking feel sick throw up, go to the hospital right away poisoning, I'm talking long term, if you do this on a regular basis the recurrent ingestion of small volumes of the kinds of chemicals that are going to be present in/on a reciprocating saw are things that are known to be the second most common environmental hazard resulting in cancer of the urinary bladder, the first most common is exposure to tobacco smoke



George I can't figure out what your worried about? The saw blade is metal.....as is a meat saw blade and the motor/unit driving the blade is clean....where are these chemicals going to come from and what type of chemicals do you feel are on the saw that would be dangerous?


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## rzrubek (May 13, 2004)

Ronney said:


> I feel that I should know what a reciprocating saw is - but I can't bring it to mind which makes me think we may call it something different?Cheers,
> Ronnie


Reciprocatin saws are also know as Sawzall (brand name in the USA). They have a blade usually about 10 inches long or so that sticks straight out the end of the saw and reciprocates. The most usefull saw you'll ever own.


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## Ed Norman (Jun 8, 2002)

We've used the reciprocating saw to split the backbone for years, and we still aren't dead. We use a 14" 6 TPI blade that rocks the carcass a bit because of the coarse teeth, but the extra length helps alot. We don't keep the shoe of the saw against the carcass, but let it float a few inches away. 

For butchering, we use a bandsaw. It has an adjustable stop for cut thickness. After we saw enough good thick chops, we set it to 1/4" thickness and cut a foot of thin breakfast chops. They fry up in a minute or two. That's the way to start the day.


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## BobK (Oct 28, 2004)

Ed Norman said:


> W
> we set it to 1/4" thickness and cut a foot of thin breakfast chops. They fry up in a minute or two. That's the way to start the day.


Couldn't think of a better way either.........we live for pork chops for breakfast...I bet we eat 75% of our chops at breakfast!


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## djuhnke (Oct 7, 2004)

BobK said:


> Couldn't think of a better way either.........we live for pork chops for breakfast...I bet we eat 75% of our chops at breakfast!


Nah...gotta hvae the sausage. Nothing like "warm" sausage (mix of regular breakfast sausage adn hot sausage, not to hot not to cold...just right)


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