New Addition...

[Gonna Smoke]

...to my processing arsenal today. Last week, I was talking to a good fishing buddy of mine and was telling him about my new grinder and sausage stuffer. I told him that the only other thing I really wanted to get was a slicer because I was going to start making bacon. I've read all the posts and recommendations, but just haven't pulled the trigger on one.

So this morning, I'm making my first breakfast sausage when he called and said that he had a slicer he had bought several years ago and had never used, it was sitting in his shed. Told me he would "permanently" loan it to me on the condition that if he ever needed it, I had to give it back. I said sure, it's not going anywhere.

After some elbow grease cleaning it and a little rust removal (the sharpener was frozen in position)

Berkel 827-E. Has all its parts, runs good, lubed up everything I could find, and I even touched up the blade a little with the newly freed up sharpener.

Now back to making sausage...

 

[jcam222]

Dang nice score! Back in the day I sliced thousands of lbs of London broil on Berkels.

 

[normanaj]

Nice "loaner"!

 

[DRKsmoking]

Great looking machine, and nice of your friend to pass it on to you.

David

 

[gmc2003]

Now that's an excellent deal.

Chris

 

[JLeonard]

Man that is a beauty of a slicer!

Jim

 

[Brokenhandle]

That's a great deal!

Ryan

 

[Fueling Around]

Squeal of a deal!
I think your buddy earned a package of sausage and possibly the soon to come BBB.

 

[Gonna Smoke]

Squeal of a deal!
I think your buddy earned a package of sausage and possibly the soon to come BBB.

Funny you say that, I had just finished the Jimmy Dean clone recipe that you pointed me to when he called. I carried him a pack and promised him more and some BBB when it's ready...

 

[pineywoods]

Wow great score and sounds like a good friend

 

[Gonna Smoke]

Wow great score and sounds like a good friend

Yes he is and a good fisherman, too...

 

[flatbroke]

Does the ring guard come off for clean up? Is it relatively easy to clean the unit up after slicing? I’m looking at one today but can’t find anything online. One manual I found indicates the ring guard is not removable for cleaning and you have to feed a rag between it and the knife.

 

[Gonna Smoke]

Does the ring guard come off for clean up? Is it relatively easy to clean the unit up after slicing?

The ring guard does not easily come off. It is bolted on with 3 bolts, but it can be removed as I did when I first got it. Meat will get in between the guard and the blade and is aggravating to remove, so what I've done is remove the blade to wash it and that opens up the ring guard for better cleaning. Dangerous, I know, but seems to be the best method I have come up with so far. Other than cleaning around the guard, the slide tray is removable as is the center plate and can be washed in the sink.

 

[flatbroke]

The ring guard does not easily come off. It is bolted on with 3 bolts, but it can be removed as I did when I first got it. Meat will get in between the guard and the blade and is aggravating to remove, so what I've done is remove the blade to wash it and that opens up the ring guard for better cleaning. Dangerous, I know, but seems to be the best method I have come up with so far. Other than cleaning around the guard, the slide tray is removable as is the center plate and can be washed in the sink.

thanks.

 

[Brokenhandle]

The ring guard does not easily come off. It is bolted on with 3 bolts, but it can be removed as I did when I first got it. Meat will get in between the guard and the blade and is aggravating to remove, so what I've done is remove the blade to wash it and that opens up the ring guard for better cleaning. Dangerous, I know, but seems to be the best method I have come up with so far. Other than cleaning around the guard, the slide tray is removable as is the center plate and can be washed in the sink.

Charles I also spray food grade silicone on tube that's on slide tray... where the arm that holds meat against blade slides on. Hard to get it dry and not rust. It's not bad cleaning that ring if done shortly after slicing. I should get a cut resistant glove for handling blade... it's super sharp.

Ryan

 

[HalfSmoked]

Awesome friend I too have a gifted Berkel.

Warren

 

[Gonna Smoke]

Charles I also spray food grade silicone on tube that's on slide tray... where the arm that holds meat against blade slides on. Hard to get it dry and not rust. It's not bad cleaning that ring if done shortly after slicing. I should get a cut resistant glove for handling blade... it's super sharp.

Ryan

Thanks, Ryan. I do use the silicone spray both before and after, probably overkill, but...

Anyway, that arm was one of 3 areas that was rusted some. A little scotch brite pad action followed up with some of the silicone spray and it works good. The main slide arm wasn't too bad and I treated it the same. The arm for the sharpener is another story. The locking screw and the sharpener would not budge. Sprayed them down with kroil and waited...and waited...and waited... Finally after an hour or so, I was able to get the locking screw out and I gently, but firmly, used a rubber persuader to free up the sharpener. That slide arm got the same treatment and now is as good as new...

 

[flatbroke]

Charles I also spray food grade silicone on tube that's on slide tray... where the arm that holds meat against blade slides on. Hard to get it dry and not rust. It's not bad cleaning that ring if done shortly after slicing. I should get a cut resistant glove for handling blade... it's super sharp.

Ryan

I passed on the one I looked at. The knife sharpening mechanism was broken. And Jerry rigged. The guard was broken and only held in place by the upper bolt. Parts cost would’ve made it not such a good deal. Needed a sharpening at minimum.

 

[Gonna Smoke]

I passed on the one I looked at. The knife sharpening mechanism was broken. And Jerry rigged. The guard was broken and only held in place by the upper bolt. Parts cost would’ve made it not such a good deal. Needed a sharpening at minimum.

I would've passed, too. Just curious, but how much were they asking? I have seen prices from $1100 and up for what appear to be decent used ones.

 

[flatbroke]

I would've passed, too. Just curious, but how much were they asking? I have seen prices from $1100 and up for what appear to be decent used ones.

$550