New Acquisition: Vintage American Slicing Machine

[ovrphil]

How cool is that? Glad the link became of interest. Would be cool to see a collection of all these old cutters, 1910-1940.

 

[jkbff]

I've been wanting a slicer for a while.. I just don't wanna start with a random waring or something. I want something that stands out like this one. One that says I'm here to do something, lets get it done.

 

[jkbff]

Heh I shouldn't say stands out but has... Presence.. and is made to actually work... I was looking on Waring's site and they have a demo video of one of their slicers and you can hear it rev down as she slices the turkey... I dunno lol..

Anywho, I should probably start off with something more like this and work my way up.. :
 
http://apps.homecare.com.au/Shopping/ProductImages/FC46_2-b.jpg

 

[ovrphil]

"One that says I'm here ...'

such as? ...this maybe?

http://scranton.craigslist.org/for/4335989622.html

 

[58limited]

Phil

That is an old one, missing the tray on back to catch the sliced meat. U.S. Slicing Machine Co. was the U.S. branch of Berkel, who invented the slicing machine. Berkel expanded to the U.S. (Chicago) in 1909 under the U.S. Slicing Machine Co. name but moved to LaPorte, Indiana six years later. Berkel's website says that they changed their name to Berkel, Inc at the same time but I guess the name change occurred a little later since that machine is a LaPorte machine using the U.S. Slicing Machine name. Probably still from the teens or early twenties.

 

Some of the early slicers have collector value, I bet that one is worth more than the asking price but would need full restoration to reach its value potential.

http://www.berkelequipment.com/Berkel/About_Us/

 

[ovrphil]

Thanks David - it's funny, I read a brief history on Berkel, and found it interesting that W.A. Van Berkel created this slicing machine in /around 1898 and by 1907, they were in so many different countries. So it wasn't a USA born who invented it, but I would have guessed wrong. That one would be a nice one to make a pair - but no one here is suggesting anything. lol.

 

[jkbff]

I might lose a hand or foot with that one..

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-CHR...all_Kitchen_Appliances_US&hash=item258a12d640 <-- that one would look good on my little counter but I wonder how well those really work.. I mean.. They won't slice a log of deli meats.. but I wonder if they would do better than the modern day plastic stuff?

 

[58limited]

Well, I did it again. Another American Slicing Machine came up for sale on ebay, this one is already disassembled and partially cleaned thus saving me lots of work. It is a model 52, a little older than the one I already have with some notable differences: all of the trays are chrome plated steel instead of aluminum and the are mounted by screws so it takes a bit of effort to remove them for cleaning. My guess is that the machine was wiped down periodically and only disassembled for cleaning occasionally. The chrome on this machine is rusted here and there, I'll have to rechrome these parts for sanitation reasons. It also has Robbins & Myers motor instead of an Emerson. The last picture is of an assembled Model 52 currently listed on ebay for an outrageous price - $2700.00!! This one cost me a total of $169.00 - that included shipping and it probably weighs 90+ pounds.

 

Picture #6 shows the thickness adjusting mechanism, you can see that the one on my newer model above is quite different.

 

Someone repainted this machine in the past and the paint is peeling. I'm going to have it powder coated Robin's Egg Blue (I'm giving it to a friend and that is the color they want - one day they hope to acquire a Robin's Egg Blue Chambers Stove - they already have a white Chambers.

[this post was last edited: 11/22/2014-12:01]

 

[58limited]

Here is another one that I would really like to have. It was recently listed and did not sell, probably because the seller won't ship - local pick up only. It was listed for $199.00 - WAY cheaper than the others of this model that are listed. Probably made in the teens, very early twenties.

 

[ovrphil]

excellent looking vintage meat cutters...they remind me of something I could have used in my woodshop...but we know better. Looking to see it come together again, good luck!

 

[whirlcool]

When slicing meats and cheeses they always come out better if the item to be sliced is very cold. We slice roast beef for sandwiches. We put the RB in the freezer for 10 minutes before slicing. Makes a world of difference in the results.

 

[jkbff]

Ingredients needed: Meat and seasoning stuff!

Look through his other videos, he makes hand-made knives!