# Biltong (USA it is called Jerky)



## TRIPS (Jul 29, 2012)

Good day to fellow woodworkers & a belated seasons greetings. 
I make as a hobby, what is called here in South Africa Biltong Cutters. Having visited the USA a few times & having tried Jerky, I still prefer good old SA wild game biltong. Enough of my likes! 
I am adding some pics of some of the Biltong cutters that I have made & if any one out there is interested in them I could send more details in the manufacturing of them.


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## TwoSkies57 (Feb 23, 2009)

I just saw a rerun of a popular American tv series "Duck Dynasty" where Biltong was featured during the show. Never heard of it before til then. Now this...cool. 

Is Biltong that tough that you need a cutter??


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## Murtu01 (Mar 9, 2014)

Very nice design, does the blade not swivel because of being held with only bolt?


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

Hey great idea. I have never seen one of those. 

Ronnie, those are quite well made, you did a good job, I like your selection of woods. Is this your own design? Thanks for posting that and welcome to the forum.

Stick, any ideas what to make the blade out of? Old Multi-tool blades?

Herb


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

those are nice...


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Herb Stoops said:


> Stick, any ideas what to make the blade out of? Old Multi-tool blades?
> 
> Herb


24/26 ga 316/318 stainless???
crease the outside edges a tad and center for added stiffness and after sharpening call them serrations...
nickel plated brass??? (the stuff razor blades are made from)...
MM blades have my vote...
hollow grind sharpen like a plane iron...


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## Knothead47 (Feb 10, 2010)

Wild game doesn't have the fat that domestic animals have. I have a book written by a safari guide that talks about biltong.


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

Jerky was originally venison and buffalo wasn't it? I often wondered how those oldtimers chewed the stuff they were missing a lot of teeth. Maybe they had some sort of tool like this to chop it up so they could gum it?

Herb


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Herb Stoops said:


> Jerky was originally venison and buffalo wasn't it? I often wondered how those oldtimers chewed the stuff they were missing a lot of teeth. Maybe they had some sort of tool like this to chop it up so they could gum it?
> 
> Herb


buffalo jerky doesn't keep well unless salted...
put several small pieces under your tongue and let soak...
kept the mouth moist and the pulp was just swallowed...
curbed hunger too...
you can get the same results from natural brain cured leather...

Elk jerky is some premium stuff...


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## Murtu01 (Mar 9, 2014)

Most Biltong Cutters I've seen and the one I use at home use wood plane blades. Ronnie, what blade do you use? It would appear as if you have created quite some interest on this forum and you may have to educate us all with recipes and plans for the cutter.


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## TRIPS (Jul 29, 2012)

Thanks to all of you that have shown interest in my post on -: Biltong(USA it is called Jerky) I will in due course give more detail & photos with sizes etc.


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## TRIPS (Jul 29, 2012)

The beef or game meat is hung up in a cooler box with ventilation holes, so as to dry the meat out (not completely dry) & then it is cut in thin strips for eating. I can assure you that there is not one South African that has eaten Biltong & not liked it --- Lekker!
This is a SA saying that describes it as being great.


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## TRIPS (Jul 29, 2012)

*Biltong (USA it is called Jerky) Follow Up*



TRIPS said:


> Good day to fellow woodworkers & a belated seasons greetings.
> I make as a hobby, what is called here in South Africa Biltong Cutters. Having visited the USA a few times & having tried Jerky, I still prefer good old SA wild game biltong. Enough of my likes!
> I am adding some pics of some of the Biltong cutters that I have made & if any one out there is interested in them I could send more details in the manufacturing of them.


Firstly sorry for the delay in answering al your question. I have been busy with a few other projects. I have added a couple of photos with descriptions of the item in a break down form for easy identification. The steel that I use is a stainless steel 316, which is hard enough for the use on my biltong cutter that I make. I have the blades profiled cut & then I chamfer the edge on a small milling machine & then hollow grind the edge to razor sharp & finish off by polishing the blade on my "spindle sander" 600 grit. If there are any questions on my pics. please don't hesitate to ask


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## mjwoodman (Sep 15, 2012)

Is it possible to give dimensions of the individual parts?


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

It has been awhile since you posted this, Ronnie , I must have missed it. Great pictures/Drawings. What kind of meat do they use there, beef?

Herb


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## TRIPS (Jul 29, 2012)

TRIPS said:


> Good day to fellow woodworkers & a belated seasons greetings.
> I make as a hobby, what is called here in South Africa Biltong Cutters. Having visited the USA a few times & having tried Jerky, I still prefer good old SA wild game biltong. Enough of my likes!
> I am adding some pics of some of the Biltong cutters that I have made & if any one out there is interested in them I could send more details in the manufacturing of them.


I know it has been 3 years since I posted - Biltong (USA it is called Jerky)
Not making any excuses. I am now back in doing what I love best & that is doing woodwork. If there is any woodworker out there that is interested in my Power Point presentation on how I make my biltong cutters then you can contact me at 
[email protected] & I will email you my presentation.
The steel that I use is profiled 316 stainless steel. I cut the edge on a small milling machine & then as shown in my presentation I grind the finished edge to the sharpness of a planer blade. One can also use planer blades I changed because they just became to expensive for me to use & hence the 316 stainless steel.


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

Good to have you back, Ronnie. I hope all is well where you are at. Looking forward to your new projects.
Herb


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## Murtu01 (Mar 9, 2014)

No Biltong is not tough that you need a cutter, it is normally cut with a sharp pocket knife. When you want to cut larger quantities a cutter is used, or for those whom are scared of cutting their fingers with a knife.


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## Tripsrno1 (Nov 2, 2020)

Good day, fellow woodworkers. It has been quite a while since I last posted. Having just gone through my old post I got a bit nostalgic. I recently reached my1000 mark of making Biltong cutters ( Jerky ), I have made a few changes since I last posted. I would like to show some photos of my newer biltong cutters as well as multi woods Cutting boards. Please contact me through PM (conversation) for further information.


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

Great looking finish...


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