Vintage Hobart Meat Slicer (Model 11-A, 1936, first electric slicer)

timboio · Jun 19, 2017

I've recently found myself in possession of an extremely old Hobart meat slicer - which spent the last 40 years in the basement of a farm-house, after being purchased from a country store that went out of business in the 70's.

This particular dinosaur is a Hobart model 11-A, manufactured in 1936, in pretty astonishingly good shape, and the very first electric meat slicer Hobart ever made.

Interestingly enough, Hobart decided not to print a model number on the ID plate for this thing. I guess this little oversight was due to the fact that there were no other electric slicers at the time they made it, so, why print a model, right? They clearly weren't considering the impact of that little oversight would have while trying to ID the device 80 years later. It took weeks of digging around to figure out what this was - when I eventually found a patent filing with a diagram that clued me in. With the model, I found a parts diagram, and the case was closed.

If you're into old equipment (which still does an amazing job of slicing brisket, deli-meats, and salamis), hopefully you'll enjoy these pictures. I was unable to find any pictures of this piece of history, so as far as I know, these are the first pictures posted online.

Titch · Jun 19, 2017

That looks awesome, also looks heavy

timboio · Jun 19, 2017

Titch said:
...also looks heavy

You got that right. It's somewhere well over 100lb. If it weren't so unwieldy to move, I'd stick it on a scale to figure out the actual weight. As it is, I just try not to think about the pain of the next time I need to move it off this table.

IamMadMan · Jun 19, 2017

Very Nice

Jrogers84 · Jun 19, 2017

Awesome. That thing is not one you throw in the cabinet after using....

Thingfish · Jun 19, 2017

Amazing find, in great condition. Well done!

PatAttack · Jun 19, 2017

That jewel belongs in a museum!

If nothing else, have a special made table built for it with a butcher block top. It would make a beautiful working display.

Zak · Jun 19, 2017

I have a Hobart from the 1950's. Looks like most of it is original, except for the paint. I hear you about it being heavy as i've had to move mine enough. Good ole america steel that's still working:thumb:

Stlsportster · Jun 19, 2017

What amazes me is how similar the design is to a slicer today. For the first production model looks like they nailed the basic design.

NeoTrout · Jun 19, 2017

Cool.

Mikhail · Jun 19, 2017

Love Hobart stuff. I grew up not far from Troy, OH where they are, or were perhaps, built. A friend of mine who bakes found herself this big mondo Hobart upright mixer, commercial grade and as tall as she is. I just asked her for a pic of it. Custom paint job and all. Indestructible.

Mikhail · Jun 19, 2017

Here it is... in it's native habitat... she had it custom painted to go from bright gold at the top to a coppery brown at the bottom.

brendamn · Jun 20, 2017

Mik, I'm a little taller than my Hobart, but I weigh less.

To the OP, that's a beautiful Hobart slicer you got. What a find! I bet it works well yet, too. If not, you can likely still get parts for it. My mixer is vintage, though not as old as your item, and I can still get the seals, gears, and whatever it would need. So far, just a new seal and fresh grease for the motor is all it needed.

Thanks for posting the pics!

timboio · Jun 20, 2017

brendamn said:
Mik, I'm a little taller than my Hobart, but I weigh less.

To the OP, that's a beautiful Hobart slicer you got. What a find! I bet it works well yet, too. If not, you can likely still get parts for it. My mixer is vintage, though not as old as your item, and I can still get the seals, gears, and whatever it would need. So far, just a new seal and fresh grease for the motor is all it needed.

Thanks for posting the pics!

Fortunately it works great - with the only missing part being the stone sharpening wheel (which likely wore out and broke ages ago).

Crazy enough, there are no parts available for this model anywhere. Even the guys that specialize in parts for old hobart slickers (literally oldhobartslicerparts.com) have never seen one of these. When I tried to contact hobart directly for any info on this model, they simply said that they have no records of seeing one of these in the modern era. I suspect this is literally one of the last few remaining.

The challenge is that while I love this thing, it's insanely heavy and a little absurd for my use (and my wife thinks it's way too big). I mean, it can make paper-thin salami slices, and that's cool. But talk about overkill. I just wish I had some idea what it was worth, or how I could find someone interested in buying it, or a museum interested in preserving it! Until then, she'll have to put up with it in the garage next to the kitchen door.

timboio · Jun 20, 2017

Mikhail said:
Here it is... in it's native habitat... she had it custom painted to go from bright gold at the top to a coppery brown at the bottom.

Wow, that is the kind of mixer that rips your arm off when you're not paying attention. What a beauty.

brendamn · Jun 20, 2017

timboio said:
Wow, that is the kind of mixer that rips your arm off when you're not paying attention. What a beauty.

Indeed, it must be used by someone who is being careful and paying attention, with no small kids next to it. That's why it's placed in its own nook. I'm the sole operator, until Mikhail shows up for a visit. I promised to let him try it. It's a breeze to use, and it's very simple, just three speeds, stopping fully to change gears. Oh, and don't stick your hand, arm, or anything in it while it's running. Yours would be similar in the need for careful use with common sense, and no kids allowed.

Here's what you need for that beautiful slicer: a bigger kitchen with a special work area for the slicer, all your Q equipment, and a wood-fired pizza oven.

Okay, the pizza oven is for when we all come over to your place and the Q isn't ready for a while. We can bide our time with some homemade pizza, and I will bring the dough. My mixer can make a BIG batch.:thumb:

Mikhail · Jun 20, 2017

So is Brenda. The Brethren are indeed fortunate to have her as a new member! :-D

Zak · Jun 20, 2017

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This is great!!! I gotta show my GF this so i wont be viewed as insane, well less insane, since i've been known to go a little "industrial" with my acquisitions but i've done nothing like this. Although.......

"hey babe i gotta run another 220v outlet in the kitchen for a 6' tall mixer"

Zak · Jun 20, 2017

Here's mine before restoration.

brendamn · Jun 20, 2017

Zak, my hubby loves the various kinds of bread I can make with this, and I can make enough to share with the neighbors and friends. Buying good used equipment can actually be pretty smart. I have never regretted getting the Hobart mixer, and as long as you use your slicer, it's worth having.

As for the wiring, this one uses just a regular household outlet. It's not as big as Mik said, it's only 44 inches tall, but it weighs over 300 pounds. Fortunately, I already own a 3/4 ton pickup truck, so no delivery fee. I hauled it from the seller to the Hobart dealer for a check-up and new paint. The dealer is next to an auto body shop, so I could have any colors I wanted. No battleship gray!

Overall, with the purchase price, new seal and grease, paint job, and a couple new mixing accessories, I have about $1200 or so into it. Considering the prices on the nicer home mixers, this is a bargain that does multiples of what the others can. New retail on this would be crazy high, but used ... oh yeah. :thumb:

So do the math, and maybe your big slicer or other used Hobart equipment will not seem crazy at all.

Vintage Hobart Meat Slicer (Model 11-A, 1936, first electric slicer)

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