This Foster Bros meat tenderizer is a mid century American made butcher tool with multiple steel cutting blades, a solid wood handle, and a visible Foster Bros Made in U.S.A. mark.
Built for working rather than decoration, this substantial two pound tenderizer has the industrial look of an older butcher shop tool and would suit a collection of American cutlery, commercial kitchen equipment, primitive kitchen pieces, or vintage tools that still show how they were used.
Details
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Item: Foster Bros multi blade meat tenderizer
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Item Type: Handheld meat tenderizer and butcher tool
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Era: Mid 20th century, likely 1950s to 1960s. Exact production date not confirmed from photos
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Materials: Steel cutting assembly with wood handle and metal fasteners
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Color: Dark aged steel with medium brown wood handle
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Maker and Mark: Foster Bros, Made in U.S.A. visible on the steel near the handle
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Pattern or Model: Specific model name or number not confirmed from photos
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Style: Commercial butcher shop, industrial kitchen, primitive kitchen tool
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Dimensions: Approximately 9 inches long. Cutting blade assembly approximately 3 inches long, 3 inches wide, and 3 inches deep. Product weight approximately 2 pounds
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Special Features: Multiple parallel steel cutting blades mounted between heavy side plates, wooden handle secured with metal fasteners, and working mechanical blade assembly
Condition Grade: Good
Positives
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Graded Good: This tool is complete, solid, and in working order with noticeable surface wear from age and use.
- The wood handle remains firmly attached and appears solid.
- The multiple cutting blades and side plates remain assembled with no missing blade sections visible in the photographs.
- The Foster Bros and Made in U.S.A. marking remains readable.
- Pam notes that the mechanism is in good working order.
Issues / Wear
- There is widespread surface oxidation and rust across the steel plates, blades, bolts, and exposed metal portions.
- The cutting assembly shows dark patina, discoloration, scratches, and marks from previous use.
- The wood handle shows age related finish wear and darker areas near the steel connection.
- The tool could use cleaning and oiling before continued use.
Condition Grade Key
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Near Fine: Almost perfect. Very minor signs of age only.
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Very Good: Shows light use. Sound and attractive with minor flaws.
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Good: Complete and intact. Noticeable wear consistent with age and use.
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Fair: Shows significant wear. Readable or usable but clearly used.
Collector's Notes
Foster Brothers Cutlery became known for professional butcher knives, cleavers, and related commercial cutlery.
Tools like this were designed to break down tougher meat fibers with several cutting blades at once, making this form relevant to collectors of butcher shop equipment and older working kitchen tools.
This example carries the Foster Bros name and Made in U.S.A. marking directly on the steel, giving a collector a visible identification point rather than relying on the shape alone.
The two pound weight, layered blade construction, and worn working surfaces give this piece the presence of an older commercial kitchen tool that was made to work.
