RESTORATION
Original Slicers is the global reference regarding Berkel slicers restoration.
These fly-wheel slicers are completely original, and in many cases, they are rare or unique pieces. We are talking about fascinating objects that combine magnificent aesthetic characteristics with extreme cutting precision, even decades after their production.
Know-how, skills, qualified teamwork
Down to the smallest detail, we know every component of Berkel slicers.
To achieve the best possible restoration, we have studied in great detail the mechanism of the slicers, by disassembling each piece with the utmost care for a thorough understanding of the mechanical part.
This work, carried out entirely within our company, has contributed to the construction of our know-how, which we apply every day to restore the old slicers to their perfect functioning.
Within the company we have also created a painting department: we transferred into our work procedures methods that were already used in other industries such as those of car painting, and then we completed them with all the details necessary to guarantee suitability for food use. In fact, for over 10 years we have worked to develop the ideal water-based painting cycle, to ensure safety, durability and the best possible appearance of the paint.
3 steps for a perfect Berkel Slicers restoration – Exclusive processes and quality assurance
The perfect Berkel slicers restoration involves 3 major phases of work that come together in a final assembly phase.
Each of these 3 moments is structured in such a way as to guarantee the durability of the product over time.
PHASE #1
PAINTING
The starting point of a slicer is the cast iron, a very porous material, which is carefully treated to prepare the base on which the paint must adhere. When the slicer is disassembled, each of the various components (case, machine body, shoulder, slice adjuster support, fly-wheel, connecting rods) must be repainted.
Therefore, phase 1 has these steps:
- Sandblasting of parts to bring them back to their original state.
- Manual plastering that allows to standardize these “castings” which are ancient – we must take into account that at the time of their production, about 100 years ago, ground molds were used and the whole process was done by hand, so they are not perfect castings.
- Painting on the polyester base – a filler base – to give shape to the machine. This phase is essential for adhesion for all the subsequent phases of the painting. The base paint has a thickness of a few microns – perfectly smooth, to make the surface of the vintage slicer uniform.
- External painting in red, black or cream. Water-based paints with an opaque base are used which allows, by observing the machine, to detect any imperfections such as porosity or missing paint spots, and correct them, to obtain a perfect paint.
- Manual decoration. Decals are used on the more historic models, which are faithful to the original decorations. These decals are applied on the base of matte paint and with the airbrush the gold that goes to decorate is sprayed inside. For the finest models, the decorations are done with fillet brushes (brush with long bristles, ¾ cm – they hold the paint and you can make a long and precise line without dipping the brush again: perfect and clean line without smudging) – these are the brushes that were once used to decorate antique / porcelain machines – we copied this technique and transferred it to these machines.
- Polishing with transparent varnish. Several coats of clear varnish seal the previously given water-based varnish coats as well as the decorations that have been applied in accordance with the original ones. In total, at the end of the first phase of the restoration, that is the painting, 11 coats of treatment are applied including primers, matt-based paints and decorations by hand or with airbrushes.
PHASE #2
PLATING
Each Berkel vintage slicer is made up of pieces in iron and aluminum that are re-plated, included every detail such as the individual screws.
Our plating consists of 3 steps:
- Copper plating – Copper is used to seal all the porosities that exist on aluminum, cast iron and iron, to avoid oxidation processes and the appearance of rust.
- Nickel plating
- Chrome plating
Our plating is certified as suitable for food use. We guarantee excellence and give the customer
a product at the highest level, also from the point ofview of hygiene. We deal with original
materials, some over 100 years old, and bring them back to being perfect, aesthetically
attractive and safe.
PHASE #3
MECHANICS
The Berkel fly-wheel slicers do not have a motor, they work thanks to a very high precision mechanism activated manually, which consists of gears placed at the base of the machines and that make both the trolley and the blade move.
During the restoration of the mechanical part, all these details are disassembled, cleaned and checked by hand. The subsequent assembly of these components on the machine is done by people who are perfectly familiar with the mechanism of the slicer.
At the conclusion of these steps, the 3 work phases come together in the final assembly: the slicer has been carefully painted, the plated parts have been revised and are safe, the mechanical part has been tested and double checked. By combining these processes, a restored and fully functional vintage slicer is obtained.
Certified safety
Since we carry out all the work in our premises, and have control over every step of the restoration process, we release to the customer a quality guarantee regarding the way the restoration is carried out.
The original vintage Berkel slicers we have restored are guaranteed with a certificate that refers to the model and identification serial number and which certifies the complete originality of all parts.