One of South Africa’s most common household items.
Hey there everyone. Today I wanted to tell you a story about a great man who, as @lizelle put to me so well, was very resourceful (in Afrikaans – vindingryk).
I would like for you to see this as a positive story even though it has a sad part attached to it. A great little story about my Oupa (Grandpa).
Anyhow, the product Oupa invented was a Biltong (Yerky) Cutter.
A simple concept that stemmed from the difficulty of having to have to cut Gemsquash. @lizelle cut herself with a knife one day trying to cut a Gemsquash and this is where it all started.
The Story
I remember how I always used to see Oupa busy in the garage, fiddling with things, making stuff and always whistling away. He was extremely handy, the real old school type, who could build houses from scratch, work wonders with wood and was just an incredible all round handyman!!! Since my grandparents raised me I was around to see some of those incredible things.
My Ouma (Grandma) and Oupa (Grandpa) were simple, down to earth people. As things were back then Ouma stayed at home (for the most part) and Oupa had his 9-5 job. We weren’t struggling to survive however every penny had to be used wisely. This is part of what angered me about Oupa’s concept he created.
The Biltong Cutter – initially a Gemsquash Cutter – was created to help Ouma and aunty Lizelle so they don’t end up chopping one of their fingers off. I remember some of the different blade designs and chatter between Ouma and Oupa about how to best design it. There were flat blades, pointed blades and all sorts of modifications and adjustments until they found the one that works. Auntey Lizelle sent me a picture of one that she still has :)
It was actually harder to get the Gemsquash Cutter’s blade right than the Biltong one since the Biltong Cutter was simply a straight guillotine type blade. THAT IS HOW THE BILTONG CUTTER WAS BORN!!!
ONE DAY an uncle of mine, James, and his friend came around for a visit. I don’t remember exactly how and when this happened but either/or both stole Oupa’s concept there and then. Ouma thinks it was Oupa's friend as well and that it was the friend who stole the concept.
I was still relatively young at that stage however I believe the concept was sold to a company back then. I’m not too sure how it was done however I don’t believe there are any patent rights or royalties that were attached to the product. According to aunty Lizelle Even the way the Biltong Cutter was born got stolen back then too!!! I mean, really now. How can someone stoop so low? Absolutely disgusting!!! How do you, as a fellow human being, take something like that away from someone else, from someone who you know doesn’t have much financially? “You’re a PIG!!!” is all I can say. You stole more than just a product. You stole a dream and a legacy too!! Well, I am here to set the record straight. The truth will be right here, forever. Everyone who reads this story will know who the real creator was and he was my Oupa, Charl Wynand Mallan Saunders :):):)
I created this story for my Ouma, my Oupa (who passed away many years ago) and everyone else whom was directly affected by this. “Ouma, mag ouma weet dat ek nooit sal vergeet nie. Ek weet ouma het al vergewe want dit is die tiepe mens wat ouma is. Ouma raak ouer by die dag en ek wil he ouma moet die sien as n persent van my aan julle. Oupa se konsep (met ouma se hulp, natuurlik 😉) sal nou vir ewig en altyd syne wees.” Roughly translated – “Grandma, may you know that I will never forget. I know you have forgiven since that is just the type of person you are. You’re growing older by the day and I want you to see this as a gift from me to you. Grandpa’s concept (with your help of course 😉) will now forever be his.”
Lastly, the gift my Oupa has given me is one that I’m still trying to do to this day. That is to invent something great!!! I’ll always try since I want to make Oupa proud. I know that even if I don’t manage to come up with that “light bulb” concept I have tried and he will be proud nonetheless.
What I’d appreciate most of all is a RESTEEM of this post. Off course, comments and upvotes are great too!! Help me get the message out there. Even if it doesn’t get a resteem though, at least Ouma will know it is out there, forever, for anyone to see. Thank you for reading and I do hope you enjoyed the story about Oupa :):)
Below are some links to Biltong Cutters. There are loads more however this is just to give you an example of how popular the product is in South Africa and its tentacles have spread overseas too.
http://www.jvknives.co.za/images/biltong_cutter/biltong_carver.htm
https://www.meat-online.co.za/product/wooden-biltong-cutter/
It has even gone through some modifications. Check the link below,
http://www.bankskitchenboutique.co.za/biltong-cutter-manual.html
You can download a CNC manual for it too!!! Check the link below,
http://cncsmartcut.weebly.com/biltong-and-beef-jerky-cutter--carver.html
Or buy one on Amazon.com? Check the link below,
The list goes on and on and on…I, myself, will never buy one as a matter of principle. I might try to make one but I'll probably rather ask my dad to make me one. He is just as handy :)
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