Butcher Supplies & Equipment
Date Posted:21 June 2026
If you cut meat for a living, your day depends on a handful of things working properly: a knife that holds an edge, a glove that stops a slip becoming a stitch, and a steel within arm's reach. Butcher supplies and equipment cover all of it, from boning knives and sharpening steels to chainmail mesh, aprons, hooks and scabbards. At Mars Safety, we've supplied this gear to Brisbane and Queensland butchers, chefs and processors since 1989.
This page is your starting point. Below you'll find every category we stock, what each one's for, and where to go next.
What counts as butcher supplies and equipment?
It's a broad term, so it helps to break it down. For most butcher shops and processing rooms, the kit splits into five working groups: the knives you cut with, the gear that keeps those knives sharp, the protective equipment that keeps your hands and body safe, the tools that move and hang the meat, and the aprons, belts and footwear you wear all shift. Get those five right and the rest is detail.
We stock all five. Here's how each one works and what to look for.
Butcher knives
Your knives do the most work and wear the fastest, so this is where most butchers start. The right blade depends on the task. A boning knife with a stiff, narrow blade gets in close around joints. A slicing knife with a longer blade gives you clean, even portions. Skinning and sticking knives handle the rougher early stages, and a paring or chef's knife covers the bench work.
We carry the brands Australian butchers ask for by name, including Victorinox and F. Dick, across boning, slicing, skinning, sticking, chef and carving, fish, and poultry and rabbit work.
Sharpening steels, stones and tools
A sharp knife isn't a nice-to-have. It's the safest knife on the bench, because a dull blade needs more force and that's when hands slip. Keeping an edge is a daily habit, not a once-a-month job.
A steel realigns the edge between cuts and lives next to most butchers all shift. A stone or whetstone resets the edge properly when steeling alone stops bringing it back. We stock both, plus the tools and guides to keep them doing their job.
Mesh protection and cut-resistant PPE
This is where we started, and it's still the core of what we do. We're recognised as Australia's Home of Mesh, and we ran the country's first dedicated chainmail glove and apron repair service. Chainmail mesh gives you cut protection on the hand and body while staying flexible enough for precision work, which is the trade-off that matters when you're holding a knife eight hours a day.
The mesh range covers gloves, arm sleeves, aprons, tunics, shark suits and socks, and sheet chainmail for custom jobs. Alongside it we stock coated cut-resistant gloves, food-grade gloves, and the eye, hearing and head protection a processing room needs to meet Australian safety standards.
Worth knowing: Mesh that's torn or missing rings isn't doing its job. We repair all brands of mesh gloves, sleeves, aprons, tunics and suits in-house, with ring replacement and a quality-checked guarantee, so you're not replacing a whole garment over a few broken links.
Boning, processing and handling gear
Once the knife and the protection are sorted, you need the gear that keeps the room moving. Hooks for hanging, trolleys and tubs for moving product, scabbards and pouches to keep knives safe and to hand, and hand tools for the day-to-day jobs. For anyone starting out, our apprentice kits and butcher packs bundle the essentials so a new hand isn't piecing a kit together one item at a time.
Aprons, belts, footwear and packaging
The rest of the shift kit matters too. Aprons, coats and sleeve covers keep you clean and protected. Belts and scabbards keep your knives where you want them. Gumboots, including safety-cap options, handle a wet floor. And when product's ready to go, we stock the packaging side as well, from stretch film and tape to crimps and nets.
Why butchers across Queensland buy from Mars Safety
We've been a family-owned Brisbane business since 1989, which is more than 30 years of working out what butchers, chefs, and processors actually need. When you call us on 07 3205 7211, you speak to our team, not a call centre, and you get honest advice on the right product rather than the dearest one. We offer bulk pricing across the range, and as a local supplier, we turn deliveries around fast across Brisbane and South East Queensland.
Not sure which knife, glove or steel is right for your operation? Call our team on 07 3205 7211 for honest advice, or browse the categories above to start your order.
Frequently Asked Questions
What basic equipment does a butcher need to get started?
At a minimum, a butcher needs a boning knife and a slicing knife, a steel to keep them sharp, a cut-resistant or chainmail mesh glove, and an apron. From there, most add skinning and sticking knives, hooks, a scabbard and a stone for resetting edges. Our apprentice kits and butcher packs bundle these essentials so a new hand can get set up in one go.
What's the difference between a steel and a stone for sharpening?
A steel realigns the edge of a knife that's still fundamentally sharp, and it's a quick job you do throughout the shift. A stone or whetstone actually grinds a new edge when steeling stops bringing the knife back. Most butchers use a steel daily and a stone every week or two, depending on how hard the knives are worked.
Do chainmail mesh gloves really stop knife cuts?
Chainmail mesh is built to resist cuts and slashes from sharp blades, which is why it's standard in butchery and meat processing. It won't stop a deliberate stabbing force, but for the slips and glancing cuts that happen on a busy bench, it's the protection that lets you work safely and at speed. Keeping the mesh in good repair, with no broken or missing rings, is what keeps it working.
Can you repair my mesh gloves and aprons instead of replacing them?
Yes. Mesh repair is where Mars Safety started, and we still run an in-house team that services all brands of mesh gloves, sleeves, aprons, tunics and full suits. We replace and reinforce rings, clean and refurbish the garment, and quality-check every repair, so a few broken links don't mean buying a whole new piece.
Do you offer bulk pricing for butcher shops and processors?
We do. We provide competitive bulk pricing across the full range, which suits shops, processing facilities and anyone kitting out a team. Call us on 07 3205 7211 with what you need, and we'll sort the right pricing for the quantity.
How quickly can you deliver in Brisbane and Queensland?
As a Brisbane-based business, we prioritise quick turnaround for local customers and deliver across greater Brisbane and South East Queensland. If you need something fast, call our team, and we'll let you know the realistic timeframe for your order.
Browse the categories above, or call our Brisbane team on 07 3205 7211 for honest advice on the right butcher supplies and equipment for your operation.
