Power operated rotary knife

A rolling bearing strip for a power operated rotary knife providing bearing support for rotation of a rotary knife blade with respect to a blade housing of the power operated rotary knife, the rolling bearing strip comprising:

• a plurality of rolling bearings disposed in spaced apart relation;
• and
• a flexible separator cage for positioning the plurality of rolling bearings, the flexible separator cage including interlocking first and second end portions, the first end portion of the separator cage including a wall having a projection extending transversely from the wall and the second end portion of the separator cage including a wall defining a slot extending radially into the wall, the first end portion wall and second end portion wall being in opposed facing relationship and the first end portion wall projection extending into the second end portion wall slot to secure the first end portion to the second end portion and form a continuous ring.

An annular blade housing for a power operated rotary knife, the blade housing comprising:

• an inner wall and an outer wall, the inner wall defining a blade housing bearing surface, the blade housing further including a blade housing plug opening extending between and through the inner wall and the outer wall, an end of the blade housing plug opening at the inner wall intersecting the blade housing bearing surface to provide access to the blade housing bearing surface through the blade housing plug opening, and a blade housing plug being pivotally coupled to the blade housing and sized to at least partially it within the blade housing plug opening.