In small mom-and-pop establishments, one employee may do everything thing from stunning, sticking, skinning, gutting, trimming and washing after inspection, unlike very large establishments with dozens or hundreds of employees. None of them hone new edges often; they simply cannot take time away from their duties on the kill floor, whether large or small establishment. It’s true that most carry more than one knife; sticking, boning, and skinning are more efficient with appropriately shaped blades.
All the knives I have seen in packing houses, large or small, were no longer than 6” by about 1” wide, and could be used in the field. I have never seen a 20” x 3” sword on any kill floor, including large fast kill hog and cattle establishments in which thousands of animals were processed daily.
Not trying to be argumentative, just saying that in 11 years with FSIS, I didn’t see them. By any chance was your establishment performing kosher or halal slaughter?