[Konrad]

After my first year of decapping with a bread knife and scraper, I'm googeling for something better.
I have asked this already and some of you are using a hot knife but it seems it's somehow a "Mystery", how everyone is doing it, [also different models] seems it's kept in the dark, hardly any pics out there in the way of how you are supposed using it??

Nobody shows you how to use these tools......I guess we learn as we go! [Buy many tools until we like one] Some hold the comb on a slant, some horizontal, some vertical. Some go with the tool from side to side, some go up, some go down....I go bananas!
Pics of the process would be sure nice!....do you have any?
I'm reading of a planer knife [curved]...any of
you using it?

Here are some tools of the trade from Europe, [could hardly find any in Northamerica] I think these are mostly from Germany.
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c97/fruitnut_/Honeybee/51141.jpg

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c97/fruitnut_/Honeybee/51131.jpg

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c97/fruitnut_/Honeybee/Decapping.jpg

[NEWEST GADGET IN GERMANY]
Have been reading that some are using hot air gun for decapping, some like it some not. [advantage, the wax will melt [fuse] to the cell, therefore almost no wax in the honey!....I think this one would be worth while a try.

Konrad

 

[tecumseh]

technically you hold the comb on a slant (leaning the frame slightly forward at the top) and uncap from the bottom. this allows the capping to fall away from the frame. a sharp nail point extruding from a wood fixture (typically two small notched boards joined to make an very uneven X) acts as the point to secure the bottom of the frame and to spin the frame when you have uncapped the first side.

 

[mwjohnson]

Any of you ever watch"Ulee's Gold"?
What kind of uncapper is he using?
Thanks

 

[Michael Bush]

I'm considering an ucapping plane.

 

[Joel]

I used one for years (and still will at times). Much more ergonomic (Where's Hawk?)than the knife and considerably quicker. Never burned a figner either. Finally bought a chain uncapper mainly because with size and market pressures I must become more efficient. The chain uncapper is faster but it definately tears up the comb and the final product is always cloudy.

 

[Aspera]

I was under the impression that you had to have dry capped honey in order to torch the cappings off. Is this not true?

 

[Michael Bush]

>I was under the impression that you had to have dry capped honey in order to torch the cappings off.

Torch? You mean the hot air gun. One advantage would be that it would heat the honey.

I'm guessing it would be VERY time consuming.

 

[Jim Fischer]

> What kind of uncapper is he using?

Can't remember the exact one, but it was
either a vibrating knife uncapper or a chain
uncapper, the two types that are used in
high-volume uncapping. A chain uncapper
uses chains to flail away the cappings,
while the vibration knife type saws the
cappings off, often using a heated knife.

These machines make a lot of sense when you
have 100 colonies or more, but make no sense
at all when you have less than a dozen colonies.

I want to hear from anyone who has had any
success at all with the "Hackler Honey Punch",
as I have heard several people say that it
worked for them on Permacomb, but I've yet to
hear anyone say that they used it with success
on any other type of comb.

 

[Michael Bush]

>I want to hear from anyone who has had any
success at all with the "Hackler Honey Punch",
as I have heard several people say that it
worked for them on Permacomb, but I've yet to
hear anyone say that they used it with success
on any other type of comb.

I have used it on the low spots on regular comb with pretty good results. I think I'm going to buy the skinny one (2 1/2") to use instead of the 5 1/8" one that I got. I haven't liked it that much on regular comb. It gets all clogged up with wax too quickly and takes a lot of pressure to push the 5 1/8" one into the caps. Of course it's the only thing that works for low cappings on the PermaComb, but for thickly drawn comb on PermaComb I used a cold bread knife and it worked great.

From my experience, I'd buy the narrow one and use it on the low spots and use something else for the bulk of the work. I like it better on the low spots than an uncapping fork.

 

[AstroBee]

Re: Hackler Honey Punch

I have the 2 1/2 inch size and use it with Permacomb. I've also used it as Michael Bush
suggests in low spots in conventional drawn comb. It works, but clogs pretty quickly so you'll need easy access to cold water to clear it from wax particles. I can't say that it works all that much better than a standard capping scratcher, but for Permacomb its a must have.

 

[Konrad]

Thank you all!
And for the explaining how to use the tool!

>>technically you hold the comb on a slant (leaning the frame slightly forward at the top) and uncap from the bottom.

That's when using a uncapping plane?

>>Torch? You mean the hot air gun. One advantage would be that it would heat the honey. I'm guessing it would be VERY time consuming.

I think it is better using a hot air gun, around 2000 Watt....it goes very quickly, you hear a "pop", because under the cap is some air trapped....here a pic after it's done.
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c97/fruitnut_/Honeybee/entdeck-ff6n.jpg

>>I'm considering an ucapping plane.

How do you use it, holding frame?

Konrad

 

[Chef Isaac]

I have an uncapping plane. Dont know how to use it though.

I saw it down last season and it is awesome. Very fast!!!

 

[SilverFox]

I just use a long thin flexible knife bought from 'value village' keep it in a bucket of warm water wipe it when ready to use it. Works slick. Thinking about trying an old electric carving knife, if my wife will let go of it.

[ January 09, 2006, 06:07 PM: Message edited by: SilverFox ]

 

[Michael Bush]

>>I'm considering an ucapping plane.

>How do you use it, holding frame?

I don't know. I've never had one.

But it looks like you could go down or up and it would be a straight pull instead of the wrist work of the uncapping knife. If nothing else it would give my wrist a break to alternate between that and the knife.

 

[JWG]

Best way to use a plane is not to hold the frame at all, but to lay the comb down flat, pointing away from you the long way. Start uncapping at the end bar that is away from you, and drag the plane towards yourself. Flip the comb over and do the other side. It goes very quickly.

The cappings roll up in the hollow body of the plane and you just flip it over so they can fall out into the tank.

A couple strips of wood or strapping tacked across the uncapping tank can support the comb (with the frame laid across the two slats) while it is being uncapped.

 

[Joel]

We've been uncapping 500-600 supers a year for about 6 yrs usign a plane. We just set on the nail (like it would sit the super) on the capping tank frame support, slice one side, then the other.

 

[tecumseh]

konrad inputs:
technically you hold the comb on a slant (leaning the frame slightly forward at the top) and uncap from the bottom.
That's when using a uncapping plane?

tecumseh corrects himself:
I was speaking of using a standard uncapping knife. never used an uncapping plane.

 

[amymcg]

I tried an electric knife last year and what I found was that it was much slower than using a cold uncapping knife. The blades would get clogged with wax and honey preventing them from doing their little scissor action with ease.

 

[SilverFox]

amymcg; Thank you for saving me the frustration

I'll stick with my long knives, and warm water.

 

[Konrad]

Thank you all!
I have a little time on hand, so figured I could build some experimental decapping tools.
I would like you Guys have some input in this...just say what you think about...don't be shy!
Here are two cold knifes.
Konrad
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c97/fruitnut_/Honeybee/IMG_3983.jpg
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c97/fruitnut_/Honeybee/IMG_3991.jpg