2 questions: cleaning + honey extraction

[burren]

Hello all
I have two questions

1. when cleaning old frames for reuse - what can you use ? is a little washing up liquid and bicarb of soda(In hot-ish water) ok, and then dry naturally as dont want to use anything harsh. Or should I use something stronger.

2. which is easier/best to use in a super- manley or hoffman frames (with honey extraction in mind). Will it be easier to decap with knife on a manley frame. ( may actually get some honey this year and appear to mostly have manley ( small job lot were going reasonable)
thanks Burren

 

[enrico]

Buy an old 'copper' This is like a big tea urn that you can boil water in. It is electric. Boilt the water up and throw the frames in. All the wax melts and floats to the top. Look on eb&y to try and find one.
If you use a decapping knif you don;t need to worry about the typ of frame. I stand one end of the top bar of my frame on a nail head. Top bar towards me. Hold the other end and use the decapping knife using the top bar as a guide.
Easy
E

 

[burren]

Thanks Enrico
knife will just be a normal one. Yes "tea" urn sounds like a good idea, might try that for the future. In the meantime will the "present" cleaning method be ok or is more needed?