Decapping: fork vs knife

[Zante]

also vs any other method I haven't thought of right now.

What is your favourite method?
Why?

 

[ShinySideUp]

I use a fork 'cos it's cheaper and, at least last year, my first year, it worked fine.

I suspect an electric hot knife is pretty effective too but that's much more expensive.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

You have to be careful with the hot knife as it can caramelise the honey.
An uncapping fork for anything but the odd awkward corner is fiddly and messy.
Serrated knife for me for any quantity of frames.

 

[Millet]

I use a very sharp cold boning knife it works a treat, it is basically what flavour suits you..

 

[boywonder]

I recall going to a demo during a Thorne's open day, and watching/listening to a professional beekeeper as he uncapped using a fork. He swore by it, and having perfected a bit of a technique myself, would not use anything else, personally. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. I manage to remove cappings only, with very, very little honey being compromised. I cannot see how slicing with a knife cannot also take out a deal of honey - but then again, I've never been inclined to try. Each to their own, I guess.

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[Marton]

Hot air gun for me.


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[Millet]

I recall going to a demo during a Thorne's open day, and watching/listening to a professional beekeeper as he uncapped using a fork. He swore by it, and having perfected a bit of a technique myself, would not use anything else, personally. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. I manage to remove cappings only, with very, very little honey being compromised. I cannot see how slicing with a knife cannot also take out a deal of honey - but then again, I've never been inclined to try. Each to their own, I guess.

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If you bin the un capped capping's instead of putting them in a suitable place you will loose product, but surly common sense kicks in,,?.

 

[Curly green fingers]

I use a folk but had to use a knife to cut the comb down.not much space between frames in my 10 frame supers...

 

[drex]

Like JBM. I use an ordinary serrated knife, and let the cap pings drain. I find the fork leaves too many cappings crumbs on the comb, which soon block the filter sieve.

 

[boywonder]

If you bin the un capped capping's instead of putting them in a suitable place you will loose product, but surly common sense kicks in,,?.

Who would bin cappings wax ? My uncapped cappings go back to the hive on a crown board, with an open feeder hole ... for the bees to clean for me. Are you saying that you (as a secondary process) strain the honey from your cappings, having sliced with a knife ?

Not trying to be controversial; just keen to know what other people do.

 

[Beefriendly]

Steam heated uncapping knife for me. Takes longer to explain how it works than to uncap both sides of a frame, seconds. The only proviso is the comb must extend beyond the edges of the frame. Anything that isn't is done with a fork. A good one not those ones with tinny tines.

 

[enrico]

Hot air gun.
E

 

[Poly Hive]

When I was on a larger scale I used a carving knife to uncap the frames, and bear in mind these were Manleys so a LOT of honey probably a third went into the cappings system.

The cappings and honey were gently warmed and run through the spin drier which took out probably 97-99% of the honey and left the near dry wax to be melted and put through double surgical lint for candle making and polish.

I suspect that half the problems that many have with uncapping are the Hoffman frames. Just my suspicions.

PH

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Who would bin cappings wax ? My uncapped cappings go back to the hive on a crown board, with an open feeder hole ... for the bees to clean for me. Are you saying that you (as a secondary process) strain the honey from your cappings, having sliced with a knife ?

Not trying to be controversial; just keen to know what other people do.

I use a serrated bread saw to uncap. The capping are drained, then washed and my son makes candles.

 

[Jambo]

I use a serrated bread saw to uncap. The capping are drained, then washed and my son makes candles.

I'm new to this but that's what I do too - and the washings go into a demijohn along with the rinsing of the extractor and a bit more honey for mead.

 

[Zante]

Last year I used a spoon and a colander

This year, as it looks likely I'll have three supers to extract it's not a realistic option. I have a fork, but I am tempted to go down the knife route.
I don't know what "type" my frames are. They're simple frames with no distancing features. I have castellations and that is what keeps the frames in place.
That means that at least a third of the cell is protruding from the wooden frame, since my bees seem very fond of very tight spaces, and love to build very deep cells.

 

[Millet]

Who would bin cappings wax ? My uncapped cappings go back to the hive on a crown board, with an open feeder hole ... for the bees to clean for me. Are you saying that you (as a secondary process) strain the honey from your cappings, having sliced with a knife ?

Not trying to be controversial; just keen to know what other people do.

I uncap over a stainless mincer tray it has a hole in it and the honey runs through the hole and into a container below, if i have a fare bit of cappings i put them in a muslin bag and give it a good old squeeze after the majority of the honey has drained away.

 

[Hedgerow Honey]

I bought a fritz brush un capper, outstanding piece of kit I did twice the amount of supers after the rape in half the time it took last year.

 

[mbc]

Straight edged sharp heavy knife for topping and tailing frames, serrated knife for the bulk of the work and a fork for dips.

 

[Hivemaker.]

What is your favourite method?

Automatic uncapping machine and electric screw press to deal with the cappings.