> I'm curious about the various techniques used when decapping frames > with a decapping fork. I had always assumed that one just scratched > the cappings > with the points to the fork. However the first person I saw using one > was > "shoveling" the capping > I used a decapping fork this year for the first time. I used the method you assumed, that is scratching the cappings with the points. This worked very well, and there was almost no damage to the comb. I only had two supers to uncap but it went very fast. I can't imagine that a uncapping knife could be much faster. It only took a few seconds on each frame to scratch the entire surface. I bought the fork thinking I would just use it this year and then next year get a knife, but this system was so clean, fast, and easy that I have no intentions of upgrading unless I get many more hives than I currently have. I didn't try the other technique you mentioned, but I think it would cause more damage to the comb, and the fork would get full of wax (requiring cleaning) much more often. Give it a try I think you'll be impressed, and you don't have much to lose a new fork is only about $4 Good Luck Rett Thorpe SLC, Utah first year, two hives