>The whole idea of using a long fork to lift off the cappings (and using no
>knife at all) is not presented in the usual texts and manuals over here.
>Neither are the forks marketed in the US; at least I've never seen them
>anywhere
 
I got mine from the local Dadant dealer.  The dealer called it a "cappings
scratcher" but I just assumed it was for lifting off the cappings because of
the design of it:
 
 
____________/^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^   <----Handle
    tines-->  ----------------------------/
\^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 
 
We find it quite satisfactory.  Possibly a bit slower than an uncapping
plane, which we have tried, but the plane is very hot and I think, may
scorch the surface of the honey and probably affecting the flavour.  We get
very little honey in the cappings tank.
 
Ian Watson    [log in to unmask]
real estate agent     gardener    baritone
beekeeper---> 11 colonies and counting