Dear All
 
I have recently tried de-capping comb using an electrically powered,
hand held, hot air blower originally designed for paint stripping.  The
device has two heat settings and is rated at 1600 W. According to the
manufacturer's literature it delivers air at 300-560 Deg.C ( 570 - 1040
Deg. F ).  I use the lower heat setting so the temperature used is
probably around the lower end of the temperature range quoted.
 
The air jet is directed almost perpedicularly onto the face of the comb.
The blower nozzle is rotated in small circles while the blower is
traversed across the face in a zig-zag motion. The nozzle is about 75-
100mm ( 3-4 inches) away from the comb face.  One pass across the face
is all that is normally required.
 
The decapping results are excellent; the wax melts on the tops of the
cells and is then pulled by the surface tension of the liquid wax onto
the tops of the cell walls, leaving the honey free for extraction.  It
takes about 20 seconds per side, and apart from a very small amount of
wax blown off as tiny droplets, the wax wastage is zero.  There are no
cappings with the associated honey  to deal with.  The technique is
equally quick on unevenly drawn comb, which I have found time-consuming
to deal with using a de-capping knife.
 
At the end of the de-capping the face of the combs is warm to the touch,
perhaps about 30 Deg. C ( 86 Deg. F).
 
The technique is so quick and easy that I am a convert, BUT, would
anyone know if the  heat treatment that the honey receives in the
process would have an adverse effect on the quality of the honey?  Short
term tests show that, subjectively, the flavour is un-impaired  and that
granulation properties seem much the same.
 
Regards,
 
Mike Rowbottom
Harrogate
North Yorkshire
UK