>    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