Marc Patry, Assuming that what you are using is, in fact, an electric uncapping knife: I use and like an electric uncapping knife in a small operation. I made a foot switch for the knife so that it only is heated when a foot is on the switch. When the knife is not uncapping, it is not being heated. The knife stays clean. Tim Sterrett Westtown, Pennsylvania, USA [log in to unmask] Tim, Why go through all that? Why don't you just let the knife stay on continuously? The amount of electricity saved does not seem to make up for the time and materials it takes to make the foot switch. You need the heat on the blade to keep melting the wax. After every pass through the comb, heat is lost while melting the wax. The heating element takes a while to heat the blade hot enough to continue melting. My knife stays clean also. Rich Holub Worcester, Massachusetts, USA [log in to unmask]