# Trick I figured out yesterday



## mhorowit (Sep 25, 2011)

The first time I lifted a bar, the comb had attached to the side with the expected results.
The second time, I used a bread knife "just in case", then graduated to a homemade "L" shaped cutter, again, running it between comb and wall ""just in case"

Yesterday, I noticed something: I use my hive tool to seperate the bars from each other by about 1/4" (prior to lifting) first one side, then the other. If you watch each each side of the comb as you twist the tool you can see if it will stick or not. If no sticking, go right to "lift bar"( or move it away from the entrance, then lift). Speeds up the process - Mike


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## johnth78 (May 26, 2012)

Your wife wanted the bread knife back didn't she?


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## NC Queen Bee (Jun 15, 2012)

great to see little "tricks"... Thanks for sharing


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## DeeAnna (Nov 5, 2010)

I can see your point, but be careful in the heat of the summer. On a hot day, a full comb of honey is very likely to break completely off the bar if you try this trick.


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## rtoney (Apr 20, 2011)

I have noticed that they will attach honey comb more often then brood due to the weight.


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## Steven Ogborn (Jun 3, 2011)

And they will reattach it, and reattach it. Be careful, just that little bit of wiggle can cause a full honeycomb
to collapse. Sometimes you won't notice it has collapsed until there's honey dripping out of your hive.
Sometimes it'll wait until you've closed up and think everthing is done before it falls.
Look before you start to split the bars apart.


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## mhorowit (Sep 25, 2011)

johnth78 said:


> Your wife wanted the bread knife back didn't she?


Goodwill!


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## mhorowit (Sep 25, 2011)

DeeAnna said:


> I can see your point, but be careful in the heat of the summer. On a hot day, a full comb of honey is very likely to break completely off the bar if you try this trick.


I think inspections would have to be prior to 1000


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## Steven Ogborn (Jun 3, 2011)

mhorowit said:


> I think inspections would have to be prior to 1000


1000?


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## doggonegardener (Dec 8, 2011)

1000 hours, 10 am.


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## SteveBee (Jul 15, 2010)

Personally, I think I'll keep cutting the brace combs before separating the bars. We had a hive last year that had one comb collapse, possibly from not cutting brace comb. By our next inspection, the one comb had caused the collapse of six more. It would've been much easier to cut the supports and to clean up that mess!


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## Steven Ogborn (Jun 3, 2011)

doggonegardener said:


> 1000 hours, 10 am.


Oh, ok. Yup. :lookout: That's what I have to do. Then mow when it's hot.


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