Hi,
Among the 12 hives I purchased a few weeks ago that got me into this, there are some frames that are really old, and with combs that are essentially black wax. The guy who sold them to me said that a few were "originals" that were as old as I am (44). I noticed that there was very little honey on the black combs, except for some uncapped holes with honey or nectar in them. Some of the frames have an ear or two broken off with a single nail hanging the frame in the box. My question is, should I replace these? I figure there must be a reason the guy has kept them for so long, but they look really bad. Also, my mentor does ot feel that they need to be replaced. if this is true, then why would anyone buy and install new foundation if they can use the same frame and foundation for fourty years? How does a guy know when to replace frames or foundation?