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Author Topic: 101 Uses of the Hive Tool  (Read 12689 times)

Offline tillie

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101 Uses of the Hive Tool
« on: July 18, 2006, 11:57:46 am »
When I ran a Girl Scout troop, we challenged the girls to find 101 uses of the bandana - handkerchief, tying hair back, coffee filter, tying legs together for the three-legged race, ditty bag, etc, etc, etc.

In beekeeping, I am finding that there a so many uses of the hive tool:

  Prying open the hive
  Scraping propolis off
  Scooping up a little honey and comb from a burr
  Smashing small hive beetles
  Lifting and separating frames
  Scraping dead bee bodies off when I smash them putting the hive back together
  Pushing fuel down into the smoker
  Separating the wedge from the frame for new foundation
 
What creative uses have you found for the hive tool?

Linda T having fun in Atlanta

Offline Finsky

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101 Uses of the Hive Tool
« Reply #1 on: July 18, 2006, 12:28:10 pm »
I use this as hive tool


Offline Apis629

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101 Uses of the Hive Tool
« Reply #2 on: July 18, 2006, 03:30:17 pm »
Other than the standard beehive uses, I use mine for:

Opening paint cans
Scraping gums/resins off the edge of my smoker
prying nails
Scaping stings out of skin/gloves

Offline Finsky

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101 Uses of the Hive Tool
« Reply #3 on: July 18, 2006, 03:38:34 pm »
I have many knifes. Beekeeping hives are not sharp so I do not get wounds and hot break hives. Sharp knives I use in other jobs.

Offline tillie

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101 Uses of the Hive Tool
« Reply #4 on: July 18, 2006, 04:25:47 pm »
Gosh, Finsky, all those knives sound a little scary - this is why your bees behave so well around you..... :lol:

Linda T

Offline Finsky

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101 Uses of the Hive Tool
« Reply #5 on: July 18, 2006, 04:36:48 pm »
That knife is Swedish model and cheap.  Our national model is "Lappland Knife"  http://www.iisakkijarvenpaa.fi/prod03.htm. They are too expencive to beekeeping.

In Western Finland they use another model  http://www.iisakkijarvenpaa.fi/products.htm

Offline amymcg

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101 Uses of the Hive Tool
« Reply #6 on: July 18, 2006, 04:40:19 pm »
I used mine to pry moulding and rotted subfloors

Offline Kris^

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101 Uses of the Hive Tool
« Reply #7 on: July 18, 2006, 06:32:53 pm »
If I allow use of my bee tools for anything other than bee related projects, they tend to get "misplaced."  I hate spending twice as much time looking for the tool to do the job than the job itself takes.  Ahhhh . . . the joys of living with someone else!

-- Kris

Offline Apis629

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101 Uses of the Hive Tool
« Reply #8 on: July 18, 2006, 07:56:22 pm »
Oh yeah...opening leters.

Offline Brian D. Bray

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101 Uses of the Hive Tool
« Reply #9 on: July 18, 2006, 11:12:59 pm »
At the local hardware store they are sold as paint scrapers.  I've also used them for scraping gaskets off of engines and putting screen and molding into screen doors.  they also work will for forcing the caulking between the boards on your boat (for those who have plank hulls).
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Offline randydrivesabus

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101 Uses of the Hive Tool
« Reply #10 on: July 19, 2006, 06:37:10 am »
back scratcher

Offline t0k

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101 Uses of the Hive Tool
« Reply #11 on: July 23, 2006, 10:29:55 am »
to get the stinger out of your skin

Offline Hi-Tech

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101 Uses of the Hive Tool
« Reply #12 on: July 23, 2006, 10:41:15 am »
They do not work well as ninja stars or as swords for pirate fights. However, they do make an execellent object to missplace when you need to practice your skills at looking for something.... :wink:
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Offline qa33010

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101 Uses of the Hive Tool
« Reply #13 on: July 24, 2006, 02:54:17 am »
My kids have used them to shape playdough and as a ramp for hot wheel cars.  

David
Everyone said it couldn't be done. But he with a chuckle replied, "I won't be one to say it is so, until I give it a try."  So he buckled right in with a trace of a grin.  If he had a worry he hid it and he started to sing as he tackled that thing that couldn't be done, and he did it.  (unknown)

Offline BMAC

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101 Uses of the Hive Tool
« Reply #14 on: July 24, 2006, 10:26:15 am »
I am with Mr Bray.  I used mine to scrape paint and loose masonite siding from the bottom portion that is starting to fall off in preparation to sell our house.

I also found it handy to tap nails back tight into frames that start loosening up, smashing ticks, cutting weeds in front of hive entrances.
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Offline TwT

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101 Uses of the Hive Tool
« Reply #15 on: July 24, 2006, 12:43:42 pm »
I use my hive tool for a lot of things also but mostly stuff dealing with bee's, I bought a 9 in 1 painters tool and it works just as good and does not bend like a hive tool will....


THAT's ME TO THE LEFT JUST 5 MONTHS FROM NOW!!!!!!!!

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Offline Archie

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101 Uses of the Hive Tool
« Reply #16 on: July 24, 2006, 02:19:43 pm »
TwT,

looks like a great hive tool.  I'm off to Home Depot to find one or two.

Archie
Honey, Vermont sunshine in a bottle.

Offline TwT

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101 Uses of the Hive Tool
« Reply #17 on: July 25, 2006, 10:24:15 am »
you will like it Archie, but remember the ones that are the best cost around $15 and you can use it for a whole variety of things....
THAT's ME TO THE LEFT JUST 5 MONTHS FROM NOW!!!!!!!!

Never be afraid to try something new.
Amateurs built the ark,
Professionals built the Titanic

Offline melliphile

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101 Uses of the Hive Tool
« Reply #18 on: July 25, 2006, 12:12:35 pm »
i keep one in my tool drawer at home.  I find lots of uses.  I've even pulled nails with that silly little hole that I never could seem to use at the hive
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Offline Hi-Tech

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101 Uses of the Hive Tool
« Reply #19 on: July 27, 2006, 12:56:21 am »
TWT, your hive tool bends?
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