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Honey Comb in Liquid for Showing

A few members have recently asked about preparing cut comb in liquid for showing or sale.  After a little research here are a few tips:
An obvious one first up – you can’t use plastic foundation if you intend to make comb honey.
Some beekeepers put nine frames in a ten-frame box (or seven in an eight-frame box) to get thicker comb.
The best comb is made early in the year, so get the comb honey supers on as soon as the major spring nectar flow begins.

Many beekeepers also freeze comb honey after harvest, a practice that will kill all life stages of wax moths and hive beetles, as long as it is done within a day or two of harvest.
If you freeze the entire frame, be sure to wrap it in plastic before freezing and then leave the plastic in place until the comb is completely thawed. About two days in the freezer should be long enough.

Consider using frames without wires for your cut comb.
If you used a wired frame it is advisable to heat the wires the same way as you do for setting it in foundation to remove them. To remove the wires cut them at the end on the outside of the frame at one end and pull them out from the other end.

Now to cut the comb.
Beekeepers seem to develop their own methods for this, but some of the options I found included –
A normal, very sharp knife with a fine blade so that the comb is cut rather than squashed. Keep the blade clean and perhaps warm it in hot water.
Alternatively, a capping knife was used being careful not to have it too hot or the wax cells melt. This method seemed a little less successful.
The final method I found which appears to be used more for honeycomb being sold, was a square biscuit cutter. Keep it clean and warm it in water but dry it before cutting the comb. I even found one lady who used dental floss to cut comb.

Cut out the section of comb and allow it to drain over a grid i.e. wire queen excluder. Pieces of wax should drain away so your exhibit has no particles of wax present.

The comb section of honey should fit into the jar through the lid opening, touch the bottom of the jar and have the top finishing so it doesn’t just touch the lid.

Finally, with the comb in place, add liquid honey – the comb honey and liquid honey should be the same colour and floral type.


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