101 Uses of the Hive Tool

[tillie]

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

[Finsky]

I use this as hive tool

[Apis629]

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

[Finsky]

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.

[tillie]

Gosh, Finsky, all those knives sound a little scary - this is why your bees behave so well around you..... :lol:

Linda T

[Finsky]

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

[amymcg]

I used mine to pry moulding and rotted subfloors

[Kris^]

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

[Apis629]

Oh yeah...opening leters.

[Brian D. Bray]

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).

[randydrivesabus]

back scratcher

[t0k]

to get the stinger out of your skin

[Hi-Tech]

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....

[qa33010]

My kids have used them to shape playdough and as a ramp for hot wheel cars.  

David

[BMAC]

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.

[TwT]

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....

[Archie]

TwT,

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

Archie

[TwT]

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....

[melliphile]

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

[Hi-Tech]

TWT, your hive tool bends?