Day 10: GRIP 9“ Stainless Steel Pry Bar
I can’t tell you how often I grab this thin pry bar from Chris’s tool chest in a panic to remove moulding and other small pieces without damaging them, and I don’t know what else. But I grab it a lot. I have one at home that I should bring into the shop…except that I use it a lot at home. It’s less than $10; I really should just get one for my own LAP chest.
– Fitz
Yep, can second this recommendation. Handy little buggers. I have had a similar style for decades; it is not quite a wrecking bar, and just a wee bit thicker than the above Grip.
I’ll third this. Not a Grip user but have an older mini pry bar. Insanely useful around the home and shop.
Fun fact, sometimes they call these bee keepers tools. I guess for opening hives? 🐝👍🏼
Yes that is what beekeepers use them for. Though we normal called them “Hive Tools” around these parts. That name might yield better google results. The bees glue the boxes, called ‘supers’, together with a material called propolis. It is a antibacterial anti fungal glue they make that keeps the wind out. If you ever see beekeepers all their stuff is stained a yellow orange that is the propolis. It gets on everything and will not wash off. The way to use the tool for beekeeping is you jam them carefully between the supers, not to hard or the bees get excited, and wrench them to the side to pry the boxes apart and also use the tool to scrap wax and other crude off surfaces that you don’t want the bees to be building on. somethings you nail to the hive, like mouse guards, and the hole it to pop the nail out. they also glue the frames down and you need to pry them loose to inspect them. There are a few different styles of hive tools. though the flat j-hook style is my favorite for beekeeping. the j hook is my favorite way to remove the frames. The J style might be a great cheap glue scraper as it has a two sharpened ends 90 degrees to each other. I have never actually thought to use them for woodworking. but basically you them as pry bars and ‘glue’ scrappers in beekeeping.
That’s great! So basically the same uses for new keepers and woodworkers. Now if only we can get our hands on some of that special bee glue!