Swiss grafting tools

[Jon]

I am crap at grafting with anything other than the brush.
The only trick is to make sure the larva is picked up on the tip of the brush as in the pic above otherwise it is difficult to get off.
To place the larva in the cup, always the tricky part, I carefully touch the base of the cup with the larva and then slowly remove the brush rotating clockwise and pulling it away slightly. This usually leaves the larva sitting in the base of the cell cup. No more rocket science than that. I don't wet the base of the cup and I don't prime with jelly.

[gavin]

The ones I bought in Thorne's 'conventions' sale were of that design (but with a blue handle). Not sure if they still sell them but the price was much less than that.

Bit vague today, no time to check. Just back in with some virgins in matchboxes (a Galloway Amm stock, not mine) destined for nucs when I can prepare them.

G.

[gavin]

Found them, still have two here. They were £3 and are very like the picture with cranked shaft but are blue (and right-handed - phew!). If anyone is selling them at £20 they're having a laugh.

[drumgerry]

No sign of anything blue handled on the Thornes website Gavin. £3??!! Cracking bargain if they're anything like the Swissie and if you're right handed!

I'll just need to take extremely good care of my leftie - 45 Euros to replace it doesn't bear thinking about!

[The Drone Ranger]

Hi grizzly.
I use the chinese grafting tool but I dismantle it and use wet and dry to make the reed more flexible.
I like a bit of cell punching as well
The dentist tool you want is a small scaler with a little flat on each end couple of quid no point paying more

[prakel]

Not in the UK but if it's the same item (assuming that they'll post to Scotland at a sensible price) this seems like quite a good deal:

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rc...HiWKu09O8aiAQA

[Bridget]

Wow thanks Prakel. It's ordered, +4 euros postage. Bargain so hope they don't suddenly discover they have made a mistake in the price.


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[prakel]

It's an interesting site with a couple of items I've not seen before. Let us know how the order goes .

[Bridget]

Dispatched this afternoon, so they say.


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[busybeephilip]

Reading this I too was tempted to try a swiss style tool and maybe set aside the carefully honed saliva and royal jelly covered chinese tool. As you say, despatched and on its way. Tried the brush , Jon's preferred method, but could never master getting the larvae to stick to the end, something to do with the knack of twisting.... - Jon do you give lessons on your brush technique?, as you know I am not that slow with the chinese scooper tool, we could have a race

I got to look at the convertible nuc/apidea wooden box at the UBKA conference, its very well made and the frames are ingenious too, could easily make one if you had time on your hands. They are sold out so must be popular down south.