Stuck Parts and Extreme Measures

If there is anything I learned working in my family’s scrap yard, it was metal. When unibody construction replaced a real chassis beneath vehicles it was difficult to adjust my working procedure. Later came some pretty flimsy stuff. Making a dune buggy, I learned that among the hardest tempered metal in the world, and very difficult to cut with a torch, was the Volkswagen Beetle. All this experience in metal working would come in handy in gunsmithing. Stuck parts demand extreme measures.

I have stood on lug nuts, broke the lug nut and stud off, and did more damage than good. I learned from this experience. If you have a stuck or frozen lug nut or chassis bolt you can- Sometimes the brass end is needed. It is used to teach others and allows the author to learn as well. not discard the whole vehicle and neither do want to discard a firearm for the same reason—although I have been forced to a time or two.

While not as large, the same extreme level of stuck parts has occurred to some when they broke bolts in a firearm. Some of the things I learned with vehicles can apply to firearms and I have applied some of those techniques there. The rub is, these techniques should only be used when standard procedures fail. When the end result is either get the part out or wreck a major component the stuck part lies in, we have to think hard about our procedure.

The story begins with a rusted or stuck part that won’t come off or out. Some have been rusted in place for years. Others were forced into place. Penetrating oils begin

with WD-40 and then we run up the scale to more advanced compounds. We can also use heat. This means a propane torch. Some recommend only candle power for light work but I find this is too cautious. The hard work here is now past candle power! An old plumber’s torch, designed to thaw pipes, will sometimes work. My friends who work in a salty climate up north supplied much of the material for study and it transferred well to my work in humid climates. Rust is different in different areas it seems.

Yes, this may not be a scientific observation but I am certain there are different species of rust from surface rust to others. So, while Brownells is a fine source for specialty penetrating oil there is no reason not to run to your local hardware store and grab some PB B’laster or a similar penetrant as well. Remember, these don’t work instantly but may work overnight. Use penetrating oil liberally and let it set long enough to allow it work. Also remember, hands, skin, and eyes must be protected.

Any stuff powerful enough to break down years worth of accumulated rust overnight is potent stuff and can do the same to you! Another odd sounding idea I wrote about perhaps ten years ago is to leave the parts in the freezer overnight. Cold expands and heat contracts and this seems to work when you put heat to the parts the next day. If you bring the parts to red hot or white hot you may affect temper so a bit of practice on scrap may be useful. Next up is hammer and punch use.

A hammer is directed at apart such as a bolt or screw with a broken head. Apply the torch to the part. Hammer a carefully lined up punch and hit it hard. Rust creates a bond in away, not unlike glue. Hopefully, the molecular bond is not complete and shock from a hammer and punch will send force into the parts, which may be enough to just move them apart and eventually free up movement. Be certain of your aim! The goal is to move the parts, not peen the mortise or opening the part is stuck in.

The point is to have a shocking effect on things that should be able to move but are stuck. The part you Far Since it cost about five dollars at a flea market, it doesn’t hurt to have it on hand. are hitting may be destroyed by Far

Rust, in the background, is ready to attack! This shotgun has a patina but no rust. Far Another of the author’s oddities, this device works as new—it is a pump type using compressed air to power a surge of water. this—if it’s really stuck, it almost certainly will be—but you will be able to replace it and salvage the bigger component. It’s better to sacrifice a screw in a grip instead of the frame it’s stuck to. The goal is not to destroy the larger part the small part rests in.

Remember to always wear safety glasses. Tiny pieces of metal are often thrown about. Sparks too! Bits of finish, grease, or oil may be burned away and pop and fly about. Hopefully, heat works wonders. The parts are different compositions of metal and as a result they heat, cool, and expand differently. Hopefully shifting at different rates will break the bond between the metal, the main part, and the part you are heating and beating. Stainless steel is properly called "stain less".

Many years ago in the garage, my father used atrick that at first I thought odd until I observed it work many times. When a vehicle was running badly it was sometimes because of carbon deposits. He would pour water into the carburetor until the engine almost choked. Sometimes he applied this several times. It usually helped removed carbon. If you are heating apart and then douse it, this is a shock and sometimes works to loosen the parts. A few warnings.

While most parts will let go and are easily removed by less vigorous methods, it isn’t always that easy. Most of the time you will not damage the finish if you’re careful, however, if you’re heating things to much above five hundred degrees you should count on having to re-blue the firearm. While using a punch or screwdriver by hand is sometimes workable, clamping the gun in a vise and using a drill press is the better program.

Recutting the screw slot to provide leverage works in less severe cases, especially where the slot has been destroyed. This is tedious but works okay most of the time. The last technique for removing ing metal rather than beating or burning it away. You weld up a section of weld onto the stuck part. As an example, consider a screw that will not budge and the screw slot is destroyed. Maybe you could drill and tap it out or perhaps not.

If not, a welding rod can be used to weld on top of the broken screw or stuck bolt. Then, latch onto this extension you have built up and turn the screw or bolt out with the increased leverage your weld created. The problem here is that the welder will have destroyed your finish. Replate, re-blue, or refinish as necessary. stuck parts involves serious work and expense and someone very good at welding. This involves add- This is a guide and outline on a serious subject.

Removing stuck parts is one of the most difficult chores gunsmiths have. It sometimes cannot be avoided and isn’t something to address without planning. AG