Stubborn screw

[Travis Bickle]

I'm guessing about 5 foot 11? hahaha

lol Me!? God no. 5'9" and a wiry 150 lbs.
Forced to learn to be patient, calm, quiet and smart by default.

 

[trevj]

Another good trick that has worked for me in the past for a stripped out Philips head or totally buggered flat head screw is to center punch a good hole into the head of the screw closer to the outer edge.
Get a good sharp smaller center punch and light hammer it into the same divot. Then get the punch as parallel as you can to the screw head and give it a good counter clockwise tap with a small drift hammer.
The hard shock of the impact will normally break the threads loose if they can come loose.
I've had it happen where that will also shear the head of the screw off lol #### happens.

If the threads are too seized to the metal, no amount of heat, oil and technique will stop the head from snapping off. Usually at that level of corrosion/neglect the head of the screw won't take the torque required to break the threads loose anyways.

PS I also dream of a single CGN thread that doesn't turn into a #### measuring, intranet, bro contest! You gots to have hope!

I've used similar, as well as some far more brutal approaches to removing screws and bolts. In the end it boils down to choosing a method that works for the situation you are in at the time.

I have seen a fair few guys that were pretty adept at blowing sheared off bolts from engine blocks with a Oxy-Acet torch, but I have always just used the washer, nut, and a welder approach. Or drilled them, if I had access. Took lots of rounded off bolts out with a cold chisel and hammer, along with vise grips too.

All in, a fella gotta choose the method he has the tools and patience for when the job is in front of him. Pretty much every suggestion I have seen here works, some better than others, some worse, but each is just a tool to choose among.

The biggest problem I saw with Philips head screws was guys trying too hard with too worn out screwdrivers or speeder tips. Brute force only works so far, if the driver tip cams out of the screw because it's worn round. If there was any of the head left, my usual first try was to take a brand new bit, align it into the screw head, and give it a firm tap with a hammer to set the tip into the remains of the cavity. Leave the tip there, then apply a driver or socket to it, pay attention to your alignment, and try a slow torque to see if it breaks free. All else fails, at least the stripped out remains of the socket in the screw head, are a pretty darn good start to drilling the screw and putting an extractor in.
Picking and choosing among the assorted inch and metric sized tips and Torx tips, and driving them in to the heads, has worked for removing stripped out socket head screws too.

Drilled out way too many hardened drive rivets with dental burrs too.

From my experiences, I would say that the most important skill to have, is the capability to see what you are actually doing while it is going on, so you do not go blindly forward when things are gone astray and you are not, for example, drilling down the middle of the screw. Seen a fair few guys that were otherwise pretty capable mechanics, but they just could not see what they were doing, in their own minds, while it was actually going on, they decided what they thought they were going to do, then plowed right through to the end without seeing that they were off course.

 

[BTWinnipeg]

Tell us how?

I used a file to increase the depth of the screw slot, found a screwdriver with the proper head size that had a hexagonal shaft. Put my body weight down on it and used a cresent to help turn the screwdriver and it popped - thinking I broke the head off, but it was the whole screw that gave and it came out nicely. I didn't see any locktite or other gunk on the threads.

 

[mbogo3]

I have a ham handed acquaintance that routinely over tightens his scope screws every trip back from the range.When he's dead and gone someone is gonna be cursing him.

 

[guntech]

... it came out nicely. I didn't see any locktite or other gunk on the threads.

Some of the toughest screws to break loose are simply tight with clean threads and together that way for a quite awhile. Good fitting bits are required.

 

[Bigbubba]

I used a file to increase the depth of the screw slot, found a screwdriver with the proper head size that had a hexagonal shaft. Put my body weight down on it and used a cresent to help turn the screwdriver and it popped - thinking I broke the head off, but it was the whole screw that gave and it came out nicely. I didn't see any locktite or other gunk on the threads.

For the win...

 

[Brassman66]

Chuck a high quality well fitting Screwdriver Bit into a reversible Hammer Drill. Start with a low Clutch setting then increase steadily. The Hammer Drill acts like a impact Driver but is far more controllable.

Good Luck.

 

[AikiNut]

I used a file to increase the depth of the screw slot, found a screwdriver with the proper head size that had a hexagonal shaft. Put my body weight down on it and used a cresent to help turn the screwdriver and it popped - thinking I broke the head off, but it was the whole screw that gave and it came out nicely. I didn't see any locktite or other gunk on the threads.

I think people aren't reading the whole thread... Maybe edit the original post and let folks know you got it out... Or you'll keep getting suggestions on how to do what's already done...

 

[trevj]

I think people aren't reading the whole thread... Maybe edit the original post and let folks know you got it out... Or you'll keep getting suggestions on how to do what's already done...

Maybe someone will suggest something that makes the next guy down the path, do the old dope slap on themselves, or otherwise show yet another good method to the rest of us.

 

[phillyblt]

This was a funny but good thread to read. A lot of great ideas for when a screw gets stuck lol

 

[Got Juice?]

I use the pointy tip for my electric , pencil type solder iron/wood burning device.
Get that heated up and touch the tip to the screw head for a minute. It will not heat up enough to change any temper of the metals.
Watch closely and have your screw driver ready. The second you see a wisp of smoke or smell anything different in the air (Loctite heating up) , remove the heat and try and turn the screw. If it moves but is still very tight..... give it a squirt of penetrating oil like sea foam deep creep and wait an hour.
Sometimes with steel screws into aluminum or thru aluminum into steel , which are common things with firearms, you get a corrosion that forms due to dissimilar metals. This is common with aluminum and steel when bonded together with fasteners. That coupled with Loctite can be a real pain the @ss.

I get in a habit now of using the soldering iron trick whenever I go to remove screws on firearm components. Busted of screws are no fun

That and an impact screwdriver if all else fails

 

[yorgi]

Fantastic thread with oodles and oodles of great tricks for a not-too uncommon problem. Thanks to all for replying.