Insider tip on how to deal with Loc Tite on screws!

The General

The General

Joined
Jun 6, 2000
Messages
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"Try applying some acetone, nail polish remover containing acetone, or rubbing alcohol to the screws for a few minutes prior to removal. These solvents do a good job of breaking down the Loc-Tite. Also, when you remove the screws make sure that you press very hard with your driver to keep it from slipping in the head of the screw and stripping it out"

From the gents at Microtech. Hope it helps!

W.A.

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"To strive to seek to find and not to yield"
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Someone once also told me you can heat the screw carefully using a soldering iron to soften that stuff up. Never had to use it so don't know but as long as you're careful sounds like a quick way to get 'em loose.

Shawn

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"Paranoia is merely a heightened
sense of awareness."

-(What do you mean who said that? I don't know and if I did I wouldn't
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[This message has been edited by Emanym Ton (edited 03-12-2001).]
 
Yes I was told this as well. However this is the "official" line from Microtech! I did have doubts about me and a heat source... Me and razor sharp knives is bad enough
wink.gif
!!!

W.A.

------------------
"To strive to seek to find and not to yield"
Tennyson
Ranger motto

A few useful details on UK laws and some nice reviews!
http://members.aol.com/knivesuk/
Certified steel snob!
Founding president and member number 1! Wana join?
 
I've found a hairdryer works fine to heat the screws enough to break the loctite's grip.
If you do use a solvent like acetone, keep it away from insert material like kraton or it will turn it to goo.
 
I was wondering about that. I did not need to use it or heat to remove the LCC screws... Thanks Uncle Mike! However it is a valid point. Do you think it would affect Carbon Fibre or Micarta? It is unlikely that Kraton would be used on a high end blade with loc tite (ed) screws... Or am I wrong?
wink.gif



W.A.

------------------
"To strive to seek to find and not to yield"
Tennyson
Ranger motto

A few useful details on UK laws and some nice reviews!
http://members.aol.com/knivesuk/
Certified steel snob!
Founding president and member number 1! Wana join?
 
If you use the correct Loctite for the application, neither heat nor solvents should be needed.
Blue Loctite will loosen with a little extra effort and is forumlated for screws and fasteners that will be removed periodically.
RED Loctite however is intended for fasteners that will not normally be removed and MUST be heated to 450 degrees prior to removal.
The tip of a soldering iron placed on the head of the screw for a few moments should do this well, and lacking a soldering iron, place the tip of the correct screw or torx driver in the "slot" of the screw then heat the driver, transfering the heat directly to the screw rather to the scales of the knife as well.
Be careful G10 WILL burn and before it burns it will melt.
Avoid the problem entirely and use only Blue "Medium Strength" Loctite Threadlocker.


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Tráceme no sin la razón, envoltura mi no sin honor
Usual Suspect
 
THanks!

Or don't use it at all... Most clips have three screws on them. I cannot see with moderate care how they could come very loose!

Are people riding in planes in the worst part of a huricane? All day?
biggrin.gif


W.A.

------------------
"To strive to seek to find and not to yield"
Tennyson
Ranger motto

A few useful details on UK laws and some nice reviews!
http://members.aol.com/knivesuk/
Certified steel snob!
Founding president and member number 1! Wana join?
 
On gun parts, such as scope mounts on a barrel that you can't break free, boiling water works. Bring water to boil in a big enough pan/pot to submerge the area that needs to be broken free. "WARNING!!!, WARNING!!!, Wil Robinson", DO NOT LET THE OBJECT TOUCH THE PAN IN ANY WAY, ONLY CONTACT WITH THE WATER OR DAMAGE MAY OCCURE. After heating by boiling, quickly put the item on a surface such as soft wood to prevent damage. Put the correct size bit/driver in the head of the scew/bolt, and tap the bit/driver one good time to unset the locktight, now unscrew. This works great on all metal objects, but I would be leary, or lets say VERY CAUTIOUS and not advised on some knife scales. Remember not to let the object sit on the bottom of the pan because it will get to hot and possibly be damage from the direct heat contact.

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"Some days you're the dog, and some days you're the hydrant"
 
Good topic, General.

I have found the blue stuff to be fairly "user-friendly". Just get a good grip on the tool and there shouldn't be a problem.

With the other Locktites, some selective heat will do it.

Dick
 
The color-coding is not an absolutely sure way to tell as Loc Tite will custom-make any version in any color if you place a large enough order. Who would do that? I used to work for a company who's products were dark grey. We custom-ordered the normally blue Loc Tite in matching grey so that any excess wouldn't stain the product and look bad.

The Loc Tite product that is normally purple is permanent, BTW. It's bond is about as strong as the metal itself.

Loc Tite sells a lot of great products. Here's the thread locking stuff
http://www.loctite.com/catalog/category1.html?ProductLine=10

I always prefer Loc Tite brand "super glue". Black Max 380 and Super Bonder 409 are great products to have handy.

Loc Tite sells a solvent to help with removing their thread locking products. It's probably formulated very much as Mr. General suggests.


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Chuck
Balisongs -- because it don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing!
http://www.balisongcollector.com
 
<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by The General:
I was wondering about that. I did not need to use it or heat to remove the LCC screws... Thanks Uncle Mike! However it is a valid point. Do you think it would affect Carbon Fibre or Micarta? </font>
Click to expand...

It's unclear whether you are asking about solvents or heat. I'll assume from prior thread sentence it's solvents.

Carbon Fiber, G-10, and Micarta bonding agents are cured, meaning the chemicals react and become a new solid molecule, and they are impervious to common, normal temperature household solvents, like stuff in brake cleaner, paint thinner, WD-40. That would include stuff like:

acetone
MEK = Methyl Ethyl Ketone
chlorinated solvents (look for "chlor" and "chloro" in name, like methyl chloride, tetramethylchloride, methylenechloride, etc.)
Toluene
Xylene

Mineral spirits (of which WD-40 is about 25%) and hydrocarbon solvents like Heptane are decent solvents for things like paint, but are weaker still. No risk.

But if it is anything close to rubber in feel, assume it'll ruin it and test before going wild ... Kraton in particular.

(That plastic Cr@p is typically impervious, Zytel, Hytrel, and offshoots).

[This message has been edited by rdangerer (edited 03-15-2001).]
 
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