Pry out a disc - New knife user

H

Halingca

Joined
Apr 21, 2014
Messages
4
I came across this forum after buying a Buck Bones 820 Tanto bladed knife. Intuitively, it seemed like it would serve my purpose of prying out a coin sized metal disc (shaped like a bottle cap) that is superglued into a corresponding coin sized holder. The disc is actually a nameplate that needs to be removed from a telescope mount to access a special pin underneath.

The instructions says to use a utility knife to pry it out. I tried using a box cutter but it only broke the blade. I was looking at a variety of knives and the tanto blade seemed appropriate and looked much stronger. I tried it but it seemed too thick to get in between the space of the disc and the holder. I am also afraid of doing serious injury to myself if I slip :->.

I read that a tanto blade can pierce metal. I wonder if I can just stab the centre of the disc and then pry upwards? And if I did, would I use the point or the flat front end? Or am I going about this completely wrong and need a different kind of technique or different kind of knife.

This seems like too simple a request but the telescope mount is worth almost a thousand dollars and I've already created a few nicks and scratches with my feeble attempts using the tanto blade.

Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you.
 
I would get something that isnt a knife, like a vey small flathead screwdriver. Definitely don't try to stab through the metal if you are already worried about safety and not damaging the mount.

+1 on heating the disc first, try a soldering iron for just a few moments before prying it with something that isn't a cutting tool.
 
Hello and welcome to the forums,

Some pictures would be very helpful, but in lieu of that, the advice I can give (and most others will agree) is that knives are generally poor prying tools. A sturdy screwdriver would help, but even that may not be the ticket. The heat suggested may be very helpful - even a hair dryer will work for loosening some adhesives.

Long story short - the right tool for job will go a long way at keeping that thousand dollar mount in the four digit price range.

Good luck!
 
The world is awash in disposable tools (cheap screwdrivers, for one) for prying purposes and knives rarely feature on the list. How many of us have foolishly broken the tips of decent to excellent blades in trying to pry with them instead of using them for scraping or cutting like they were designed and meant to be used.
 
Go for heat. Get a towel and moisten it then place it on the coin and apply an iron, it wil steam the glue and hopefully remove the bit of metal for you
 
Just an update on how I finally pried out the disc. Thank you all for the suggestions above which I tried. I made a call to the telescope company to find out exactly how it was glued together. They told me that the glue was applied to the back of the disc and that the glue probably got spilled into the rim space thus making it difficult to pry. They suggested using acetone to dissolve the glue. After several minutes, I was able to use a disposable scalpel blade to gently but firmly pry it out of the holder. The disc turned out to be only 1 - 2 mm thick.

This is an interesting forum and I am glad I discovered it and it has piqued an interest in the many types and uses of knives.
 
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