Removing stripped screws

Simon Yu

Simon Yu

Joined
Feb 13, 2000
Messages
370
I'm sure a lot of us have gotten it into our heads to disassemble a knife for some reason, happily working away on a torx screwdriver when we suddently hit a screw that's Loc-tited and wind up stripping the thing. Well, I know I have on my waved Endura a few nights ago. Since the heads of a screw are often recessed into the handle by design, getting a dremel to cut a new flat head slot and using that doesn't seem to be an option (though i could be wrong. If dremel heads have a small enough diameter to do so, it would be news to me). Some years ago, I picked up a set of specialized drill bits by Craftsman called Screw-Out which I've tried to use, but putting a hand drill to metal is slow going and I've yet to every fully get out a screw with them. If anyone has any advice on the subject or better methods, I'd be glad to hear them.
 
One way you might try is to install a small diameter thin kerf cut off disc in the mandrel. Use it on scrap metal until it is roughly small enough to fit over the head of the screw you want to remove. Then cut your flat head slot in the screw slow and steady just deep enough to get a small screw driver in it securely.

Then take a wood burner or soldering iron and heat that up until it is hot. Set the hot tip on the head of the screw and hold it there for about 30 seconds. Then before it cools use the flat head to give it a good twist to unscrew it and see if it doesn't come right out.

STR
 
Did some research/shopping. Since I don't really have access to scrap metal easily in the suburbs or at the dorms, I may need to try another approach, though I did make sure to get a soldering iron to break Loctite. Any other recommendations are invited eagerly.
 
It won't take much to reduce the diameter of a thin cut off disc. Use a long screw and start cutting off pieces of it until the disc is small enough to use on the head of the screw. Then cut your slot and heat up the head to remove it.

STR
 
When using a file to turn a stripped Torx screw into a slotted screw wasn't possible, needlenose pliers have been my friend. The anger that the screws were threadlocked will help you get through even red Loc-tite without a problem. Unless destroying the screw you were removing is a problem for you.

Another way to keep from stripping the screws in the first place is to use a good Torx wrench. The Husky 8-in-1 from Home Depot (and now Darrel Ralph's knifekit site, too) works excellent. Much better than the Craftsman and Benchmade torx wrenches that used to strip out my screws, anyways.

Hope that helps.
 
I have super glued the torx in the stripped out screw, let it set a few minutes and them put driver back on and carefully back it out.

This has worked every time for me.

Caution: Use torx bit only, and you may have to go up to next size if stripped bad and make sure it fits as tight as possible.....use a tiny drop of glue, careful not to let glue seep into threads or on handles. Keep a paper towel handy just in case.

The best way is to put a drop on a hard surface, then dip torx bit in it, then let glue set on torx for a moment, then insert into stripped out screw, then let set for a few minutes.

When you are done, a brass brush will easily clean the glue off of torx.

Robbie Roberson ;)
 
Thom you got that right. Texas knifemaker sells that little multi torx wrench that is great also. Craftsman used to sell a good one but they are crap now and not even the right size heads for the screws they are assigned to. I bought a Snap On torx set thinking it would be great and its just as bad as the Craftsman is. I wrote them and told them about it also and although both Craftsman and Snap On give a lot of lip service neither company has corrected the problem. I'd love for one of their designers to actually use one of their wrenches for a job like I do all the time to see what crap they are. Both these companies smaller torx drivers are obviously undersized for the torx screw they should work in.

A good fitting wrench is key to getting the screws out for sure and a very good point to bring up. Its pretty damn sad when I can buy a cheap China made torx that fits better and works better than what is supposed to be a quality USA made one for a premium price.

STR
 
along the same lines....if you need to remove a stuck screw/bolt that won't budge from it's hole due to rust or some other reason, and heat won't damage anything adjacent, get yourself a piece of ice or a candle, heat the bolt and it's female attachment point up, then hit the end of the bolt with the ice or candle, it will come right out with very little effort. Used to get stuck exhaust manifold and flange bolts out that way and it works like a charm every time. This thread made me think of that little trick so I thought I would share to help out the common good.
 
The superglue idea is a good one. I have used JBWeld the same way on bigger screws but never thought about trying superglue. I'll have to remember that one. Let us know what you try and what works for you when you get that darn screw out. :)
 
Quick question while I run out to get a better torx screwdriver (I've alternated between my SAK Cybertool and a Craftsman one specifically for the smaller screws). How do you clean off the driver afterwards? Never really worked with super glue before, but this is as good of an excuse as any. And I have more than one screw to deal with if it works, so I don't want to spend too much time figuring out how to move onto the next one.
 
Simon Yu said:
How do you clean off the driver afterwards?
Click to expand...
The answer to your question is in Robbie Roberson's post:
"When you are done, a brass brush will easily clean the glue off of torx."
 
So my attempt to use superglue to get out the screw has resulted in a screw and driver covered in glue. Either I'm going something wrong, the soldering iron didn't break the Loc-Tite threads, or my previous attempts to drill into the screw to use an extracting tool rendered the cavity too smooth. For this particular screw, I may just continue drilling now that I've found a better technique but I'll be revisiting the super glue method on another screw. Once I find out where to get a brass brush . . .
 
Finally got out the screw last night after not touching the thing for a few days. The combination of drill bit and a special bit eventually did the trick.

I'll probably have to repeat this for another screw on another knife that I already drilled into a bit. I recently remembered that I had a Spyerdco Ti Lum with stripped pocket clip screws though that I'll have to get to so I'll be retrying some of the stuff mentioned like the super glue.

On that topic, another question arises. The stuff I picked up was a superglue made by Loctite, not the "Original Super Glue." I'm wondering if there's any significant differences between the two. It looks like both get dissolved by Acetone, which is a good thing since the brass brush isn't really doing the trick to clean up my screwdriver (which probably has more glue on it than normal due to having a partially drilled cavity).
 
Reviving on oldy here...

For you guys who a having problems with poorly produced Torx drives, try heading to a "serious" RC car shop (not your average/hobby shop ) who supply those who competitively race their RC cars. From what I've handled they seem to have some of the best quality smaller tools I've used.
 
My favorite torx drives are expensive "Wiha" brand made in Germany. A set of 7 for about $30-$40 on eBay but will last a lifetime. Stanley's are good too but break but you get a free replacement when you bring them in.
 
The guys at my work buy WIHA , they seem to have the same shortcomings as an el cheapo Husky , only they cost more.
I bought a set of WIHA phillips drivers ( on the bosses dime ) and notice no real difference between those and my Craftsman drivers , just IMO.


Once again IMO the best bet in Torx is the all in one Husky driver , about six bucks and has all the sizes you would need for any folder , I have had the same Husky for over three years and still going strong.

:)

STR and folks , thanks for the extra tips on removing stripped screws.
 
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