Nipples are stuck!!!!

[David Snellen]

Gentlemen,
I recently traded some things for a '51. It's in great shape, EXCEPT... he never had a nipple wrench and they are welded in place. I broke a wrench on them and soaked them for 2 days in break free. Still no budge. How can I get these to turn loose?
Thank you, David

 

[R.M.]

If you do a search on here, I'm sure there are a few threads about this. In the mean time, I'd continue soaking them. I've heard of people soaking for weeks. Can't hurt. Hopefully it won't come down to drilling them out.

 

[J.D.]

Soak 'em in Kroil, or another GOOD penetrating oil. BreakFree is a good lubricant, but it doesn't penetrate like true penetrating oils.

You might have to soak the cylinder for a coupla weeks or longer, maybe much longer. That said, soak in Kroil for a few days and apply heat. Let it cool and soak for a few more days to a week, then apply heat, then soak. Continue this process until the nipples break loose without using excess force. It may take a while...maybe even a long while, so be patient.

Don't apply enough heat to discolor the metal. You don't need that much heat, just enough to cause some expansion to the cylinder surrounding the nipples.

God bless

 

[David Teague]

Yep... sometimes a little heat along will do the job.

 

[Long Johns Wolf]

Frozen nipples are the proverbial PITA. After having ruined too many wrenches I started to listen to the experts: "It's the downward pressure on the wrench that does the job!". There is a pictured description of the procedure (on a Centaure 1960) on my website www.1960nma.org, browse to the GUNSMITHING page.If you need an "abridged" procedure, send me a mail with your private email address.
Long Johns Wolf

 

[LeMat1856]

.
. sep 2 / 7:45pm


i've had the same problem with both a revolver and a musket within the last two weeks.

sadly, the revolver ended in a wrestling match - even after soaking for 24+ hours from outside and inside - which was settled by a vice grip and several minutes under the hot setting of a hair dryer..

*all* the wrenches i bought (3 in all) kept slipping or would not grip or the soft metal of the nipple gave way.. finally, i clamped onto the short piece that extended beyond the frame and slowly twisted counterclockwise - it worked..

i happened to have replacements for both and continue to curse the shoddy craftsmanship of these tools.. there should be something out there (like a ratchet and socket) that has both the tempered metal and *exact* fit for a part that is so important to every percussion weapon.. this is a shame and a crime within this industry ! !

following this "surgery" i started coating each and every one of these nipples with anti-seizing grease called "super lube." i hope it works.

~d~

 

[madcratebuilder]

You can modify a small 1/4 drive socket to fit the nipple. The size you start with depends on the revolver/nipple combination. Work slow with a small stone wheel on a dremel type tool, don't let the socket get to hot. Now you have something you can put a 1/4 inch ratchet on and have some control. A screwdriver handle for a 1/4 drive socket that excepts a 1/4 drive ratchet lets you apply a tremendous amount of controlled turning force and down pressure at the same time.

 

[Claude Mathis]

Happened to my wife once, plastic surgery was required to fix it..... :grin:

Please don't be the one to get this topic deleted, by posting juvenile comments.

 

[Robert an saa fan]

If you are going to put in replacement nipples; sometimes it also helps to do some tapping on the stuck nipples with a drift rod.

 

[David Snellen]

Now that tool could REALLY help. It seems all the nipple wrenches I have are fairly soft. I have broken the lip on more than I can count. I have been able to use needlenose sometimes and that worked. I never thought about an anti-seize lube. I reckon the fellow I bought the pistol from didn't either....
David