Hello all,
Please may I pick your brains? I am taking off the postmounted keys on my cocus Nameless to repad them. On 2 keys, the pin is stuck fast in the post and won’t push through…I’m scared to put the flute section in a heavily padded vice so I can tap on the pin with a hammer & punch, what do you recommend?
Thanks
Julia C
If it’s feasible, you could try cradling the flute in your hand (at the region of the offending pin) with the thumb and one or more of the fingers wrapping around so as to grip and steady the tip end of the punch while you gently tap away. I recall doing this before. Worked for me.
Question: these aren’t screw-type pins, then?
First off, try a drop of oil on the ends of the pin and see if that helps. If not, take an ice pick or a small nail, use a very small jewelry type of hammer (or one of those mini-hammers that come with those small screw driver kits), put the nail on the pin end, and gently tap (scary, but it generally works). Don’t use a vice or anything like that…just hold the flute in place with an elbow or something when gently tapping.
One other thought, have you tried pushing it out the other way? Generally, the pins go in one direction and come out the same way, but I’ve seen them where they were jammed in the opposite side and were simply harder to move.
Eric
I echo Nanohedron wholeheartedly … Make sure they’re not screws (common in post-mounted key arrangements) first! Also … if you have a local repair shop with someone who works on oboes, bassoons, clarinets or the like, they might be able to help you and would probably have the best tools to boot.
Boring, I know, but in the long run, it might be the cheapest way to go … (at least from my experience 
!)
Best,
cat.
Could be a tapered pin. If so, it can only be removed in one direction.
Bill
As mentioned, first check to make sure the axle pin isn’t the screw in type (which I assume you’ve already done.)
If the Axle isn’t a screw type, then what I’ve seen most often is that the pin will be crimped at one end, to expand it for a tight fit when tapped into place (a taper, of sorts). Of course this means you must tap the axle pin out in the proper direction, or risk causing damage (to the axle, post hole, post shaft, or post/wood interface) that can’t be fixed at home. With the axle in place, it can be nearly impossible for the untrained eye (don’t I feel special) to tell which end of the pin has been crimped. If you can’t tell, your best bet (if you insist on trying to do this yourself) is to stand the flute on one end and then tap lightly on the axle pin with a flat topped “punch” (nothing pointed) first in one direction, and if no luck, try going the other way. You should use a very light jeweler’s type ball peen hammer, anything heavier and broken keywork is likely.
Having said that, I’d really recommend NOT messing with this any further yourself - If you drive the axle even just a little bit too far the wrong way, you may need to replace the axle, the post, both, or worse yet, you may break the post right out of the wood, Not good. Not trying to scare you, but I see this stuff in the shop all the time, results of home repair jobs gone awry.
Best of luck,
Loren
Nanohedron, Cathy, Bildio, Jayhawk and Loren,
Thank you very much for your advice. The pins aren’t screws, just little rods: some of them have a taper, some are just straight. If only they were screws, it might be easier! I totally take the point about caution- I will give it one more teeny tap and if nothing budges, I’ll stop “messing” and call in a pro!
Now, where’s that tent mallet?
Julia C
Thank you guys, the operation was a success. A little tap in the right direction (didn’t have a small enough hammer so I used the face of the garlic press) and out they came with no damage. Nerve racking though!
Good job! I knew it would come out if you were gentle enough yet willing to give it a slight tap. It sure was nervewracking the first time I tried that maneuver!
Eric
Glad to hear you were sucessful 
Loren