So I was helping a friend put his chain on and without thinking I put a spring inside a threaded portion of the tool. I then tightened the tool so now the spring is stuck. Any ideas on how to get it out so I don't have to buy a new one? Thanks

The part of the tool.


You can sort of see the spring bound up inside.

 

Here's one, requires some nerves and fiddly fingers... Might work or might not, hard to say without having the thing in my own hand, the pic's a little sketchy so i'm not entirely sure what type of spring it is, but i'm assuming it is a cylendrical (normal) coil spring. So, you need a length of rubber pipe or similiar like a pen or something with outer diameter(very) slightly larger than the spring. Preferably something that has sligthly pointy end like in a pen. Push the pipe or other tool lightly onto the center of the spring and rotate in counter-clockwise motion so that the spring opens and coils itself a little around the tool, then rotate in clockwise motion so that it tightens around the tool and lets go of the pipe it is currently in. Keep rotating and pull it out. I have a wide selection of different kind of long nose pliers and tweezers for those jobs, also a magnet-pen might work if it's not that tight in there...

sorry for the dumb q, but what is that tool for, and where do you need a spring like that in a chain?

TIP: try a long hex-key as the tool.

 

Also check the direction the spring coil is wound, affects the directions I gave (they are for a "right hand" spring)

 

you need one of these hook screwdrivers, check your local hardware store or auto parts store for a set.



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^ If I'm not mistaken those are sold by the name gasket/seal ring removing tools or similiar. Might work too, although not sure will those hook parts fit in the pipe...

 

yea he might have to grind one down to size if possible. maybe a paper clip would get it out too.

 

Hm. Didn't think of that... Why not, basically anything that gets a grip from the end ring... Sometimes i think too complicatedly, just came to think of that when I thought of the way some allen wrench sets are attached to a keyring, and hot to get them on and off the springs...

 

Awesome i got it out. I used the eraser end of a pensil and was able to get the spring in the eraser. It broke the eraser trying to pull it out but it brought some up so I was able to use a piece of wire hanger to snag it and pull it out. Thanks for the help.

 

This:

Parts & Accessories - Motorcycle Tools - Cycle Gear

 

Man if I had a nickel everytime I messed up one of my tools at work and had to get another one .