Best revolver nipple wrench on the market?

[TheWall]

I've had a problem with standard revolver nipple wrenches breaking trying to remove a stubborn nipple on my 1858 Remington. My next step is to soak the cylinder (with the stuck nipple) in Kroil.

But, for the future, what is the best revolver nipple wrench you can buy and where can I get it?

Thanks.

 

[missuramoss]

This is JMHO...There are others here who know way more than I do..But I think nipple wrenches are like the revolvers you buy..Some are outstanding, and some are a POS. I've purchased 3 from Cabelas, one of which twisted like a paperclip, one that snapped one of the bottom "legs" off, and one is still serving me well today, the Walker wrench, which seems to be very robust and sturdy.

 

[TomADC]

I just ordered a couple of wrenches one for the Walker & one for the smaller Colts and Remingtons.
I do coat the threads on all of my nipples with birchwood Casey choke tube lube. Looks to be a moly type grease.

 

[mykeal]

The key to a good nipple wrench, like the key to a good revolver frame, is hardened steel. The vast majority cost about $7 and are not surface hardened. They will wear out easily and break when attempting to remove a stuck nipple. Unfortunately, finding one that's been hardened is quite difficult. They should cost 2 to 3 times more than a regular wrench and should have the hardening specified. Traditions used to sell one in a blister pack but I haven't seen it in a couple of years.

An alternative is to harden it yourself with Kasenite, or to make one from a small socket.

 

[NCWanderer]

TheWall

You can make a good nipple wrench out of a 1/4 inch drive socket. I used a 5mm socket for mine. Used my Dremel tool with a cutting wheel to cut the notch so it fit the nipple. I used a small ratchet and it gave me all the torque I needed.
My '58 Remy had 3 stuck and prior to making the wrench I destroyed 2 regular nipple wrenches. I soaked the cylinder in WD40 first, then liquid wrench but neither worked. Then I tried PB Blaster and my new home made wrench and this worked. Kroil may do the trick for you. I couldn't find any locally or I'd have tried it too. Just be careful with that wrench because I believe you could actually break the nipple off in the cylinder with it, and you don't even want to go there. Just keep soaking and trying the wrench,until it comes out.

Good luck
NC

 

[Zeke/PA]

The best nipple wrenches that I have used are ones that I have made from Oil Hardening Drill rod machined and heat treated by myself.

 

[madcratebuilder]

Nipple wrenches are a pita, some are soft and bend, others are to hard and snap the ears off. I would do what Zeke recommended buy I'm not that experienced at the heat treating part.

Heat to cherry red and oil quench then heat tp straw and allow to cool??

 

[Zeke/PA]

Using OIL HARDENING Drill Rod:
Heat to a cherry red, quench in oil ( at room temp preffered), polish to remone oil crust, draw to the color of dark tea.
This can be accomplished using a hand held propane torch applying draw heat well behind the business end of the tool and CAREFULLY observing.

 

[wittzo]

A ratcheting nipple wrench. Here's one place to get one. I had a stuck nipple that wouldn't come out for anything, I warped the cheap wrench that came with my pistol's starter kit, I ordered one of these and it came right out.

http://possibleshop.com/s-s-nipple-wrench.html

I've seen these 90 degree ratcheting screwdriver handles before, but never thought about cutting a notch in a hex bit before. It's heat treated and made of tool steel. They sell them for cap and ball revolvers, musket caps, and #11 nipples.

 

[madcratebuilder]

Using OIL HARDENING Drill Rod:
Heat to a cherry red, quench in oil ( at room temp preffered), polish to remone oil crust, draw to the color of dark tea.
This can be accomplished using a hand held propane torch applying draw heat well behind the business end of the tool and CAREFULLY observing.

Thanks Zeke. I have been using to much heat when drawing back. After you draw back to you allow to cool at room temp? I have been laying the part on a bed of sand and allowing to cool.

 

[Zeke/PA]

Mad,
Keep a can of water handy when drawing.
It won't hurt the part if it's "dunked" to stop the draw at the desired point.

 

[TheWall]

A ratcheting nipple wrench. Here's one place to get one. I had a stuck nipple that wouldn't come out for anything, I warped the cheap wrench that came with my pistol's starter kit, I ordered one of these and it came right out.

http://possibleshop.com/s-s-nipple-wrench.html

I've seen these 90 degree ratcheting screwdriver handles before, but never thought about cutting a notch in a hex bit before. It's heat treated and made of tool steel. They sell them for cap and ball revolvers, musket caps, and #11 nipples.

Just ordered one from the Possible Shop. Hopefully this wrench combined with soaking in Kroil will do the trick.

 

[Oldfalguy]

I have warped 2 of the ratcheting wrenches trying to remove original Remington nipples-
I sealed the nipples with silicone- then pour in various products-
I have one cylinder that has been soaking in Kroil, PB, carbon cutter, and the typical rust killer stuff. so far nothing but abject failure.

I think I will make one out of a socket-
I do not want to use heat since this is an original I it has real nice bluing remaining