Shoutout to the old Shimano freewheel removal tool that finally gave up after 30 years in my box.

I tried to use it on a rusted Schwinn Varsity hub from 1978 and the tool's splines just sheared off, which taught me that even the most trusted gear has a finite life and now I need to find a modern equivalent that can handle today's seized parts.

2 comments

2 Comments

gray_gibson1mo ago

Ever had a wrench just disintegrate in your hand?

nathan_thompson621mo ago

Wait, the tool itself broke? I've seen freewheels snap off or round out, but I didn't even know the removal tool could fail. That's like your hammer breaking. It's the thing you use to break other things. A 30-year-old piece of steel just giving up is wild. It really puts the "rusted '78 Schwinn" part into scary perspective.