Removing magnesium door handles

[Woody]

I have heard all the horror stories about removing door handles. During my rebuild I needed to remove the door handles. I tried using a punch with no success. I have 6 doors so I thought I would try on one of the less desirable ones. After much beating nothing moved. I made a couple of heat shields out of .025 aluminum. I slid them between the handle and door. I applied heat with a propane torch for about a minute. It was too hot to touch. I used a 1/8" punch and a small hammer. I was able to remove 12 handles from 6 doors and did not damage a single one. You might want to give it a try. Most pins are inserted from the top down so drive them out from the bottom. Some had roll pins and others used solid pins that looked like cut off nails.
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Tom

[Hank Jarrett]

Got to try this! I have a whole stack of old doors with stuck handles. Can you try to repost your photos? They come up as broken links on my PC.

Hank

[Woody]

Not sure what happened. They were here last night. Ill try again
Tom

[Robert Lees]

...and others used solid pins that looked like cut off nails...

I had a good laugh, thanks Woody! Nails would not surprise me!

[Hank Jarrett]

I have a feeling the price on those door handles is going to go down a lot real soon! They were like gold recently for one NOT attached to a door!

[Robert Lees]

I had no trouble getting my magnesium door handles off (fifteen years ago mind you)

Story here:https://www.taylorcraft.org.uk/Brey_...oors.htm#Doors

[Woody]

Hank,
Did you try to remove some of then yet. Hope it works for you. I was shocked that I was able to remove 100 % of them.
Tom

[Hank Jarrett]

It has been low on the priority list since wasting a LOT of time trying a couple of years ago. The doors are all stacked in the corner of the hangar. Going to be fun when I get to them again.

[Jfaithbass]

I'm short one handle... any chance one is for sale?

[Woody]

Pm sent