Edge Finder Disassembly

[EdK]

Does anyone know if these types of edge finders can be disassembled for cleaning? There's a screw on the one end but I didn't want to start unscrewing it before I knew what the screw is for. I have a Brown and Sharpe edge finder that came coated in that waxy type substance and I think some got on the mating surfaces that are supposed to slide since they don't slide very smoothly or easily.

Thanks,
Ed

   

[Mayhem]

Where is your sense of adventure Ed?

[EdK]

I need to use it today for a project I brought home from work so I don't want to break it.

Ed

[dallen]

clean it with some paint thinner or acetone, let the solvent soak into the joint, if you take it apart you probably won't get it back together once the spring comes unhooked.

DA

[Highpower]

+1

On mine I just slid the head off to the side a bit and sprayed it with brake cleaner to wash off the gunk. Move the head around a bit to get all of the surfaces. A final shot of brake cleaner to flush it out and compressed air to remove the brake cleaner. Add a single drop of instrument oil and it's slick as a whistle. No disassembly required.

[EdK]

Well I just ended up applying some light oil to the sliding surfaces to get me through this job and it worked just fine. I think I'll soak it overnight in some denatured alcohol and then give it a good cleaning tomorrow followed by oiling.

Ed

[f350ca]

Never tried it, does alcohol dissolve oil?

[EdK]

(10-19-2014, 12:39 PM)f350ca Wrote: Never tried it, does alcohol dissolve oil?

It's not oil, it's a waxy substance. I've used it before to clean that stuff off of tools.

Ed

[Tony Wells]

There is a small screw eye inside on the small end so you can unhook and rehook the spring with a small bent paper clip. Not any big deal. Just don't stretch the spring any more than necessary to do it. I have had a couple of those screws eyes come loose and learned to either use a loop of thread, or the paper clip to reconnect things once the screw eye is back in place.

All that aside, cleaning them without taking them apart is probably the safest. But they can be disassembled safely.

[Arbalest]

What's the screw for then?