Removing old tacks

Louis Michaud

LOVES Wooden Canoes
Maybe I'm the last one to find out about this tip...
Removing old tacks without damaging the surrounding wood, plank or rib, gets a lot easier when the wood is wetted out with warm water. The varnish has been stripped beforehand. The brittle wood becomes very supple and elastic. I've seen it absorb a lot of deformation with the withdrawal of a twisted tack and come right back. A lot less broken splinters, chips and craters. To my glass eye, the amount of damage seems to reduced by 80%... :cool:

Best,

Louis Michaud
 
Last week I had the pleasure of visiting Dave Lanthier at his shop im Kamloops.The topic of tack removal came up.Thought I would show off my technique and prowess at tack removal with side cutters.On a hull that had to have a rib removed I reached out with the cutters and struggled with a tack.Dave had his favourite tool in his hand by then and said Like this and out whipped a tack.I said no like this and struggled with another Oh you mean like this and out came another and another. Amazing ...gotta get me one of those tools. A smallish straight sided nail puller
 
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