[Closed] Recommend me a pipe wrench

Do you mean when you have decided the seatpost is a goner?

Stihlsons trump something you have to squeeze together for grip.

I've never freed a seatpost by grabbing it with anything though. Old saddle in the clamp in the first non nuclear option. The clamping the clamp in a vice with a dirty great bench underneath.

As Josh says,post in well secured vice and (carefully)use frame as the lever.
If this does not work look at other options.
What materials are the post and frame ?

It’s a steel frame and I think also a steel post (1990 Raleigh ATB). The saddle was attached to a short, smaller-diameter post inserted inside the main post (WTF?) so no use for using for leverage. I’ve managed to get the post to move by blasting it with penetrating oil and hitting it with a hammer, just need to get it all the way out now.

i like knippex stuff

Ah,so not enough original post sticking out to do this?

If the saddle is still attached then I've found that using a pneumatic chipper/hammer works well - block of wood to the underside of the saddle, then apply chipper/hammer to the wooden block - the high frequency blows will gradually ease out all-but-the-most-stuck of seatposts. Alternative to the pneumatic tool would be a hammer drill (grip a bolt into the drill chuck, rather than a drill bit).

In that case drill a hole through the post stick your largest long strong thin thing through it sit on the ground feet against the seatstays and top tube and start twisting and pulling.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I would certainly have tried the vice trick if I had one. There isn’t a lot of seatpost sticking out now so a pipe wrench seems the best option (without going so far as drilling the post, as suggested above). I was just wondering if anyone has used these tools and could recommend a good one?

I was just wondering if anyone has used these tools and could recommend a good one?

Knipex Plier wrenches are probably my favouritest ever hand tool as I've found them useful for so many things. But that is a bit OT as they're smooth jawed so not the best tool for this job, you want large vice-grip (aka molgrip) pliers, or water pump pliers, or it's a good excuse to get an actual vice. Irwin are usually a good price/quality compromise.

how long have you been wd40ing? my brother just did 2 weeks every day and it finally worked.
i wouldn't have the patience...

As someone who works in the chemical industry with stuff that makes the old Microsoft pipes screensavers look tame the default answer is pipe wrench = Record Stilsons. Or Rigid if you turn up in a Merc Vito.

Try soaking in PlusGas, for a good few hours at least, and I mean drench it.
Then, get a stilson, and a length of pipe which will fit over the stillson handle. Thick wall tubing like steam pipe or scaffold tube is best. Now secure the frame as tight as you can.
Slip pipe over stillson handle and apply even ,measured pressure until the teeth of the jaws startvto bite. If you've never used a stilson before, its critical you get the orientation of the jaws correct. Checking they bite is crucial, if they dont feel solid, rotate the wrench 180 degrees ie flip it over. Reapply pressure, evenly and gradually. Do not snatch at the stilson.
Leverage is king here, work smarter not harder. If its still no go, increase the length of lever you are using on the handle. Onceyou get movement, drench in PlusGas again and repeat. Try to use as short a lever as you can get away with to prevent the chance of the post shearing off in the frame.
I fix press tooling for a living, 10 tons plus, and we can move these with a 5' bar using leverage.
Good luck.

As someone who works in power station where a pressure locked or stiff valve handle can ruin your day (or night) I'll second the Record Stillies. Good teeth on them. Don't go cheap as they have no grip and as said make sure you are loading them straight or the head WILL snap eventually (I've seen the 4' ones go having been abused as a valve spanner once too many times).

Cut top off the seatpost, slide hammer

I've always liked the Rigid alu stillies, but seen nice ones from rothenburger too. Not tried any record ones yet.

All of these are totally over the top for what you need. As long as you are aware of that, crack on!

"Vintage" Record Stilsons ~ £13 on ebay

Yup got a small bahco plumbers one it's shite.

Got a rigid 36" Ali one very different level of usefulness. .....total overkill for bikes but work were downsizing/clearing out/closing workshops so got it for a nominal fee. It's proved handy to have over the years for stuck things.

Many thanks for all the advice, much appreciated. I’m going to go down the Record Stillson eBay route. Perhaps not entirely necessary but will be a handy tool to have for stuff other than bikes. BTW, PlusGas is what I’ve been using, having seen it recommended elsewhere over WD40, excellent stuff.

12" Record Stillson and PlusGas = sorted! Came out easily, didn't even need to attach a pipe for extra leverage.

👍

I recently picked up 14" Record pipe wrench on eBay for just over a tenner and a 24" Draper one for ~£15.

I'd say a decent sized set of Stilsons is a tool-box must-have!
I've got a few kicking around from little ones to 24"