Removing HIT Inserts

kylem

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Oct 30, 2016
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North Idaho
Does anyone have any tricks for removing HIT inserts from the axis arrows? I have quite a few older arrows that are a little long and it looks like after I cut them shorter there will still be about 1/2" of the inserts left in them.
 
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Heat it up with a torch- just be careful. Heat and twist - comes right out.
Keep flame moving and don't over heat
 

RosinBag

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Roseville, CA.
Keep a field point in and heat the point, that heat will heat the glue along the insert and they should come out. i would try to avoid any direct heat on the carbon arrow itself as it can break down quickly if not very careful.
 
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Heat it up with a torch- just be careful. Heat and twist - comes right out.
Keep flame moving and don't over heat

If they are FMJ then heat is an issue with carbon. I have heated a loose field tip and then screwed in quickly so it heats insert first. Rap it out with a brass rod or gun cleaning rod that fits ID from nock end. I am a trad shooter so not super anal about weight so I have actually bought arrows with inserts in and used them on the nock end. I cut to my length and use brass inserts so that may be an option.
 

Trial153

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Oct 28, 2014
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NY
dont heat them. bad idea...

remove the nock, slide a steel drill bit that is slightly smaller backwards into the staft. Then swing the shaft fast so the bit impacts the insert. Rinse and repeat till it breaks loose.
 
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dont heat them. bad idea...

remove the nock, slide a steel drill bit that is slightly smaller backwards into the staft. Then swing the shaft fast so the bit impacts the insert. Rinse and repeat till it breaks loose.

Too much heat is never good, but if it is hot glue its no biggy. But if its epoxy, it requires a bit more heat, though not as much as people think- hardly any at all really- the glue heats up way quicker than the carbon. I just heat the insert that is external on the shaft and out they come. The epoxy layer is usually next to nothing and takes very little heat at all. I can touch the shaft right after with no issue.
Most go way past what they need to and just don't realize how little it takes.
I have never had an issue doing it

Try the drill bit idea first , then try heating an old tip and screwing it in. If still not able don't be afraid to heat the insert, assuming it is one that sticks out like a 1/2"- that will radiate the heat into the glue inside the shaft enough to pull/twist it out.
 

colersu22

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Apr 10, 2016
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Wa
I have had good success heating them up but I only did it on 2 shafts that I didn't get the insert in quick enough so had to remove and start over. I didn't have the best luck with the tool that came with them so I used an old insert tool my father in law had and it was much better than the plastic tool they send. When I did my second dozen I went straight to the insert tool and threw the little green tool that came with them in the trash.
 

5MilesBack

"DADDY"
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Feb 27, 2012
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The heat WILL break down the carbon inside the end of the shaft even if you don't see it. And that's the last place you want a weaker shaft with the HIT's. I swung a drill bit in a 30" Axis arrow one time for 15 minutes, and all it did was bunch up the end of the aluminum insert inside the shaft leaving a raised ridge outside that shaft.

I would remove your fletching and cut from the nock end.
 

Chad E

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Jan 22, 2013
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If still not able don't be afraid to heat the insert, assuming it is one that sticks out like a 1/2"- that will radiate the heat into the glue inside the shaft enough to pull/twist it out.

Hit inserts do not stick out and are not visible(hidden). Attempting to heat them without a point in would require getting the carbon hot. I certainly wouldn't recommend that.
 

jmez

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Jun 12, 2012
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Piedmont, SD
If they were put in correctly with epoxy you can't get them out. As was said above, just cut the nock end off.
 

Trial153

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Oct 28, 2014
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NY
i knocked 6 out today and replaced them with 100 grain brass hits. Used aae epoxy like i have always done. No issues with it.
 

quibton

FNG
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Mar 11, 2017
Messages
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Location
Montevideo, MN
Instead of heating a field tip, I use a piece of all thread. I do this instead of a field tip because:

Heat can transfer into carbon through field tip shank because it is in direct contact with the carbon, where all thread is only touching the insert.

And

All thread will stick out of arrow further giving me more material to put my pliers on when I start pulling.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

CareyJAF50

Lil-Rokslider
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Jan 11, 2016
Messages
178
I have had luck removing the nock and sticking a drill bit down the shaft a shade under the inside diameter of the shaft. Then hold around the fletches with the heel of the palm or your thumb over the hole and insert side pointing up so the bit is back on the nock end, then whip the arrow down and use the KE from the drill bit to impact the back of the nock and break it loose. Slight heat sure usually helps though, but I have been successful without, I usually stick the back of the drill bit in first to not potentially damage the insert if that's your desire. Putting a little cup of solid tape is smart too to prevent the insert and drill bit from possibly flying out when it does break loose.
 

MG35

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May 27, 2021
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Location
SE US
No need to risk it with a torch. Even when you have used epoxy just put them in boiling water for about 30-45 seconds and do the drill bit trick but instead of using a small ass drill bit go to Home Depot and buy a 1/8” really long one…one that has some weight. The one I bought was like 14” long so it’s got some ass. Put your point in the hit insert drop in boil and hammer away. If I can get my Snyder cores free you can get the small hits out no problem
 

FCMD

FNG
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Dec 7, 2015
Messages
36
Gun cleaning rod +/- a hammer. Won't ruin the arrow like a heat gun will.
 

40tude

Lil-Rokslider
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Jan 20, 2015
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Lutz, FL
Drill bit works for me, I’m forever getting loose inserts that I have to knock out and redo.
 
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