Bicycle Mechanics - Repairing the chain without using the chain tool

I was removing my chain for the first time and of course I screwed up in that I removed the bolt completely. Now I want to put it back together, but I used a multitool chain tool (alien II) which can't put the bolt back in when it's been removed completely, and the bolt can't be forced in with bare hands. What do I do?

On modern chains, you aren't supposed to re-use the pins once they have been removed. Shimano uses a special pin for this purpose, while SRAM, KMC and Wippermann all use a special "quick link" to connect the chain.

As Demoncyclist said you aren't supposed to push pins back and forth to open and close chains on anything more modern than a 20 year old 6 speed chain. You might have done yourself a favor, in preventing a broken chain while you had maximul load on the pedals.

In any case the solution to your problem is easy, push out the corresponding pin on the other end of the outer plates, so your chain ends with inner links at both ends, and buy a connecting link made by Sram, KMC, or Wippermann, the right width for your chain, ie. 7s, 8s, 9s, 10s etc. You might buy a spare at the same time so you can do an emergency splice on the trail the same way.

From here forward cut with a chain tool, splice with a connector.

One of my friends banged the broken chain back together with a nail and a rock.
He was in the foothills of the Argentine Andes at the time.

you need something to press it in, like a press machine or something.

As Demoncyclist said you aren't supposed to push pins back and forth to open and close chains on anything more modern than a 20 year old 6 speed chain. You might have done yourself a favor, in preventing a broken chain while you had maximul load on the pedals.

In any case the solution to your problem is easy, push out the corresponding pin on the other end of the outer plates, so your chain ends with inner links at both ends, and buy a connecting link made by Sram, KMC, or Wippermann, the right width for your chain, ie. 7s, 8s, 9s, 10s etc. You might buy a spare at the same time so you can do an emergency splice on the trail the same way.

From here forward cut with a chain tool, splice with a connector.
I have a HG53 (9 speed) chain. Will anything other than the Shimano pin work with it?

I have a HG53 (9 speed) chain. Will anything other than the Shimano pin work with it?
Yes, a Wippermann, SRAM or KMC master link in the appropriate (9-speed) width.

If you are going to be opening the chain more than once, get one of those master link thingies. (Yes... That is a technical term.)

The KMC Quick Link is reuseable per KMC. Just don't reuse them between chains, buy a new one when you replace your chain (or buy a KMC chain, which comes with it).