Originally Posted by
jeirvine
My setup is a Bicycle Research freewheel vise bolted to the wall at about belly button height (for max leverage) then a 3-ft cheater bar and put all my weight on it slowly. I have not broken my (old Nashbar) chain whip, but have broken a few cog teeth. Sounds like the chain whip is your weak link.
I like that idea.
I repaired both chain whips with a replacement roller-chain link from the hardware store. It's for thicker half-inch pitch chain so is a little awkward but works fine. I can't figure out how one would install a standard chain link, since the handle of the chain whip would interfere with the positioning of the chain tool.
Oddly, once I carefully applied the repaired chain whip to the same freewheel, the cog came right off. I have no idea why. Maybe that penetrating oil did its best work in that last 12 hours? That seems unlikely. Could I possibly have been turning the cog clockwise the first time? It's possible--I've done stupider things before now, and no doubt will again.