I made my own quick-link remover tool from a super cheap ("Anything in this bin $1") pair of needle-nose pliers. I filed the sides of the jaw tips thin enough to fit between the chain's side plates and then used a rat-tail file to make a shallow groove across the jaws about 1/4" from the ends. I slip the jaws into the chain and catch the quick-link's ends in the grooves just like the commercial pliers.