Originally Posted by
bulgie
And if you have an older Dura Ace freewheel with the two-notch remover style, be sure to use a real Shimano TL-FW10 remover, not a generic one.
What the TL-FW10 has that generics don't is that ring around the prongs. It strengthens them immensely.
There was another one with the ring that also works, I forget, by Bicycle Research maybe? But the TL-FW10 is a safe bet, never known one to fail.
The prong type (whether 2-, 3- or 4-prong) are the ones where it's most important to use the skewer. Splined removers are much safer to use without a skewer, but prong-type? Don't even think of it.
The TL-FW10 is also the best tool to use on old
Regina FWs with the two-notch body. That Shimano tool fits a Regina better than a Regina tool does. So it's a super-valuable tool for a C&V kinda guy to own.
That ring also stabilizes the tool, so it is less likely to cam off the slots and cause damage.
N.B. the Bicycle Research CT-1 also has that ring and works on those old Dura-Ace, Regina, and Caimi freewheels with the two notches:
