I have a shift cable stuck in a vintage downtube shift lever. The cable is broken from twisting to get it out. Any good way to get it out before I resort to something I wish I hadn't?

So the little lead end on the Bowden cable is stuck in the lever? I'd disassemble the lever assembly and see if I could grab the protruding (the end without the lead end) end of the cable very close to the lever and push. If there is no cable sticking out, a pin punch might push it out. Or even a paper clip end. Or put the lever in a drill press vise and drill a little 1mm hole in the lead thingie and see if you can get a screw into it to pull out. Or use a drill that is the diameter of the plug.

Be advised the inside the plug is ball of bent up wire.

The first step beyond the usual cable removal is to try poking a scribe or prick through the broken off cable and therefore press out the head. Having the lever held tightly in a rag wrapped vice helps. Andy

I've tried pushing the cable stub. It's been trimmed pretty much off by my wife after I told her I was going to try to use a punch or small nail to push it out since pushing the cable wasn't working. I don't know how it could be this stuck! I have tried holding it in a vise and pushing with different things, including tapping with a hammer. Before I destroy it with my drill should I get professional help? A guy really hates to ask that!

Let it soak in some solvent over night, I love PB blaster. Then like others mentioned gently tap it out with some kind of small punch. Easy.

I'm not sure exactly where you're located but there's great places in Ames and Des Moines that I know of who have the tools that could pop that out in a jif

Edit: On second thought, probably not that easy or a "jif" but soaking in solvent should help

If I would have gotten up earlier I could have sent it to Des Moines with a couple of salesmen that went there this morning. I'm taking it to Lakeside Cyclery today and have him look at it. I have PB blaster and I will try that before I break out the drill.

Hope they drive safe!

I'm not sure what material the ends are made of, probably aluminum? The end had probably corroded and somewhat welded itself to the shifter. Here's another trick I learned from an engine builder (though I've never tried this with bike parts):

Heat, bees wax, and an ice cold punch. I'd cleanup the shifter with soapy water, dry it, then put it in an oven on a baking sheet. I'd turn the oven on to 350 and let it come to temp, then wait maybe ten minutes to allow the part to heat evenly.

I'd have the punch sitting in the freezer for a few hours so it's cold cold cold!

Quickly, pull the shifter out, and melt the bees wax onto the cable head. While the shifter is secure, take that ice cold punch, and rest it on the top of the cable head for a minute. Then, turning the shifter over, try driving the cable head out again with the punch.

A drill press is also an idea, it's just kind of labor intense and requires a steady hand. Those cable heads are tiny!

I might try soaking in equal parts acetone and ATF, or PB Blaster, or (my favorite) Kroil. Then pound the thing out.

If it comes to drilling, I want to emphasize that this is a job for a drill press, not a hand-held drill. A hand-held drill is too unwieldy and uncontrolled. Even a Dremel tool is too hard to handle for this. I think you'd end up messing up the lever. At least I would.

But if you have a flexible shaft die grinder (and who doesn't?), and a carbide burr, you could try to grind the lead cap out and then push the cable out with a punch.

I had a customer/friend came in the store to buy some things and he saw the lever laying on my counter because I was going to take it to my bike shop. He asked what it was and I told him the story. he said give it me I can get it out. I gave it to him and his wife brought it back an hour later ( they live miles away )removed and ready to use again. I didn't see her but asked the guy she gave it to what it was. He said it was a coworkers nightmare. I will have to ask him how he did it! What took him a few minutes I have been working on for days.

Signed Amazed

Thank you for the help and ideas!