So I have this condition where I really like to things apart as far as they can go. Call it couriosity.
That being said, I was wondering, however unuseful it might be, if cogs on freewheels can be removed.
I have one book that says it's so, using two chain whips. The book also says some freewheels have a
lockring outside the rear cog. Unlike freehub lockrings, the notches are on the outside of the lockrings
rather than the inside. I have a freewheel with such a lockring, and cannot find a tool to remove the
lockring. Is this meant to be done? Can it be done?

peace

It is hard to say without a picture, if it is 2 holes in the ring You could gently tap with a screwdricer and a hammer. Normally the cogs can be removed with two chainwhips but they can be stuck VERY hard. Sheldon Brown has got more info on https://www.sheldonbrown.com/freewheels.html#shimano

Cogs are much easier to clean when they are taken off the freewheel body. You obviously also have to take them off to replace worn ones. I have a freewheel from 1984 that I have kept going by replacing worn cogs.

Is your freewheel Shimano Hyperglide like in the attached image? If so, see https://www.sheldonbrown.com/mega7 where he lists a hammer and punch as suitable tools. A needle nose pliers might also work. Or you could try a bottom bracket lockring tool if you happen to have one.

Learned a trick from an old book for removing threaded cogs from freewheels without tools.....break the chain and lay the upper run across any cog other than the smallest, and loop the lower run over the smallest cog from underneath, then try to pedal backwards...repeat as required to remove other threaded cogs. Tried this on an old Suntour freewheel and it worked fine, but you do need to be carefull as the cogs sometimes break loose suddenly. The book said this could also be done without breaking the chain, but have not tried that yet....

Thanks alot for the advice guys. I worked the lockring loose with a hammer and punch, and, man, was it tight. No special tool made for it though huh?

So you only wanted to remove the center part with the screw on bearing cup (reverse threaded) and not the cogs? I'm having a damn hard time breaking free my smallest cog on my Suntour Freewheel (I didn't bother breaking the bearing cup yet, I do have a spanner tool for that later, just want to remove the cogs do do a proper cleaning etc. Here's a pick of my FW and how I'm holding it so I can remove the smallest cog that's right hand threaded (remove CCW). I've soaked it in PB blaster, hammered it gently on the face with a ball peen hammer (just a little mechanical shock) but it just wont' budge. Anyone have an suggestions?

Please note that you are replying to a thread that is 17 years old.

Not only that but you are also kinda of duplicate posting in other dead threads that haven't been around a while. The other thread is from 2008 so a little bit more recent but not recent enough to post in. Try to find threads still active within a month or so if you want to be an active respected poster here or any online forum. Certain old threads make sense to post in but that is quite rare on most threads stick to recent stuff.

1. If a post is too old, no more worthy of conversation, then why haven't moderators closed it?
2. Because #1 still has the post open, is it wrong to reply with a question because the OP's original intent contradicted his/her's later needs/ask in the thread?
3. I just joined, what only like 40 posts and someone here is asking me to be an active respected poster, seems a little off-coming in this situation, if you ask me.
4. I see I have an option to delete my post reply to the OP in this old thread which is still left open for reply (must be a reason for this). I'll be happy to do that but really want the moderators/admins to throw it at me, tell me where I'm going wrong here?

FNG complaining about the culture. And about two explicit rules against resurrecting old threads and duplicate posting.