Getting ready to ride a couple of days back, went to pump the tires. That little ritual of unscrewing the top knurled nut on the Presta valve, and giving it a little tap to ensure it opens and closes readily... this time, it didn't. Continued to leak some. Tightening the knurled nut stopped the audible leaking but know knows? Amazingly, I went on the ride anyway, made it back fine. But looking at topics here on Presta, read a little bit about removing valve cores. OK, I somehow recall reading they are removable these days (were they always? If so, how did I miss that?) I kept looking saw a reference to a Park Tool imaginatvely-named VC-1 and one just arrived. Neat item.

OK, once a valve core is out, then what? Other than replacement, of course (I suspect now before discarding a tube after a flat, I should remove/save the core). Can they be cleaned up, perhaps soaked in something, to restore like-new actuation without damaging the tiny seal?

I suppose you could do regular maintenance on a valve core but when tubes cost $6 why would you?

I second buy a new tube, your time is more valuable.
Tim

[MENTION=228220]tiger1964[/MENTION] - No they were not always removable. Many still are not,
I never had a problem with a Presta. The Schrader is a different story which is related to a tire always leaking.
Replacement is the best bet for a problematic one.
Determine why it doesn't move. Did you put sealant in the tube?

Removable core:
P1040825 on Flickr

The first removable-core presta valves I encountered were late 70s or early 80s, but they didn't become common until adding sealant to tubes became a "thing." Now, most are removable. If you do have sealant in your tubes, it's handy to have an extra core or two available for when the sealant gums up the core. Remove the plugged core and replace it with a clean core. Drop the plugged core into some household ammonia solution and let it soak a while to dissolve the sealant. Clean it off and keep it handy for the next time a core gets plugged with sealant.

I have seen some removable core stems that have 2 "flats" near the end so you can easily unscrew the cores and re-install. Either with a little plastic tool (wingnut dealio) I hardly ever see or a pair of small pliers, handled with care. I had a number of tubes with valve cores so loose the dust cap would take out the core with the cap! Pliers fix those.

I like Stan's valve core tool. Works with both Schrader and presta valves:

https://www.notubes.com/core-remover-tool

cores are cheap just get some and replace the core........ if you use sealant they can get gummed up.

little plastic dodads that come with sealant work well, but I like the park tool

word to the wise, deflate the tube before removing valve, otherwise they are little missiles that can take an eye out or lose when you don't have a spare

Anyone ever tell you your avatar looks like Ed Roth, like, man?

Just working on the spouse bike, a flat on the front, going to stick a fresh tube in and "stole" the core to put on my Palo Alto... so one new tube but TWO problems solved.

No, so far I do not use sealant, but you'd think there was a "usual practice" on cleaning cores before re-use to get crud out of them.

Did not think about pre-deflating tubes. Sounds a little like trying to remove McPherson struts without a spring compressor... do NOT go there.

nope just a bad fat jonny depp

new tube, and steal the core from an old dead tire is something I have done also.... great minds and all of that..... no struts for me.....I get in enough trouble with bikes