I finally went with the used skinning tool over the brand new one at the parts counter

Last Tuesday I had to pick between a used combination skinning tool for $45 from a retiring mechanic out in Tulsa or a brand new one for $120 from the catalog. I went with the used one figuring it was already broken in and the guy said he only used it on 40 planes. Well I got it in the mail and the locking pawl is sticky as hell, took me 3 tries just to get it to hold on a cable. Should I just eat the $45 loss and buy new, or is there a trick to cleaning these things up without wrecking the tension? Has anyone else gotten burned buying used specialty tools from some old timer?

2 comments

2 Comments

mitchell.wade1d ago

Shoot some WD40 in the pawl and work it back and forth a bunch. Might just be gummed up from sitting.

troy_murray81d ago

Don't use WD40 on a pawl. It'll work for a minute but it dries out and leaves a sticky residue that actually attracts more dirt and dust. That'll make the problem worse after a week or two. You want a dry lube with Teflon or graphite instead. Even a light spray of silicone lube would be better than WD40 because it won't gum up over time. The pawl needs something that stays slick without turning into a sticky mess once the solvent evaporates. Just my experience from fixing a few of these.