How to unlock walking poles that have not been used for a while
I have some walking poles that have not been used for some time. They have become stuck.
How do I unlock the sticks which have not been used in a while?
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This actually happened to me the other day!
It's likely (if they've not been used for some time) that they've corroded slightly and this has produced a seal between the moving parts.
I'd probably try the below in this order:
- Spray it with Wd40 or GT85 or someother spray oil leave it to penetrate; try and move them
- Get some latex (grippy) glove and try and move them
- Wrap the poles in gaffer tape (to protect them), get some mole grips, grip the gaffer tapped area try and move them
If they still won't move then try a couple of times if they are still not moving then try heating and/or cooling the stick to break the bond.
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A simple solution is to hold the trekking vertically and repeatedly knock the pole with a piece of wood or rubber holder of a screwdriver. Knock the entire pole from up to down. Make sure the tip is pointing downward so when you knock the pole and if there is any movement on the inner pole..you will notice the inner pole start to move a bit and come loose. When you see the inner pole is moving down a bit then you can pull it out by hand. Never use any oil or wd40 or use any heat treatment. Just simple repeated knocking on the pole to loosen the oxidation will do. I solved my stucked BD trail poles with this method.
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Anchor
Place upper section of pole in a vice. Wrapping the pole in a rag or soft cloth will help prevent damage to the pole. Tighten enough to prevent slippage, but not too tight as to crush the pole.
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Unfasten and Twist
If the poles are of the latching variety, make sure latches are disengaged, then pull and twist lower section of poles to loosen.
If the poles have a twist-lock mechanism, you will need to twist the lower section in a counter-clockwise direction only. Twisting in a clockwise direction will only tighten the pole more.
NOTE: Gloves with rubber palms may help you maintain a firm hold on the pole.
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Pull Apart and Clean
With the vice you should be able to loosen the pole enough to remove it. Before putting it back in, it is a good idea to clean it well to prevent oxidation or debris from jamming the pole again. You might try some oil like WD-40 to lubricate the pole, but be aware that this can prevent it from latching properly, especially with twist-lock poles which need to hold firmly to the interior walls of the tubing and rely on friction to stay in place.
Future Prevention
Trekking poles often get stuck for a variety of reasons, especially when left for long periods of time. Before storing them it is a good idea to disassemble or fully extend the poles. Moisture trapped in the collapsed poles can cause the aluminum to oxidize and prevent them from extending them again.
Good luck!
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I got a pair from the local thrift shop and they were set at five feet. I tried everything without success until finally read somewhere to use rubber gloves. I got a pair of my wife's gloves she uses for dishwashing and with just a little effort they came right apart.
This post was sourced from https://outdoors.stackexchange.com/a/15512. It is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
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