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I am replacing the double demountable hinges on my cabinets. Most of them are a breeze, but two of the narrow cabinets don't have the cutouts; instead, they just removed the plate and screw from the hinge, kind of making it single-demountable. They then just used a wood screw to attach the hinge directly into the cabinet.

However, I can't figure out how to actually get the screw out of the cabinet-side plate of the hinge. Here's a new hinge looks like just sitting on the counter (even though it kind of looks like it's attached to it):

enter image description here

It looks to me like there's some kind of nut/lockring on it, but when I try pliers and a screwdriver to loosen it, it just strips the metal of the nut/lockring away. The lockring turns along with the screw, no matter how hard I grip the lockring.

Does anyone have an idea how to get this screw out?

Also, in case it helps, the hinge is Amerock BP8700-G10

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  • I suspect it was installed from the other side, but that looks like a stone counter rather than a wood cabinet?
    – BMitch
    Sep 25, 2013 at 12:27
  • Hah, it kind of looks like it's attached to the counter, but it's actually just a new hinge sitting on the counter while I took a pic. Updated the question to clarify. Sep 25, 2013 at 12:55
  • That's what I thought, but when I tried that, it just strips away the lockring-type-thing. Sep 25, 2013 at 13:00
  • @JeremiahOrr That should be fine. Once the lockring is removed, the screw should come right out.
    – Tester101
    Sep 25, 2013 at 13:01
  • When you turn the screw, what else moves? It's difficult to tell exactly what's going on here. A few more photos; maybe one labeling what's stationary and what's movable, might be useful.
    – Tester101
    Sep 25, 2013 at 17:41

4 Answers 4

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It looks like a lockring is used to hold the screw in place. You'll have to hold the screw still and rotate the lockring, or vise versa.

Using a flat-head screw driver and mallet, is a common way to rotate lockrings. Though, you'll have to find a way to hold the screw steady, while you bang the lockring free.

  • Place a flat-head screw driver blade against one of the sprockets of the lockring.
  • Sharply rap the handle of the screwdriver with a mallet.

enter image description here

It's possible that the lockring is made of some type of softer metal, so grabbing it with pliers could easily damage it. Using a screwdriver and mallet applies force only in a useful direction, whereas pliers apply non-useful forces required for gripping. These non-useful forces may damage the lockring.

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  • Ah, I'll have to try tapping the lockring with a screwdriver. I tried using pliers on the lockring (while holding the screw still with a screwdriver), but the metal is so soft that it just stripped metal away and the lockring kept turning with the screw. Sep 25, 2013 at 13:31
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    One of best pics ever on here.
    – Evil Elf
    Sep 25, 2013 at 16:32
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    Just a note -- if the bolt turns freely (as you seem to indicate in your original post), you will need to immobilize the bolt from turning. Alternatively, you might try using a pair of locking/vice-grip pliers to clamp onto the lock-ring while unscrewing from the opposite side. Last,but not least, if all else fails and you do not need to salvage the bolt/lock-ring or can find a replacement lock-ring, cut the lock-ring off with a dremel.
    – Jacob S
    Sep 25, 2013 at 17:31
  • No luck tapping the hinge with a screwdriver; the lockring is so soft, it just flakes off. I'm going to give Amerock customer support a try, but I may end up needing to find someone with a dremel. Sep 26, 2013 at 12:26
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knock it out with a hammer. Drill a hole bigger than the head of the screw in a piece of wood to use as your 'hammering on surface'. Lay the hinge flat on the wood surface-screw head side down on the wood, hit the threaded end with a hammer and it will drop out the other side in the hole you drilled out. It worked on mine and I didn't have to get too rough. Now finding a replacement fastener will be the trick. B

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  • Hello, and welcome to Home Improvement. Thanks for the answer; keep 'em coming. And, you should probably take our tour so you'll know how best to contribute here. Feb 14, 2020 at 0:22
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The hinges appear to be Amerock 8701 double demountable offset hinges. The literature suggests that they fit into predrilled slots in the cabinet, but installation instructions (and de-installation instructions) seem hard to find.

You may want to contact Amerock directly to ask.

If you decide to proceed to remove the bolt, and if that bolt is holding it in and unscrews from the side shown (and those are BIG IFs), you may be able to remove it this way:

  • screw two nuts over the bolt halfway down
  • using two open end or adjustable wrenches, tighten the nuts against each other
  • then using one of the wrenches, turn the lower nut in a counterclockwise direction.

If it is bolted through the countertop, you probably have to remove it from the other side.

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I ended up using a dremel to cut off the lockring. None of the other suggestions for removing the lockring worked; I suspect that they used some sort of adhesive to keep the lockring stuck to the bolt.

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