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I have these screws left in the studs from floating shelf brackets. These are two-sided, with the end with the screws going into the studs and the other end with a bolt that the bracket attaches to.

I am trying to remove these from the studs, but there isn't exactly a place for the pliers to grip onto and the since the brackets go in with right-hand/normal threads, I can't use the grip on the brackets either. I'd rather not destroy the threads on the bolt, so I can reuse these later.

So my current idea to keep them usable is to find the correct size reversible/left-handed nuts, attach them and use pliers on the nuts to unscrew them. The last resort would be to use my Dremel and just cut off the ends!

Any other suggestions?

Photo of one of the screws

Complete product image with the bracket screwed on to the bolt

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    I mean, it looks to me like there's plenty of shoulder to get a pair of vise grips on it without damaging the threads.
    – Huesmann
    Commented Jul 7, 2023 at 13:04
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    Left-hand threaded nuts don't thread onto right-handed threads. That's confused thinking. Jamming two right-hand threaded nuts together as answered works. But I agree that there's plenty of room to use locking pliers without touching the threads, at least until you get the part with the wrench flats out of the wall and can use that. Use a wrench on the nuts, and on the flats when they become accessible. Pliers other than locking pliers applied behind the threads have no place here. They make a mess of nuts and wrench flats.
    – Ecnerwal
    Commented Jul 7, 2023 at 18:36

1 Answer 1

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Attach two nuts on the thread, jam them together. Then use a wrench on the lower nut to unscrew the screw

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  • Perfect solution
    – Rohit Gupta
    Commented Jul 7, 2023 at 12:11
  • Thanks. I will try this route and provide an update.
    – 0pt1m1z3
    Commented Jul 9, 2023 at 1:59
  • That worked like a charm. All gone! Thanks again.
    – 0pt1m1z3
    Commented Jul 10, 2023 at 17:08

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