I assembled the hull of my Skerry in a class at CLC in Annapolis, and we removed the stitches by heating the wire with a BBQ torch and pulling them out with pliers.  Worked like a charm.

hokker

   Alright, I'll give that a shot. Might try using a soldering iron to keep the heat localized.

Thanks!!

We used one of those long-necked butane lighters on our Passagemaker Dinghy build.  Wires were removed after getting all the fillets in.  Pulled gently on one end of each wire with pliers while applying heat to the other end.  The wires warmed quickly and the then slid out "like a hot knife through butter."

Dang!  Maybe I am an ambidexterous boatwright after all, even if I am mostly a boatwrong.  Well, okay, being equal inept with either hand maybe ain't quite the same thing as bein' ambidexterous--maybe more like ambimaladroit.  <;-)

.....Michael

Wow. I'd give my right arm to be ambidextrous.

:-)

Years ago we used a lantern battery to heat the wire without a flame. Of course, you have to be able to untwist the wires to make a circuit. Use mini alligator clips to attach the poles of the battery to the ends of the wire.

   I have one of those old style pistol grip high output soldering irons.  I went around with my wire cutters and snipped one side of the wires close to the hole, a dozen or so at a time.  Then went back w/ pliers in one hand and iron in the other (and I'm not ambidextrous!)  putting a little pull on the wire twist and heating the wire near the hole as needed.  Many slip out in just a couple of seconds.