On Jun 8, 10:59*am, mcp6453 wrote:
On 6/8/2010 8:23 AM, jamesgangnc wrote:

I was thinking the right tool would be more than I would be willing to
spend. *But this one is not bad.

It might also be possible to use a piece of wood as a rest and a
couple larger screwdrivers as pry bars.

The vinigar is a good idea too. *If it's stuck it's probably calcium.
Some diluted muriatic acid might work as well but you would have to be
careful to keep it off the finish unless it is sealed.

I have a similar tool that I used to use to pull bearings from motor
capstans, but the center pin is too large. My local Lowes store appears
to have this one in stock, so I'm going to buy one for the toolbox, even
if I decide to replace the entire faucet.

It's possible that the valve has trash in it. If all I have to do is
clean it, I'd rather not replace the faucet.

If you have a puller that you think will grab the sides of the handle
then you can put something small on top of the shaft to deal with the
center pin being too large. Like a small nut. You could also try
leaving the screw in but loosened but there is a risk that pushing
against it will deform the threads.

Not that it's a bad thing to get a new tool :-)