On Sun, 14 Aug 2005 20:32:01 +0100, "Set Square"
wrote:

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
Dave Baker wrote:

MM wrote in message
...
My nearly new kitchen (almost brand new house) is fitted with a white
mixer tap on the sink. It has a central swan neck-type spout with hot
and cold taps either side of the body (180 degrees opposite each
other).

Over the last few days I have noticed that the spout is increasingly
difficult to swivel. However, it gets easier when I run the hot tap
for a minute or two. There is a threaded ferrule (a smooth white ring
on the outside, threaded inside where it screws over the boss)
holding the spout into the tap body. I unscrewed the ferrule and
there appears to be a kind of circlip that actually holds the spout
in place. (The ferrule merely covers up the clip.) However, the
circlip, while having a small gap in its circumference, is round in
section and looks pretty impossible to get out.

Is this in any way serviceable? Could I actually achieve anything by
removing the spout and possibly replacing a seal? The 'feel' you get
when you turn the spout is of a rubber seal that is 'dry'.

MM

You should be able to firkle that type of circlip out with a
watchmaker's screwdriver or a small scriber. They are common enough
in engines although there's usually a small cutout in the housing
where you can get a screwdriver in behind them. A little vaseline on
the seal might be all it needs.

You might even be able to lubricate the seal by dripping some washing-up
liquid onto the circlip, and moving the spout to and fro.

Yep. I'll give that a go first.

MM