The plumbers broke my faucet

[Bill Arden]

I used a rubber strap thing to unscrew the piece on my bathtub faucet when I fixed it a few years ago. (It had a slow drip)

The repair was simple, I got replacements in town and and then put them back into the brass base and threadded the brass shell back on before adding the single knob back on.

It sounds like there is a lot of variation in the quality of the different brands.

 

[Mikey]

Everybody laughs at me when I suggest this $33 tool, but it's perfect for jobs like this; basically a channelock plier with curved, pre-padded jaws:

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?P65=&tool=all&item_ID=7220&group_ID=798&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Kordts]

Those are great, but they still won't get a stuck ring off. The torch is quickest way, and if they are paying by the hour, the customer won't be happy if you spend 20 minutes tapping the damn thing, plus my ass won't let me sit on a tub ledge, and my back won't let me bend over a faucet that long. As far as scratching them up, carry replacements with you. I don't scratch them, because if doesn't turn easily, I give up brute strength and get the torch, then you just grip it till it moves.