I need advice on 'swapping' flagpoles glued into the hands of figures, please

[chicklewis]

Hi, Clever Lead Adventurers,

A few years ago I put together a bunch of Chinese Boxer figures including three whose hands I carefully drilled out to accept florist's wire flagpoles.  I super-glued in those flagpoles really solidly, then Major Weenie painted them up for me very nicely.   I figured I would add the flags after they were all painted. 

Then more recently, I purchased three GORGEOUS complicated, detailed Chinese flags from the Flag guy at Historicon.  You know, the ones with lots of streamers made of interlinked triangles, with serrated edges, etc.  BUT these are already mounted on flagpoles.

I've been thinking for some time (without happy result) about how I can remove the existing bare flagpoles without completely ruining or cutting off the figures' hands. 

I'll bet someone here has already solved this problem, and I would be very glad to have some advice on how to approach it. 

Thanks in advance if you can help.

Chick

[Modhail]

You could try to put the mini's in the freezer overnight, this will make the superglue brittle. Maybe you'll be able to carefully wiggle the flagpoles loose then?
(Note that any other parts connected by superglue will also become fragile...)

[Cubs]

You can get a solvent that unsticks super-glue (specifically in case you glue your fingers together and such). It might not be able to work into the hands where the glue is, but it might be worth a try.

[Plynkes]

Superglue is not particularly strong. It's "superness" is its speed. I quite often had to reglue spears and such that had been superglued, as they can come loose with only a slight knock (which I prefer to having spears and flagpoles bend or break as it is easier to fix).

Have you tried just pulling them out? Other than that, Cubs' solvent idea is, as he says, worth a try.

[john Hollyoak]

Do you have to remove the whole of the old flag. I have a friend who mounts his flags on a very narrow tube which slots over a bare pole. Using this method he can change the flag on a command stand.
John

[6milPhil]

Acetone will dissolve the superglue, and that's commonly found in acetone based nail varnish remover.

[chicklewis]

Thanks very much, everyone, those are some excellent approaches to try. 

I'll report back on my success.

[former user]

heat the wire with a lighter....