Removing pins from antique furniture

[Orenx]

Hi everyone,

I am trying to refurbish these old drawers from a 100 year old pharmacy cabinet. I would like to sand the front but I am struggling to get the little number tags off. Any ideas how best to pull the rusted pins without breaking the tags? WD40?

Thanks for any suggestion!

Orenx

 

[dzj]

I'd leave them nailed on and remove the old finish with a card scraper, rather than sanding.
Good luck!

 

[ChaiLatte]

Try and slip razor blades under the tag, one under each side of one pin. Pull them out and replace with stanley knife blades. Repeat for the other nail. Add a second blade under the first. Remove all blades. The tag will drop down. You can grasp the head of the pin with side cutters. Put a piece of metal (e.g. paint scraper) on the wood to act as a fulcrum for the side cuters. Do not lever against the tag.