Review on Efficient and Safe American HAKKO FR301-03/P ESD Portable Desoldering Tool with Precise Temperature Control in °F/°C by Mike Castro

Completely clogged the gun and didn't know what to do. Revane helped me contact Hakko's representative to tell me how to unlock the weapon. The nozzle (the tip of the pen) and heating element (the long, shiny metal part) can be removed by holding the gun in your left hand, pointing the gun to the right, grabbing the shiny metal part, and twisting it to the left. Please look at the picture I've attached to understand the order of the parts when opened. Use cleaning pens (a screwdriver-like thing and a metal spiral) to clean the parts. If you look at the nozzle through a magnifying glass you can see how dirty it can be, or hold it up to the light. To reinstall the heating element (the long shiny part with the nozzle) use the black and blue plastic item called the nozzle wrench. Click and turn right. Note. Add solder to all removed parts before soldering. Adding solder helps remove existing solder faster and cleaner. The gun doesn't remove the solder 100%, but adding solder helps a lot. I hardly used the wick to remove any residue. The Hakko is expensive, but the parts are pretty solid, and I got tired of burned and scratched circuit boards from using a wick and cheap solder suckers that took days to remove. Not sure about the plastic handle but overall I'm impressed. I understand why Hakko is expensive. The Hakko pistol works, although mine has been shipped I still like it. I fix a stereo receiver and if my TV breaks I can fix it too, using a Hakka gun to replace components like capacitors. Hope this helps others.