How to Remove a One-Way Screw From My Window Guards

Thick Screw Head

• 1

  Cut a slot into the top of the security screw with a rotary tool and cutting wheel if the screw has a thick head. Insert the cutting wheel into the rotary tool and cut a slot into the top of the head. Do not cut more than half the thickness of the screw head.

• 2

  Create the slot with a hacksaw, if you do not own a rotary tool. Attach two hacksaw blades to the hacksaw just as you would attach a single blade. As with cutting the slot with a rotary tool, do not cut more than half the thickness of the screw head.

• 3

  Insert the tip of a flat-head screwdriver into the cut slot. Press down firmly on the screwdriver while turning the one-way screw counterclockwise until the screw is out of the window guard.

Thin Screw Head

• 4

  Flatten two opposite sides of the screw head with a medium coarse file if the screw head is thin. Flatten the two sides just enough that you can pinch the flattened sides of the screw head with a pair of locking pliers.

• 5

  Lock the jaws of the locking pliers around the flattened portion of the screw head as tightly as possible. Use rounded-jaw locking pliers instead of flat-jaw locking pliers. The rounded jaws achieve a tighter grip.

• 6

  Turn the screw head counterclockwise with the locking pliers to remove the one-way screw from the window guard.

Flush or Indented Screw Head

• 7

  Drill the screw head out with a titanium bit the same diameter as the screw head, if your security screws are flush against the window guard.

• 8

  Pull off the window guard from the window once you drill out all of the screw heads.

• 9

  Grab the remaining screw shanks with a pair of pliers and turn them counterclockwise to remove the screw heads from the mounting surface.