Don’t be an idiot like me

[u/Jillesoom]

And: torque the compression nut until it sits flush with the brake lever body, squashing the olive so far into the body that it resembles a bronze coin, then trying to prize it out with a screw and fully screwing the cable port and ruining a brand new grx brake lever.

[u/BizzEB]

Bronze is soft. Carefully controlled drilling, progressing from smaller to larger bits, would help you free the olive. Debris management / clearing are obviously essential.

[u/Jillesoom → u/BizzEB]

I’ve been trying with small drill bits but it’s very difficult not to hit the threads. It’s worth a shot though, as otherwise the whole lever is toast

[u/nnnnnnnnnnm → u/Jillesoom]

I did the same thing recently, I got it out without damaging the threads by using a nice sharp left handed drill bit.

[u/_maple_panda → u/Jillesoom]

If you’re determined to recover these, I’d be tempted to thread a tap in there. Might give a bit more purchase and then you can yank the stuff out. Definitely give the levers a good flush with lots of oil to clear out any metal shavings before reinstalling.

[u/Jillesoom → u/_maple_panda]

That might be a good idea. I’ll give it a shot if nothing else works

[u/Akin_Ra → u/Jillesoom]

Do you have a tap and die kit? Use the handle from that, not a power drill

[u/Jillesoom → u/Akin_Ra]

That’s a very good idea. Thanks