Charlie- The best way I've done is to use a prick punch from the underside to hammer out the lead end. Some times one can twist the cable and get the head to rotate too, like stuck seat posts getting the head to move is much of the battle. Avoid drilling at all costs as the differing hardness of the head (lead and steel) will make the drill walk all over the place, as you have experienced. The screw will only expand the head and further wedge it into the lever.
>I need to remove a derailleur cable with the cable end tighly wedged into
>the recess on the shifter. Not surprisingly, it is a Huret - one of the
>later and very capable microratcheting retrofriction models. I suspect that
>it was a past owner that fitted a cable with the standard size cable end
>without reducing the diameter of the end first with some filing. Cable is
>pretty buggered up from attempts to push it through from the reverse side
>and Kroil hasn't helped. Haven't seen many of these shifters around and I
>don't want to ruin the finish by a ham-handed approach.
>
> My past efforts at drilling away the end in such an instance have been
> largely unsuccessful or damaging as the drill drifts away from the hard
> steel of the cable. I would appreciate advice on other list member's
> experiences and any tips or suggestions before I attempt to drill a small
> hole in the center of the end and use a small screw to extract it. Can't
> really see how a thermal approach could be employed.
>
> Thanks,
> Charlie
>
> Charlie Young
> Honey Brook, Pennsylvania USA
> _______________________________________________
Andrew R Stewart
Rochester, NY