[Lynn Eades]

I aquired for free about 300 litres of hydraulic oil, so over several months I soaked the 21 link sections in it. I then took the track out, and with a couple of pry bars, I worked the links free. It was a bit of a mission. Some peices required heat, and the worst of it required sacrificing every second link to the gas axe.
I think oil is the method of choice because it does nothing to the metalergy of the steel. Firing the pins may ruin them. Most people can process the track through an oil bath while the rebuild is happening, and I think the adverse effects of oiling the track with hydraulic oil will soon fade to nothing particularly if your track lays around for a while after you free it up. It could be water blasted with a detergent if you want to use it immediately.