Do you ever take these hinges apart?

[Arigomi]

Is it safe to take 1x2 hinge bricks apart? I remember getting 8 of them from 6953 Cosmic Laser Launcher when I was a kid. The clips on the base of hinges weakened and eventually broke from taking them apart and putting them back together. I'm happy to find them in sets these days but I'm worried I might break them. Has anything in the design changed since I was a kid to make them stronger?

[Siegfried]

I don't recall ever breaking one.

[brickie]

I have never had that problem.

I find that it is easier to leave them together and only pull them apart if you want to change the colour of one element.

[Ralph_S]

I normally leave them together, but there are times when I do want the two halves to have different colours and do take them apart. I have broken a few, unfortunately

Cheers,

Ralph

[Henchmen4Hire]

I've Never had a problem, maybe you guys are disassembling them the wrong way?

Edited February 4, 2012 by DrNightmare

[LEGOman273]

Pull upwards on one piece, and downwards on the other. Bending to one side can break the piece.

[dr_spock]

I haven't broken one yet. I pulled them gently apart. Just enough force to pop one side and then pop the other side.

Bonne chance.

[brickmack]

I take them apart a lot, mostly to change the direction (on the ones with the 2x2 top). Unfortunately, I've broken a lot... At some point I'm going to replace the broken ones, but it's probably going to cost a lot on Bricklink....

[Ralph_S]

I've Never had a problem, maybe you guys are disassembling them the wrong way?

Obviously, if you break one, you're not doing it right. However, sometimes they are so tight that giving them a little wiggle from side-to-side seems the only way.

That said, over the years I must have done it dozens of times and I can only remember breaking two. So, you can take them apart, but it's not risk free.

Cheers,

Ralph

[King of Nynrah]

I think nothing of taking them apart, much like these. They've never broken for me.

[Aanchir]

I've had some break, but only from carelessness, never from just taking them apart and reattaching them. Unlike parts like LEGO minifigure arms, TLG lists the two components of this hinge as separate parts, and thus implies that it is OK to take them apart and put them back together.