[bluesman]

It looks like you have the style poppet where the three feet of the poppet rest on a shoulder inside the post. This is an uncommon style but does still exist. The only way to remove that style is to pry each leg inwards slightly to just clear the shoulder and then pop it out. I completely forgot about that style poppet.

This style poppet is a PITA to remove. You can try to salvage it at this point but you may have to replace it if it is damaged beyond repair.

[richardt]

Hook around one of the arms on the poppit and pull.  You might have to nudge it up, down, left, and right to walk the arms past the little ridges within the post.  They tend to get caught up on those sometimes.  Failing that, use the needle nose pliers and grab the flared end of the poppit post you see in the picture and give that a nudge towards center and then pull.  You may need to bend one of the arms back towards the central poppit post to create the clearance you need.

[tschmidlin]

I use a screwdriver and a rubber mallet to bang them out when they are like that.  You might need to leave some space under it for the poppet to come out, a hole in a board or something.  The needle nose pliers might work too.  I've never tried to bend the legs back, I always just replace them.  I figure if it got stuck once, it's worth it to get rid of it.

<edit> fixed typos that bluesman so thoughtfully captured below

[bluesman]

I use a screwdriver and a rubber mallet to bang them out when they are like that.  You might need to leave some space under it for the poppet to come out, a whole in a board or something.  The nedle nose pliers might work too.  I've never tried to bend the legs back, I always just replace them.  I figure if it got stuck once, it's worth it to get rid of it.

+1

It will only give you more trouble in the future.

[Slowbrew]

I have some of those type.  A medium sized flat blade screw driver can be used to pry/release them from the bottom.  I've never driven the poppets out. 

I have the stitches to prove I get in trouble when I try the "manly" process (on just about anything) so I rely on finesse.  Somewhere, someone made a living doing this stuff so there must be a reasonable easy way to get it done.   

Paul

[ajk]

I have some of those type.  A medium sized flat blade screw driver can be used to pry/release them from the bottom.  I've never driven the poppets out. 

Two of my kegs are manufactured by Firestone, and they have poppets/posts that behave this way.  From the underside of the post, I insert the flat end of the screwdriver between two legs of the poppet, then twist while curing Firestone aloud (though I'm not sure that last bit helps).  It takes a couple of tries.

[oscarvan]

Perhaps the PO forced in the wrong style of poppet for the keg?

Or perhaps it's the wrong post for the keg, since it looks like the poppet was pushed too far in.  

It happens. Just grab it and yank it out, get some new ones. Do I need to fly them over? How far are you from Paris?

[phillamb168]

Perhaps the PO forced in the wrong style of poppet for the keg?

Or perhaps it's the wrong post for the keg, since it looks like the poppet was pushed too far in.  

It happens. Just grab it and yank it out, get some new ones. Do I need to fly them over? How far are you from Paris?

I'm under the takeoff pattern for Orly, so if you wanna just roll down the window and drop 'em out that'll work.

I'm glad that other people have heard of these things before. I will try ajk's method of cursing Firestone while I pry them out. As these things are pretty light, I think I can order them from kegworks.com (korey @ kegworks is a pleasure to work with) for not too much moneys.

I'm just a little peeved that Brouwland of all places doesn't replace these things. But I guess that's what you get for ordering used kegs instead of new ones. Meh.

Thanks a bunch everybody. I will try the needlenose pliers route just to try to get 'em out.

[oscarvan]

I'm under the takeoff pattern for Orly, so if you wanna just roll down the window and drop 'em out that'll work.

Bummer, we go to CDG.