Reclaiming a tungsten nozzle?  

Reclaiming a tungsten nozzle?

I'm wondering if anyone else has had this issue.

About a year and a half ago I switched to a tungsten nozzle on the MK3s (ca. US $50).  It's been performing fine until very recently.

A model I was printing had a vertical shaft with lots of artifact, so I did an inspection of the works and found the filament to be coming out at an angle when manually advanced.  This has happened before a couple of times, but it was always easy to fix.

I did a 'cold pull' with cleaning filament and probed the hot nozzle with an acupuncture needle with no effect.

I then got out one of the .4mm cleaning bits and mounted it in a pin vise, got the nozzle good and hot, and attempted to clean out any obstruction that way, something that I have done a few times over the years.

Unfortunately, the cleaning bit broke right at the nozzle opening as I was twisting.

There is not nearly enough of the bit sticking out to grab and pull.  I heated it to 280C or so and tried to push the remains of the bit upward with both the broken stub of the bit and a needle.  It will not budge.

I then pulled the nozzle out, put it on the bench, clamped it to the tip of a soldering iron, got it very hot and again tried to force it one way or the other, no go.

I installed a regular brass nozzle to get the machine back up again (works fine) but I would sure like to get the tungsten one working again.

Has anyone had a similar situation?  If so, how did you clear it.

Thanks.