Keg cleaning help?

I have tried searching, but come up with lots of posts but not what I am looking for...

I am in the midst of trying to do a full clean/recondition of 12 kegs that this has not been done to since they were decommisioned.

TWO Issues:

One: how can I remove a stuck diptube? It literally will not budge. I sliced off the o-ring, put a screw driver down the tub and really wiggled, arm inside keg pushing, vice-grips (but not real hard as I don't want to damage it) etc with no luck.

TWO:
What is an easy way to remove poppets? I checked chris knight's?!? video on you tube and he says "just tap"... all of my poppets are seated within a groove in the post, and no tapping will take them out. For some I have managed to get them out via putting a screw driver on top and hammering the screwdriver with my hand. However this isn't working on all of them, and I don't want to damage the poppets or posts- I am afraid if I wack too hard I may put grooves, gouges in the "lip" that is holding in the poppet.

Thanks for the help.

cyberbackpacker,
if the poppets still function properly (hold a seal) I would leave them in. If you need to replace them, with needle nose pliers grab one of the three? legs that are in the groove and twist out. Do this to all legs until it comes out. When you replace with new, they just rest inside and do not go back into the channel like the originals. As far as the dip tube, I would place some caustic cleaner like oxyclean in the keg and secure lid and turn keg upside down to soak overnight and then try again reaching inside and pulling up on tube.
mark
Beer Diary...

mbird thanks for the tips on the poppets...

as far as the dip tube, I have tried oxyclean in 180F water for a soak turned upside a few times already...

There's probably gunk in the poppets- I would get a nail set or something to try and knock them out. If you're worried about dinging them, get a small corner of wood to use as a buffer between the two (probably hard to get that small).

Have you tried soaking the kegs sealed upside down with like PBW or oxyclean to loosen the post? I would do that; next thing, is a cold water fill. The thinner metal dip tube should contract more then the heavy metal opening, hopefully allowing you to get it out.... Good luck!