I'm starting a rebuild and need to remove wires from an old crusty terminal block. There don't appear to be any screws to back out inside the block and the wires aren't coming free by pulling on them. Before I snip the wires off, any tips as to how to remove wires from an old terminal block? Search function didn't yield any solutions.

a picture of the terminal block would be helpful ; if old hard plastic you could a chisel and hammer to break apart and remove wires ...

A couple of pix are required.

Here's one. It looks like there could be slot screws in there but I've tried to get a purchase on several of the 'slots with a precision screwdriver set' to no avail.

Cut the wires. If you really were wanting to save the wire length, just crush the terminal block with pliers and it will shatter. Then remove the rusty screws by gripping the heads with pliers.

That terminal block shows signs of excessive heat, it is junk and so is the wiring.

Yeah, I wasn't intending to save the block and my inclination was to snip the wires. Figured it was worth checking with the group. The wires are in decent shape but the jacketing is enough of a messy affair that I may as well just start from scratch. The way the wires attach to the heating element on these Marcfi / La Graziellas is pretty funky though. I will probably snip them to get the boiler off of the base and then see if I have to preserve them or if there's an option to start fresh with new wiring.

Luckily the element is still fine (tested with multimeter and then took it up to temp plugged into a GFCI outlet). You are correct Rich that there are indicators that it has been rather abused however. The base is so rusted that the post where the ground wire was connected just crumbled away in my fingers. Luckily I was able to source a new base from a fellow H-Ber.

That wire is old technology braided glass yarn MGT or TGGT hi-temp wire. Why not simply replace the wire with some hi-temp silicone shielded wire and
a new block. That is unless you want to keep the old interior look then it that case you can still get new braided wire and still replace the block. Silicone jacketed wiring comes in 150c and 200c variety.

More wiring info can be found on a site like http://www.tevelec.com/product_categori ... rical-wire

If you want hi temp insulation then buy the Teflon insulated wire with a 250C rating. the silicone is 125C. All you need is the much more common and lower cost 105C rated wire that is usually available in a big box store. That wire in there now is PVC with a fiberglass slip on sleeve state of the art for the mid 60s appliance wiring and started many fires. Crimp and solder every wire termination. Crimps fail from thermal cycling.