Quick Desoldering

• If all you need to do is remove a part, and you don't care about the part or the circuit it's attached to (for instance, if you're removing a potentiometer from a disused circuit and don't care how well the circuit works afterward) one simple way to desolder components is simply by applying a hot soldering iron to the wire and lifting them away. Any remaining solder on the component can simply be trimmed with a razor or a hobby knife. This method is simple and doesn't require any specialized tools, but it's useful only when you don't need particularly high precision.
  
  

Desoldering Pump

• If you need to remove the solder from a part, a desoldering pump can do the job by warming the solder until it melts, then applying a slight vacuum to suck the solder away from the component. In general, these must be used at the same time as a soldering iron --- if you've ever seen a "desoldering iron" for sale, these are simply normal soldering irons with a pump attached. When using a desoldering pump, note that they're frequently spring-loaded; take care when using them that the sudden stress of the desoldering doesn't cause any damage to your circuits.
  
  

Desoldering Braid

• Desoldering braids, made up of braided copper wire of a very thin gauge, act like a wick to whisk melted solder away from a circuit. Lay the braid over the circuit you wish to desolder, and apply heat with a soldering iron --- you'll see the desoldering braid turn from the reddish color of pure copper into the silvery color of solder as it absorbs the solder from the circuit. As the wire becomes saturated, move to a fresh bit of braid until all the solder has been removed.
  
  

Removing Integrated Circuits

• Integrated circuits, like RAM chips, are a special case because they have many fine connections that should ideally all be removed at the same time. For this reason, special tools have been created to desolder ICs from a printed circuit board. One of the more common varieties entails placing a shield around the IC to insulate other components, then using a heat gun to gently warm the solder until it melts, at which point the integrated circuit can simply be lifted up and out of the PCB. Great care should be taken when removing chips, however; it's very easy to damage either them or the circuit board beneath (for instance, by causing copper traces to be lifted away from the underlying circuit board).