Find a cold chisel or a similarly blunt-edged tool (a slot-head screwdriver works just fine), place the sharp end of the tool against the rivet head’s edge then hit the other end of the tool with a hammer. Repeat until the rivet head is detached. Usually, the rivet can then be easily removed.

Removing a rivet may seem like a difficult task, but if you have the right tools, it’s actually really simple. For smaller rivets, use a drill bit to drive through the surface. For stubborn rivets that you can’t drill through, grind off the head of the rivet, then bore through it.