Have you contacted "the Featherweight shop" to see what they recommend? I get their emails from when I was working on my case. They are extremely helpful with videos too.

I am lucky. My two cases don’t smell bad at all. One case does need a new handle and I will get around to changing that soon.

Someone told me that the smell is from the glue they used on the cases...either rabbit or horse glue. The smell is the glue decomposing. I'm thinking about just disguising the smell with another smell. Those "odor bubbles" sold by Yankee Candle is what I'm going to try next. They come in a jar and are supposed to be used for small areas. Right now, I'm sticking with the coffee beans, but maybe I'll try these other gel/bubble thingies later.

I think cases go stinky from storage conditions, since not all cases have ended up stinky over the years. I'm just guessing it's not the glue on it's own. I think the Featherweight shop have found something clever, and I personally lean towards leaving the case open in a dry, heated and ventilated room. Leave it outside for a few hours on a sunny day, keep at it and it will air off. Sunlight can work wonders. I like the bamboo charcoal bags and satches they sell now, they are ideal for situation where the lid is closed. There is an old thread (or several) were we have gathered all the clever methods that have worked in cases like this. I had a very (!) musty smelly cardboard accessory box; I cleaned it lightly, and left it open on a book shelf. The worst aired off withing a few weeks or months, but it took two years before the smell was completely gone.

Hate to tell you this Nora, but I tried the Yankee Candle bubbles. No effect whatsoever LOL. Except now it smelled stinky and flowery, not a good combo. :)

Well I took the leap and drilled out the rivets... the controller bracket came off and the handle was retained on the outside...whew..was worried about that. So now my plan is to strip out the old liner, sand off the glue and replace the lining, replace the bracket and secure it with self tapping screws to make sure that handle remains secure, not sure what I will do if it still smells since I don't want to separate it from the machine.

I think we got a little sidetracked, my main question was how to remove the rivets holding the foot controller on the lid of the case. The lining needs to be removed one way or another due to its condition and I believe that will also take care of the odor. I don't know if anyone has drilled out the rivets or not, but it worked for me and now I can replace the lining without any obstructions in the way.

My friend who restores old cases did this. Get a light bulb, about 150 watt, put it in a small fixture from the hardware store with cord attached. Then put it in the case, close the lid and leave on for couple days in the Garage. According to him the smell is gone. I hope this helps.

Thanks DonnaC...I won't waste those Yankee "bubbles" on the case then. I might try that light bulb suggestion. But, I will do it outside so it doesn't stink up the garage! Thanks!

I had a case that was really stinky, but it was not a featherweight. I'm not sure it was the glue, as the manual was in it in storage, and the smell was similar to stinky old books. I tried cat litter, newspapers and coffee. That didn't work. I did not try charcoal. I left it in the car all summer (in Texas) stuffed full of newspaper and cat litter. I think it worked, as it didn't smell when I sold it.

bkay