Spoke removal on Mavic Helium

[dansenior]

Ok so Im just about to pull my hair out trying to remove the spokes from a mavic helium wheel, ive used my spoke wrench to loosen the spokes, and tried using a flat blade screwdriver to remove the nipples to get the spokes out, I guess I must be going wrong as theyre not loosening with the screwdriver, its just rounding the head of the spoke off with the screwdriver slipping.
Also to remove the spoke from the hub, how do I go about it, the spoke is a straight laced spoke, thinking Id have to open the hub? Think Im a bit out of my depth here, just trying to save money in dismantling the wheels, seen a video of someone replacing a spoke on a mountain bike wheel and it looks so so easy, so much that for one spoke they didnt have to remove the tyre, please help thanks.

 

[Manonabike]

Are you turning the spoke key the correct way?

To loosen the spokes you turn the key clockwise - A good spoke key is handy when the spokes are solid.

A little oil (penetrating oil maybe) might help

 

[accountantpete]

My first question is - what are you trying to do?

Next one - as MOAB says you turn the key clockwise to loosen ( NB unscrewing from the top with a screwdriver is normal anticlockwise).

 

[dansenior]

Thanks for replies, im going to try the penetrating oil, what I was trying to do was save money on dismantling the wheel so that I could take the hub and a new rim to lbs, i bought a tubular wheelset and realised I needed clincher as I always ended up with flats on the tubular due to not been able to mount them correctly

 

[accountantpete]

If you are getting new spokes then just cut through the old ones.

Otherwise - it sounds like they have put threadlock on the threads so they might need a good strong spoke key applying to them.