I finally got time this last Saturday to break down and clean my new K9 and had an awful time getting the stainless guide rod I picked up for it installed. Took a hobby paint brush that was in my gun cleaning box and shoved the handle in the spring to keep it from bowing out and it went right in. I didn't need a third hand for the brush as I was holding the slide at a fairly flat angle and just let the guide rod spit the brush out upon compression.