question is, are they really dead, or just passed out from exhaustion and having ate too much resulting in being too full?
if u know what a multi-meter is (not a type of mod - sorry couldn't resist the joke) check the contacts of the atty, if it gives u a result that's not astronomical and wouldn't make
sense for something so small then all is not lost.
1) first try blowing it out REALLY REALLY REALLY good general method is out the back or threaded side (less distance to travel i guess...lol) then see if that at least helps
if it helps but only barely or doesn't then try
2) fill the smallest pot u have up to about what would come up to half the atty w/ water, place it on an appropriate burner, place the atties in the water thread side up, then boil the daylights out of them (it will send junk up through the threads) after they're nice and clean take them out and let them drain thread side up after about an hr test 1 to see if u can quickly get it to work (don't press long as if fully clean will glow orange almost immediately), if that does it then add a couple drops unflavored PG or VG to re-prime it and u'r good to go.
if not:
3) get a HV
device and crank it up to maximum (btw this is also the kill or cure method) and see if that gets it to work and try burning the gunk buildup on there by bringing it to orange, letting it cool, bring it to orange, etc etc etc. afterwards if it's worked and gets orange quickly then rinse it out w/ water (water through the thread end ) re-prime and put it back on it's origional device and it should work well again
those are my methods anyway and they seem to work for me - YMMV
