[Christ]

Nut Breaker FTW... as unpleasant as it sounds, it's Oprah's favorite tool. Or maybe it's Barbara Streisand's.. not sure.

No seriously though... you shouldn't wedge anything while attempting to loosen it. You might hit the wrong part and end up with a projectile.

Also, you really should try smacking that part I told you about.. you'll be amazed how easily the joint comes apart. If you look at your new parts, you'll see why... there is no knurl or anything holding them together... they're essentially a press fit kinda thing... it's a male cone fitting into a female cone (HEHE).