Upgraded Wood?

[Kevin McCormack]

Before you try to lift the tang, back the tang screw out about 3 full turns and tap both sides of the trigger guard alternately with a soft-faced mallet (plastic or wood). Do this gently! Most times this will "shimmy" or vibrate the guard and tang along its full length and free it from the surrounding wood fibers along the surface of the inlet the guard and tang were fitted in. If you just try to pull it upwards vertically, there is a good chance you will strip some wood tendrils along the upper surface of the inlet free in splinters. Go slowly and don't force anything - over time the metal and wood seem to "grow into one another." Creating this vibration allows the metal to "shake off" the wood, so to speak.