A satisfactory and safe method for removing wedge on these planes is to grasp both wedge & iron in the right hand, if one is right handed, and to knock the rear end of the plane on the top of the bench near the edge so that the hand is outboard the edge of the bench.

The rear end is knocked squarely on the bench and the hand motion is more in the nature of pulling down rather than swinging with a hammer. The knocks need not be very forceful and, if one knock does not do the job, the second, third or whatever will. The index finger is closest to the body of the plane and the pinky is towards the top of the iron and wedge.

The tips of the fingers of the left hand can be placed on the sole at the toe end to hold the body of the plane in square alignment with the bench top during the pulling-down motion.

Regards from Brisbane,