Dave, on the boot tearing with the pickle fork, as you know, it happens once the fork gets tight and starts to pull/shear on the boot as you pound. I have had luck making a shim our of thin sheet metal that is like the shape on the end of the fork. Slide the shim in first to "shield" the boot. Then get the fork between the shim and other half of what you are separating. Keep the shim for future use of course.

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