The pickle fork tools were never made to actually force the ball joint loose (they will eat up the boot trying). They just preload the joint stud in the release direction to make it pop loose a little easier when you do the double hammer trick, which is so elegantly and correctly detailed above. The deep Cee tools with the pressure screw that hook on the eye and press the joint stud do the same, and sometimes will take the joint apart alone. I've seen long arm hinged tools with pressure screws, just another way to apply the pry force. The most reliable is the double hammer whammy. It springs the stud eye slightly, and the tapered stud is actually squeezed out of the hole, loosened by the shock. I've also used a sledge for a deadman stop, and whangoed the eye with an air hammer with a flat body bit in it, and rattled it loose. Got to hit it like you're mad at it...