[H. L. Chauvin]

When all else failed, always had luck with the following:

1. Sharpen the end of a table knife on an emery wheel.
2. Start on the center side of the head, (on the driver's side), by placing the sharpened end of the knife in the "center" of the thickness of the head gasket & tap with a hammer driving the knife "inwards" about 1/2".
3. Repeat step 2. on right & left of the first center gasket indentation until the entire gasket is indented on the driver's side.
4. Repeat step 2. method on front of engine "and" on passenger's side of engine.
5. Make several hardwood wedges with oak, hard maple, or other very hard wood, about 5" long x 1" wide, tapering from about 3/4" thick down to 1/16" thick.
6. Insert sharp edges of wood wedges in recesses in head gasket joint created with knife, on the perimeter of the head, similar to that of step 2., 3., & 4. & again tap wood wedges in with a hammer.
7. As head begins to move upwards, even a very "tiny" bit, be extremely careful to maintain the head joint "parallel" to the top of block joint to avoid wedging the head bolt holes on the studs.
8. Lubricate head stud holes as head moves upwards.
9. If steel wedges, chisels, sharpened screw drivers are used "temporarily"at any point, extreme care should be taken so as not to damage the cast iron head or block.