What is your pump? Hose or no? I've used the Zephal HP and HPX forever. No hose. Head locks on with a lever. I pump with the valve at 12 o'clock. Open the lever. Do a mini karate chop down to knock the pump of cleanly and straight. (This was also how were were taught in a long-gone millennium to remove Silca pumps (minus the lever bit as they do not have it).