I've got a goody for all those quill stem aficionados out there, I just have to share it!
So today I picked up a second hand "Frank Herety" frame, boutique lugged/brazed construction. It was advertised as having the quill stem wedge "stuck" in the steerer tube.
I bought the frame thinking "easy fix, I'll just drive it out from the bottom". The fork is of an odd unicrown-esque construction but fillet brazed or similar and there is no opening at the bottom end of the steerer tube.
My solution to removing it was simple.
(Optional) Pour some penetrating oil (Kroil works well) down the steerer tube.
Put the headset locknut on the top of the fork to take any pressure or stress and prevent damage to the steerer tube and it's threads.
(Optional) Place a matching socket on top of this to take up some of the slack (explained in the next step)
Add some washers on top and drop in the quill bolt.
Start tweaking it up, not too violently, just keep tweaking.
Presto, you've made yourself a "wedge puller" using easily accessible parts.
And that's how you get a what once was probably a multi-thousand dollar boutique frame for $151 NZD.