Steve,
That trick is known by some, but apparently not enough people. I have used this method many times and it is priceless. Thanks for putting it out to the list.
Since we're passing along little tricks, here's another one. Sometimes crankarms are diffucult to remove with the standard crank extractor or can even stress the crank threads to the point of striping. A master bike mechanic showed me this trick once and it has never failed me.
It is required to remove the end of your standard Campag. crank extractor screw where it pivots. Then use a small allen head cap screw that will fit into the bolt hole of the spindle but will allow the head of the screw to rest on the end of the spindle. Thread the extractor in as usual and proceed to remove the crankarm. This method allows a lot more leverage while keeping the stress on the threads of the crankarm to a minimum. It has worked for me every time, wheather the crank is stuck or just normal. Don't ask me why it works, but it really does.
Brian Baylis
La Mesa, CA