My headset remover is made from a Genuine purple Columbia bicycle tube, slotted Kerrigan's (below). It was hard to cut the end I didn't slot, because Columbia used its own "double-butting:" an internal sleeve of the same crappy material. Good base for the hammer to hit.
harvey sachs mcLean va.
Great topic!
I have a set of cheap channel locks the jaws of which have been filed for use as a lockring wrench for bottom brackets or track hubs. I always wanted the VAR, or at least Hozan, pliers, but this set probably works better.
Also, a headset remover made from a 7/8 inch steel tube length with a couple hack saw cuts. It's not pretty, but it seems to work quite well and it's a lot cheaper than the Campy alternative (which we used to call the "home wrecker" in my shop days).
Kerrigan Bennett Pleasant Hill, CA, USA, where we've found that tool-money saved is beer-money earned.