Yes!
placing the heat closer to the stirrups helped, i'm guessing, or perhaps it finally weakened after messing with it for more than a week!
it was a challenge removing this handle without altering anything. i actually thought about what you suggested, Tim, regarding snipping the stirrups awhile back, but that was going to be my last resort. anyway, posting pictures of the aftermath, for future reference.
i was able to scrape most of the epoxy inside the handle. i've enclosed pictures of it, and also the tools of the the trade (homemade shanks).
thank you all, esp. to you Alan!
