You're forgetting the most important part, damaging the silicone seal that goes around the outside diameter when a simple twisting motion will free the HLA from the rocker arm.
If you look at the HLA itself, it'll have a groove similar to how a cap fits on a soda bottle as shown in my HLA thread:
You can clearly see that they twist out rather than get smacked by a piece of wood
You can also clearly see the difference between a
new silicone seal and one that has completely flattened and won't hold pressure.
Rather than polish a turd, the best option is to buy them new.