Should watched/listened to dad and grandpa...

A drift is like a punch but is usually made of soft material, like brass,
normally cylindrical, maybe 3/4" diameter and 6" long. Any metal soft enough
to NOT damage the end of the steering column will work.
If you have that size hammer, you should also have the drift. Never can tell
when you'll need it. You basically are trying to hammer the steering column
through the steering wheel, providing acceleration to the column while the
weight/inertia of the wheel attempts to keep it from moving. Same technique
used to separate tapered metal-to-metal joints worldwide from centuries back.
--
George Downs, Bartlesville, Oklahoma, Central US