The razor method is just as prone to damage.
The vice only method is best in this respect. One side of vice on PCB, the other side of vice on IHS. Tighten slowly...the moment the IHS slips a little, you're done. 15 seconds. No hammer, no slipping, just enough pressure applied slowly.
As to running this thing....we have no real idea which resistors were removed or what they do exactly. We know generally, but we can't be precise. I'm not even sure we have reliable figures on the values required.