I'm late to this party, but I have a method I use before making with the vise, curved stick of wood (my wire brush handle works well) and the mallet. I point the gun in a safe direction, hold the slide in your left hand with the most secure grip you can give it and press your left forearm against your stomach. Don't worry about covering the port because the first thing is to break the slide loose. Make a 'U' out of the thumb and fingers of your right hand and hold it back about a foot to a foot and a half behind the gun. Whack the grip right on the beavertail with the 'U' of your right hand. Variation is to move the gun back while your hit it with the right hand moving forward. Do it over a table and be careful not to drop it. This works for a great many cases. If it doesn't head for the workshop and vise
