I'm not sure if I'm building them correctly, but I leave the right hand end just protruding a little from the surface of the stock, and a gentle bump with the butt end of my knife handle sends them flush, exposing the head end just enough to get my grip on it, or failing that, if it's too tight, the back edge of the blade of my knife. I don't like seeing forearms all chewed up from folks using the wrong tool, or even the right tool badly. But keys/slides/wedges, or whatever you want to call them, they definitely make barrel removal easier. And to my eye, I think they add beauty to the rifle. Escutcheons where they are appropriate, but I can do nicely without them.