TimR wrote, on Thu, 19 Feb 2015 13:17:53 -0800:

Also, instead of holding the saw and turning the brake with the needle
nose jaws, I think I've had clamped the needlenose in the vice with
the jaws slightly open and used both hands on the saw to twist the
brake back locked.

Well, I chipped off the edge of the cast aluminum, trying to wedge
lever the spring into the unlocked position.

I think I'll hold tight, as I left the rest of the saw at my
neighbor's house.

I'm gonna try to see if I can temporarily assemble the brake on
top of the saw, and use the saw's own lever, to unlock it.

That seems safest, but, I won't go back to that neighbor 'till
tomorrow. Luckily, no trees need felling today ...