Before applying excessive force to remove a stuck mekugi tap the area around the peg with a brass/rubber mallet or your palm. This helps to release the accumulated tension in the handle. Now check if the mekugi is tapered. If this is the case, make sure that you are hitting the peg from the smaller side. Otherwise, with a straight peg, the direction doesn’t matter. Take a big hammer and start with light hits. Gradually increase the force until the peg starts to loosen. Sometimes really strong strikes are required. When your mekugi is stuck it is very likely to get damaged when removing it, so prepare a replacement beforehand.