Hello:
You have to pull it off, upwards, with force but carefully, along the same axis of the shaft. This *must* be done before taking apart the casing, lest the lip that prevents liquids entering the innards while chopping gets broken as it does *not* pass through the hole.
Please take note that the pinion is *not* threaded on.
It is stuck *on* the shaft, which has parallel ridges along the perimeter of the shaft to keep it from spinning.
Cheers and good luck.
Chuck, January 2011
