Trash, interesting technique for removing the connector. I thought about taking an end-mill to one and going over it really slow, but now I don't have access to one. Did it seem like you weren't stressing the pins and solder joints?

Another idea I have to remove the socket is to cut it into smaller lengths with a saw and then heat a smaller group of pins and hopefully get the smaller block out in time before pins cool-off.

Someone posted somewhere to use a heat gun and cover all the components with modeling clay to insulate them from heat. You could put a couple layers of aluminum foil over the clay to insulate it even more. This is the method I am thinking of trying first to remove the PDS pass-through connector from a Asante ethernet board.