Mick F wrote:.............. but how does it work?
I can't see how it can compress the sides to unlatch them.
You can't just push the link due to it being locked. If you can, your link must be worn.
For removal, I squeeze the two side plates towards each other, using finger and thumb of my left hand whilst closing the tool with my right. For fitting, everything is clean (or should be) and even with my old eyes its easy to ensure that thin part of the plates are engaged with the grooves in the pins, before using the tool to finally lock the QL into position.