First time tried it on my photo NL's.
Here, journal page 7 and page 5 are some photos about it. Well there wasn't nothing really to compare with. Also tried it 2nd time on some autoflower or then it was a NL clone. Can't remember.
Ikr giving shank to the first crop may sound a bit tough.
Droughting and ice water/cubes are imho also good "stress tests".
I think also used nail once. Usually I've secured the stalk with cable ties before doing the cut and pushed something through so it wouldn’t heal. Like this
Literally anything should work. If the stalk is too hard and woody to get knife through that, I guess you could just screw it through a few screws. No pressure needed with screwdriver.
Edit: just realized I did the stem split on my huuge Purple punch that I had in DWC.
Here, journal page 22
Fortunately she went down only three days later so hard to tell if it had an effect.
Lol hella baked.
V