This idea casts a very different light on the viability and therefore the chances of survival of more than a dozen sets in my little collection alone.
I have now tried the soldering iron on the can technique with no fewer than eight AF11*s and have achieved the desired result in every case! Remind me, what was all that heatsink, in & out in a second, don't let Ge devices get hot, all about?!
I can only wait and see how long-term reliability pans out, but at this rate, I'll be able to turn my pile of AF127s and 125s into spending money for Christmas!