Seperating spindle and adjusters

Hi, I've started work on my pre-winter winter project by stripping down the rear of the SD. I cannot figure out though how to seperate the rear wheel spindle from the LHS chain adjuster - they seem mated together with more than just a bit of luck.
Any ideas how to separate the two before I take something large and heavy to it and do some irrepairable damage?

It threads together (the chain adjuster and the spindle) heat and remove