A picture seems a thousand words.
Thanks.

But now I hope that everyone can see how the very simple bolted wedge is used to raise dents, or keep your handle bars straight.

I used the handlebar illustration because as a male centric site, I thought surely everyone here would have had an untimely meeting with their Ashtabula stem at some point in their youth. Memorable, and illuminating.

Out there doing it best I can.