Anyone ever do anything similar?

Nope, that's by far the stupidest thing I've ever heard of!

Just kidding of course, there's not one of us who doesn't have a flat spot on our foreheads from slapping it in a moment of stupidity. But you have pretty much layed out your options, Live with it, or recover it.

One more suggestion... Personally, I PERFER dark bottom and light top. It may be much quicker and easier to just recover the stab instead of the wing.