Shifter Knob Removal Situation

There is no noise, only the tension of the cable twisting as I turn the knob. The button is not coming loose off the cable stud. It's not a matter of spinning it enough; it's that the knob button seems to have bonded onto the cable stud. I can force turn it almost a full turn and then when I let go it will spin back. My fear is that if I force turn it further something will break before the button starts to loosen.