I have read a lot of posts about the AW lock and jumped around to the posts that have been directed to another topic and still I don’t have the answer 
Is it possible to rip off emblems on a hero when the battle phase has started and be sure that it will not affect the AW team?
Just like improvements won’t come through 
I’m not sure, and I haven’t seen it discussed. Why not try it and get back to us
With a hero in war on defense team . I have leveled then went back and that hero has went up a level on my war defense team. I’ll have to watch the stats in this next war if I level any. Hope this helps.
It’s not leveling up I have my doubts about. But the other way around…
Read last update notes
And where is this issue explained? I have read through all the posts and replies…
I’m trying to find the note…they recently said levels to heroes during AW and tourney will not reflect once it starts
OK, I’ll watch this war. Will this effect all hero’s or just the defense team?
Sounds like it’s technically possible to remove emblems from the defense heroes without affecting the defense.
I don’t care about it personally, but I can see a competitive spirit alliance taking advantage of this loophole to bump their defense to +20 each before the war start and then stripping them and using on other heroes.
I doubt it’s worth the hassle but then again, others may think otherwise.
They have changed it so the the heroes will not even level up on your war defense team once the war has started.
There it is…thank you
Thank You @ThePirateKing 
We are changing the whole setup on our AW teams. So a lot of players need to move a lot of emblems before next AW.
Now they got 24 hours more to provide ham and iron for giving emblems 
If you take emblems off a hero in your aw defense team during war, the hero remains emblemed in your defense team but you can use the emblems elsewhere during the war
Did it with alberich
Sneaky 
20 reset tokens
I can confirm (Just did it) that if you remove emblems from your defence team once war has started, your hero will keep those emblems for the duration of the war! Great News!
also swiping of the team and following aftwr respawn?
my understanding was that e. .g. level ups are reflected after respawn.
I would expect that addition/removal of emblems work the same way.
The team You set for War will not be changed once the battle-fase has started. Respawn won’t change that 