You don’t need to cut the mains. Simply carefully pick up the arm once it has moved to the record and move it back supporting it on any item that is high enough to keep the stylus from touching the top. You can also take the platter off and with the 45 adapter depressed press play and it will move over and lower.
Assuming the arm is truly lowered, then the weight should not be hitting the rear at zero grams as applying 1 gram is only 1/2 turn of the weight.