I have never discharged a compact Mac CRT with the procedure outlined in many service manuals, and have always played by a few basic rules:
--Classics and Classic IIs have a self-discharging CRT. If I need to yank a CRT from them, I usually wait only a few minutes.
--The same goes for most SEs and SE/30s, but some of the earlier ones don't self-discharge. If the analog board is a newer revision, I treat them like a Classic or Classic II. Otherwise, I use the Plus/earlier procedure.
--For early Macs, I will unplug the computer and let it sit for a week.
The trouble is, as others have said, the red anode cap. To play it safe, I never remove it with my bare hands. Instead, I use a small and very well-insulated pair of pliers to squeeze the clips together, prying it out. I have used this same method to re-attach the anode cap but usually will bare-hand it.
Over the years, I have done this procedure over 100 times on various compact Macs and have yet to have a problem with the removal or installation of the cap. I also haven't been shocked, so I must be doing something right (although, to be fair, I've worked on more Classics and SEs than anything).
For me, a bigger challenge these days is finding someone who will take bare CRTs to recycle. Currently, I have a pile of them and need to find a recycler who will accept them. (Before anyone calls me out for getting rid of Mac parts, please note all of these have some sort of issue--burn-in, scratches, or a cracked neck).