I'm not arguing with your diagnosis Peter, just posting what I saw as most of it was news to me.

Regardless, kudos to the OP for trying and at least it's better than it was, if only for a while, and no harm done.

Incidentally, the one or two PPCo.s I took apart had no sealant around the eye lens retaining ring, have you ever found any there? I'm just wondering what would make that ring so hard to undo.

A suggestion for the OP: find a really tough piece of wood and turn a shallow hole in one end just a bit bigger than the retaining ring with a bottom corner that is bevelled or rounded, not square. Get a strong but thin piece of leather and drape it over the hole, push the ocular housing down into the hole over the leather, (pig skin or something non-slippery is best), grasp the leather over the wood in one hand (securing both together) and the ocular housing in the other and you may be able to turn out the ring. Make sure you're going in the right direction, and whatever you do, don't grasp the scope tube, only the housing. A bit of heat first wouldn't hurt.

What say you Peter, is there better way?