Yeah old fork seals can fucking suck big balls.
I've stood the lowers in a pot of boiling water (top down of course) to soften em up and then went to town with a flathead screwdriver and a pair of needlenose.
It will discolor the lowers a bit, but they will clean up. And be quite careful not to gouge the inside of the tube surface with the screwdriver.
Probly not the best way to it, but its worked for me, and I've tried all the other recommended ways too.
Old seals just plain suck!
Good luck.

So'full Garage

"Time is a Devil in great disguise"
- Leon Bryan Pretorius