Trip,
A couple of questions.
1. Is the instrument cluster already out of the dash? (are your knuckles bleeding?)
2. If so, why are you trying to take the chrome bezel off the cluster? Glass broken?
3. If you have an offending spot on the inside of the glass, you can get to it from the back (by removing each of the sub-clusters carefully), which avoids cracking the glass. Also, you have to carefully remove the rheostat knob before removing the glass.
If you have it out, you may want to buy a new gray gasket ($30+) and remove the old brittle one. BTW I use the Joe Alexander method, (with Joe nearby...)
Mike Mizesko
Columbus, OH