Was just thinking here this morning. You were saying that you could not compress the valve springs with the valve spring compressor tool to get the valve keepers out.
I usually just take a 6" long 2 x 2 piece of wood and give each valve spring retainer a whack with the wood and a hammer. This breaks them loose so you can use the valve spring compressor tool more easily.
Things get "Set and Stick" with the valve retainer, valve keepers, and the end of the valves after sitting under spring pressure for a long time, making it difficult to press them down with the valve spring compressor.
