There are a couple of ways to get them off, the gear puller is one, and a fork type puller is another (a fork puller is a two pronged tapered fork very similar to what is used to remove tie rod ends and ball joints on motor vehicles). The fork is inserted between the crank arm and the BB shell straddling the BB spindle and then the end of the fork is whacked with a hammer (you have to hit it like you live: HARD!). Pops them right off. If you're careful and "pad" both sides of the fork, you won't even mar the crank or the BB shell. For "padding," I've used stainless steel shim stock so the fork "slides" across it instead of the crank or BB shell.
Somebody makes a tool for cutting oversized threads, but I can't remember who it was. It's not listed in the QBP catalog and that's the only one I have handy at the moment...
Cheers!
Don Ferris
Denver, "now sunny and warm," CO