Hi Art, if your clutch actuating lever looks like this ....
http://img.auctiva.com/imgdata/1/1/1/6/1...4383_o.jpg
then items 5 and 12 are the bushes that seize up, one way to ease things and save on a stripdown is to make a small well around the shaft at the top using plasticine and fill the well with oil. As the clutch is operated the oil will run down the shaft and reach the bottom bush making the operation lighter.
Later type actuators at the front of the gearbox work differently so this fix doesn't work then.
I am an advocate of lubricating the cable with oil - it removes easily - and I use black moly-grease on the auto adjuster. Worked for me and no issues with it over many 1,000's of miles.
Also when you look at the cable routing it couldn't be more convoluted, I rerouted mine for the smoothest single curve possible - top of and around the engine bay / wing area. Rerouting makes a big difference.
I have to say that it will never be as light as a hydraulic clutch but it doesn't have to be hernia inducing with a cable either. My last vehicle was transformed by doing this mod.
edit : there is no chance of the clutch plate getting contaminated with my plasticine trick.