Yeah, as others have said, plastic spoons/forks. Mind you I've got one unit that refuses to cooperate.
As an aside, I have a small tool, sort of like heavy duty tweezers with a sliding plastic jaw arrangement that I got with a tool lot. Took me a few years to realize that they were gauge needle removing tool.

If you google "gauge needle removal" you'll see that type and others. Maybe will give you ideas other than the spoon method.

Alistair

On Sep 5, 2017, at 9:06 PM, Neil N <musomuso@GMAIL.COM> wrote:

>> (if needed *carefully* lift up needle)
> 
> meaning:
> 
> "if needed, carefully lift needle as you rotate it CW past the rest stop"
> 
> 
> 
>> On 9/5/17, Neil N <musomuso@gmail.com> wrote:
>> 
>> press it down *just* far enough so it grabs the shaft, then rotate
>> needle CW past rest stop  (if needed *carefully* lift up needle), then
>> fully seat needle. If I recall, you should feel the needle click into
>> place when its fully seated.
>> 
>> Doing this preloads the needle a little. The speedo will obviously
>> work if you don't do this but it will end up being inaccurate.
>> 
>> Neil.
>> 
>>> On 9/5/17, Dan N <dn92610@gmail.com> wrote:
>>> thanks Ben...
>>> 
>>> use the spoons to pry it up from the shaft?
>>> on installing a good needle... just push it down?
>>> 
>>> dan
>>> 
>> 
>> 
>> --
>> Neil n
>> 
>> Blog: Vanagons, Westfalia, general <http://tubaneil.blogspot.ca>
>> 
>> 1988 Westy Images <https://picasaweb.google.com/musomuso/New1988Westy>
>> 
>> 1981 Westfalia "Jaco" Images, technical <http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/>
>> 
>> Vanagon-Bus VAG Gas Engine Swap Group <http://tinyurl.com/khalbay>
>> 
> 
> 
> --
> Neil n
> 
> Blog: Vanagons, Westfalia, general <http://tubaneil.blogspot.ca>
> 
> 1988 Westy Images <https://picasaweb.google.com/musomuso/New1988Westy>
> 
> 1981 Westfalia "Jaco" Images, technical <http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/>
> 
> Vanagon-Bus VAG Gas Engine Swap Group <http://tinyurl.com/khalbay>