Yep I can see Norm why trying to clip or tie the needle to the float would be a problem with the plastic Victa float.
I found that home made needle I removed from a Victa many years ago,it's not made out of alloy as I thought, it's steel, looks like it's made from ark welding rods, it's a little longer than the standard plastic Victa needle.
The plastic needle would not open by gravity alone but the steel needle opened every time I moved the float down so it had no problem opening just by gravity and without clipping the end of the needle to the float.
I will have to try this needle in a mower and see how reliable this steel needle is. I remember this needle working in a mower it's just that I never tested it over a long period of time but the steel needle may have been in the carby for years.
