Cosmos

I've just had the blessing of being able to "adopt" a 1924 Model 66 Singer from the G Series. According to what I've found out so far, it was almost the last of that series--the last four months of the last year it ever ran, and there were some changes just before that year. The machine itself appears to have been manufactured so that it could be run as a treadle, or alternatively mounted with a motor. It's presently mounted on a treadle system. At this point, it needs a good cleaning, oiling, and a few other bits and pieces.

The spool pin is my present quandary. For one thing, it's stuck. Very stuck. For another, it's at quite a noticeable angle--it really looks bent. I'm seeing pictures online of machines (Model 66s) with perfectly straight spool pins (mostly restored models), and quite a few others that are angled, as well. So I'm wondering--is the spool pin supposed to be set at an angle in at least some years? Does it work better that way? (I would think it would put some rather awkward spin on things.) And if it needs to come out, what might be the best method of getting it unstuck?

(I'm cautious: I haven't done anything to it so far, except squirt a little sewing machine oil up into the hole underneath it, and try to move it with a pair of pliers--carefully. I can't even tell if it's a tap-in, or a screw-in pin, though I've tried wiggling it both ways.)

Thank you to anyone who can clear this up for me! :-)