Sort of closing the barn door after the horse bolts, but here's a sneaky trick to avoid breaking the next shaft that's worked for me in the past. Clamp a pair of surgical hemostats onto the shaft just below the needle, and use it as a fulcrum to pry the needle off. That avoids putting any stress on the shaft further down if you're careful how you pry the needle off.
Jerry

"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln
Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt!
There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway
Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!