Tpiini is right in that you should not be able to get the secondaries to open when the car itself is not under a load.
I can't figure out what you are trying to do with a paper-clip..
Vacuum secondaries, when working properly, will operate totally seemlessly. In other words, you will not "feel" them open, but believe me they will open when the vacuum signal drops and the engine is under load. If you suspect that the secondaries are not opening, the best way to test it is to lock the secondaries by disconnecting the vacuum link and then drive it. You will now be on a bonafide 2bbl carb.
The lighter spring will allow the secondaries to open faster and you could experience a bog if the spring is too light and the RPM is too low when you romp on her.
There is one other thing that can cause the secondaries to not open properly - there is a choke interlock on the right side of the carb. Make sure that this interlock is fully retracted when the choke is open.
When the engine is warm, you should be able to manually open the throttle all the way which should then allow you to manually lift the vacuum link rod to the diaphragm which will open the secondaries. If they will not open, you may have a problem with the diaphragm.