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I am about to dig into a noisy lifter issue. I have purchased the special valve lash tool. Will a generic valve spring compressor tool work to remove the keepers or do I need a special tool. If so, please suggest a source. Thanks in advance.

Any of the many spring compressors for L-head engines should work, though some will provide more mechanical advantage than others and may have some other optional features. I've even seen it done (awkwardly) with the ones designed for OHV engines. My preference is the K-D unit pictured below because you can adjust the width of both sets of arms to give a nice fit, but no special unit is required.

Don't forget to close off with corks or rags the oil return holes to the crankcase before you begin compressing valves, otherwise you run the risk of having a keeper drop into the crankcase.

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The one I have looks like a large c-clamp with one end on the top of the valve and the other under the spring and works quite well on any engine.

Yes Don, that's the type generally used on overhead valve cylinder heads.

Yes, I know but I work on both types of engines (or used to before I parked my cars for three decades) and one tool does both.