I don't buy anything but flower, or button, or butterfly headed pins. I do stack and whacks and they are the most accurate, it seems to me, to keep fabric aligned and straight. I particularly have liked the button headed pins. There is a noticeable difference in brands re: sharpness, etc. And yes, I have had the shiny part peel off. And I have had the heads come off and poke me. But still I don't buy anything else. MOF, I was given two boxes of large white headed pins and they seem like clubs so I re-gifted them.