Have to agree with you, Jane Quilter. Maybe it's just because I buy the thin 1 7/8" pins; they sure go through fabric smoothly but the teeniest bit of resistence and they bend all wonky. The tomato pincushion with the strawberry sharpener sure brings back memories. I only put my pins and needle in one time but, consider how many times you take them out and reinsert them in a day just in normal use.