I am still using the Dritz yellow ball pins, but they are a little short for you. I'd like a slightly thinner diameter, but the price point of the Dritz is attractive to me. I do probably replace my pins about every 5 years but I will sew over them and they bend or whatever and I throw them away if they aren't sharp. I also will sanitize my pins a couple of times a year by putting them in a heat safe bowl, pour boiling water over them, then quickly drain and fluff out on a towel to dry (in seconds). My pin cushion was made by a friend and is wool with raw wool on the side.
I find most flat head pins very heavy -- especially as a heavy pinner where I will have pins every 2" along a border seam. And, as Magicmoonmusings said -- you have to watch hitting some of them with the iron.