Do Straight Pins Take "breaking-in" before they are sharp???
 

I know this sounds crazy, but the Clover extra fine (.4 mm I believe) straight-pins I have that I just opened up (bought it at least 8 to 12 months ago) are really, really dull. I am having to use an amazing amount of force to get them to go through my 2 layers of fabric. I have used this exact brand and type of pins for the past few years and I don't specifically remember them being this dull at first (but, my memory is very unreliable these days so I can't be sure).

Please tell me with use, they will become "sharper"???

I think you got a bad batch.

I would try to return them.

No they should be sharp brand new. I would return them.

Well that is a bummer. I have had these sitting in my drawer for around a year or so. I think I got this box off Amazon and it would be crazy for me to try to return them this long after purchase. Lesson learned I guess.

I actually bought another box last week and they should be here later today so I will definitely open them and test for sharpness. I decided to have 2 pin dishes (I use the magnetic ones) instead of just one that I had to move every time I went from my work station to the machine and back again (I'm doing a log cabin so this cycle repeats itself over and over again).

I have two pin location magnetic too. Pins do not get sharper with time. I bought some pins from JAF and I think that will be the last time: dull, dull and dull !!!

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*** Bad batch.

*** Sounds like the ones that I bougt last summer that were made backwards - no pooint at all.

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If all else fails, you can try rubbbing them in steel wool, just becareful and check for burrs

I also got some from JAF - Singer quilting pins. They were terrible - I returned them. They were totally useless.

Does one of the emery bags for needles work on pins as well?