What do you do with your worn-out pins?

I now have some pins that I've had & used for so long that they are not sharp any more. They don't go through fabric as well as they should.

I put them in a prescription bottle and toss them in the trash.

If they are straight pins and such I rub(?) the pointy point against my scalp and that usually gets them going again :thumbup:

Some pins are just too thick or have no pint, those I just put in an empty pill bottle and away they go :wink:

Great idea but I would suggest one step further and take them not to the trash but with you to your next doctors appointment and ask the assistant if they minded disposing of them in their "sharps container". They usually don't mind. and safe for everyone.

that is an idea!

Silly me -- I went to the store and bought a container of mini M&M's, ate the M&M's, and use the container for my sharps...

I push them in and out of my pincushion that has fine steel wool that I covered with fibrefill as a pincushion filling.The steel wool you buy at the hardware not SOS pads.This seems to resharpen my pins. The ones that are beyond repair go the pill bottle route!

If you have a 'strawberry' pin cushion, the little strawberry has something (I'm not sure what it is) that will sharpen your pins. When I have a stubborn pin, I stab it a couple of time in the little strawberry and lo and behold it works so much better. If that does not work, then into the container(trash) it goes.

I never throw pins or blades in the trash, without them going into a 'safety' container first. I keep a old altoids box next to my sewing machine just for them.

I'm sure they don't mind. But I doubt if a few pins in a prescription bottle will be any more dangerous than all the broken glass and other broken things in the landfill.

funny, I just did a search "worn out pins" and this thread popped up as # 1 out of 837,000 threads, that is so funny

http://www.google.com/search?sourcei...=worn+out+pins

I put them in an old margarine tub with all the other sharps that I toss. I sure notice the difference when using new, sharp pins. It's almost as good as using a new rotary blade.

OUCH!

Maybe I'm picturing this wrong?

When a pin seems dull or bent I drop it in a small diabetic used needle container I bought at the drugstore for a couple of dollars. It's been years and that container is not full yet. No one will mistake these containers for anything else.

I'm going with MinnieKat's suggestion ... from now on I am going to sacrifice and buy safe M&M containers and eat the M&Ms first, then use the container to properly dispose of sharps.

I do the same with my pins and needles...

those sharps containers cost a fortune to dispose of..according to the hospital.
i gave myself shots for 2 weeks, and decided to take the "sharps container" i had, to the hospital for disposal, and they about had a fit..they had to call about 3 different people in on the conversation, before i could leave them there.
i showed them the script i had, and it came from them,after surgery. :roll:

i think it would take a long time to fill a container..twice a year in my city, we have hazardous waste day..thinking maybe they will take them.

I love your idea wink, wink

I put them in an empty Tic-Tac container and dispose of them with my husbands insulin syringes (sharps container). The cute little lid is perfect for opening and closing and it doesn't take up too much room.

that is something I never even thought about. glad it came to my attention .

:lol: :lol: :lol:

I like the way you think!! :-D

I had my DH drill a hole in the top of a medicine container and all my needles, pins, etc go in there. When it is full I just have him make me another one.

I like the way you think!

I love the excuse to eat even more M&Ms! Not that I need one, but, here I go dating myself - I used to put stubborn diaper pins into a bar of soap to keep them going (pre Pampers days) - I do that with the pins. Gives new life to most of them, but, I had a few safety pins that had no sharp point at all!! I closed them up and put them in the trash.

Yes, I'm going to throw myself under the bus and go the M&Ms route. And, of course, I'll be doing it for all the right reasons 8->

The something you're referring to, is emery, same as the usefull stuff on an emery board(cardboard nail file). Very useful for helping to sharpen blunt pins and needles.
And you're all correct, old pins/needles should go the way of a "sharps"bin, be it at the local doctors office, hospital or dentist. Over here, we are fined if there are any sharps in our garbage bins.

Thank you for the ideas - esp. the M&M one...

I was putting them into a piece of paper so I could put it in the recycle bin, but maybe it's better that I just put them in the trash.

I don't do the "living green", but I can't abide waste. Must be a leftover from my grandparents who lived through the Great Depression. ::shrug::

I was told this by my Mom, long gone. Stick the pin, needle, etc into a bar of soft soap. It makes it glide through the fabric like new!

I have found this to be true and keep a bar of soap in a plastic bag whenever I am hand sewing. That way, I know it will always glide!

I use an old pill container too. I never thought of taking them with me to work and disposing of them there.

Actually it is the hair that sharpens the pin.

Not sure what makes it sharp, but I use to do this with diaper pics when my sons were young :thumbup:

Phew...glad to hear that :lol: :lol:

I think I'll try the M&M's method.....or maybe I'll just get a big bag of M&M's and a small sharps container!!

Ditto prescription bottle.

It is actually the oil in your hair that makes the pin slide through the fabric. It wouldn't work for a pin with no point.

I have a baby food jar that I poked a hole in the top with a nail and put all my used needles and pins in. Then when I am ready to put it in the trash I put a piece of duct tape over the hole and out it goes.

I was thinking of this yesterday, I use a tic tac empty container to put my pins but had to change my rotary blade. Would not want anyone to be cut or stuck by either. Going to ask my if I can deposit my sharp items in there container.

I keep them in a container too for further use. Anytime I have to put a pattern on gator board for my miniatures, I use the pins to hold it. Also use them as push pins on my bulletin board. They're great for setting up a loom for weaving small designs to decorate totes etc.

Yeah, me too. Running those big ol' pins through my hair (had a lot back then) would make them as sharp as a tack.
:)

Most drug stores carry sharps containers. You can find them in the areas where alcohol swabs are. They run between 3 to 4 dollars I believe. Keep one in your sewing room and when it is full you can take it to your local health department and they will dispose of it for you.