bkay

My usual pins are dull. At this point, I use a magnetic pin "keeper".

I have read that some fillers in a pin cushion will sharpen your pins. Do they work?

If so, which ones work? If not, which ones don't work?

bkay

Chasing Hawk

You know, I never used one before. I usually keep a fine emery board or a piece of the finest grade of sandpaper near my machine and cutting table. I sometimes run across a pin with a barb on the end, run across the sandpaper or emery board a few times.

mkc

They don't re-sharpen dull pins if the issue is the points. Rather, the filling is either slightly abrasive (sand/silica) or has natural oils (walnut shells) that remove build-up and minor surface corrosion (or prevent it, in the case of the oils). They're not going to restore the pins' former sharpness.

OurWorkbench

Dianne got Clover ‘Sweet ’n Sharp Macaron’ (that she tells about in the January 2024 Colorado Get-together near the bottom of the post) and says it works quite well.

Onebyone

When a pin is dull it goes in the trash. Over done with.

charlottequilts

Just wrote a response that vanished, so trying again. It’s emery powder, which used to be inside the strawberry attached to a tomato pincushion.

I bought pins some years ago from Harriet Hargrave, and they sent an enormous emery strawberry. It sharpens impressively, even the points of fine safety pins. You can buy it online if you’re interested in making pincushions.

hugs,
charlotte

DJ

If I have a stubborn pin, I run it through my hair and it slips right through. It doesn't sharpen it, of course, it just oils it a bit.