hatpins?

[designerbeads]

I want to try making some hatpins and I'm wondering what to use for the pin part. I have an old victorian hatpin where the glass is attached directly to the end as a simple round in the manner of the old glass end straight pins on what appears to be a stainless, very sharp 9" base.
It is finer than the standard 1/16" mandrel, more like 1mm thick.

I would like to find a source for the steel rods in the 1mm thickness and if they were already cut to length and sharpened that would be nice. If not, does anyone know what the best way to sharpen them might be?
I don't really want to make myself crazy or to have to buy masses of new equipment

Any help would be greatly appreciated, Thank-you...

Laurie

[FosterFire]

Quick search on google came up with this:

http://www.manyhorses.com/store_hatpins.htm

It occurs to me that all you need to do is determine the gauge and the metal and then buy wire. There are several people here who work metal as well as glass and might even make them for you. I think 1/16 welding rod would be great, as they would be very sturdy. Both copper and stainless steel could have the glass directly applied to the end. You can search here on copper button shanks for tips on how to do that.

I would also suggest that you walk through an antique store or someplace that sells them if you are trying to replicate old time designs. There may be several thicknesses and lengths of hatpins to choose from, depending on the hat to be skewered.

[designerbeads]

Thank-you, yes, it would be good to know the gauge for 1mm. I have ordered stainless wire in the past, it came coiled which would require some straitening.

I would like to know if there is a preferred method for making the sharpened ends.

I have a wholesale supplier who has the hatpins like you showed. They are in .045 nickel silver or .050 brass. I am thinking they might not hold up to the heat. I wonder if anyone has tried them?

Laurie

[shawnette]

Originally Posted by designerbeads

Thank-you, yes, it would be good to know the gauge for 1mm. I have ordered stainless wire in the past, it came coiled which would require some straitening.

I would like to know if there is a preferred method for making the sharpened ends.

I have a wholesale supplier who has the hatpins like you showed. They are in .045 nickel silver or .050 brass. I am thinking they might not hold up to the heat. I wonder if anyone has tried them?

Laurie

You can get .045 stainless TIG and make your own. I use .045 mandrels for earring beads.

[labelleperle]

1mm wire is about 18 gauge. Not sure if that helps!! Jennie

[Alaska]

Air Gas, at least on their website, does list .045 stainless steel TIG filler in 3 foot lengths. Your local Air Gas shop may not stock it but it could be ordered in one to ten pounds lots.

Also stainless steel MIG wire is available in smaller OD's. Usually .035 inches depending on your needs. Again a welding shop product. But getting it straight would be another task to complete.

[designerbeads]

I am just seeing 10 lb. boxes online locally, will have to wait till holidays are done to phone and ask about smaller quantities...

tra la la, tap tap tap...

[FosterFire]

Quick FYI - there are hatpin societies and groups of collectors. You might just ask them what they would want. I had some button collector people tell me that glass shanks were more authentic but some fiber people tell me they liked metal shanks better as the glass shanks have to be perfect or they cut the fibers.

[designerbeads]

I made a first attempt using a hatpin base from a local bead store...no information on what type of metal so I kept it small and simple.
It worked fine. I held it in a pin vise and popped it in the annealer with the beads and though it darkened the metal, it held up so I will try some more.

Thanks everybody for the help!

Laurie

[FosterFire]

Pictures?

[designerbeads]

it's really quite boring, black with a bit of frit so maybe when I have a few good ones...

cheers, Laurie

[designerbeads]

ok, just a scanner shot of what I did yesterday.

The metal does not hold up to intensive heat but is ok if I keep it simple.

Laurie

[FosterFire]

Not bad at all. Makes them look antique.

[Magicfire]

Very nice!

I made some the other day...I ended up buying some long, thin quilting needles at the fabric store. I discovered that the eye end melts very easily, but as long as I was careful not to leave the metal in the flame too long it was okay.

If you can find some long quilting pins and them cut off the head part, that would work too. The longest pins I could find were 2", but I bet there are longer ones online.

Also, the dark color pretty much comes off if you scrub it a little with a scouring sponge or something similar.

[Magicfire]

Now you've got me looking for long pins. lol I can't seem to find any over 2"...

The long quilting needles on this page are pretty much what I ended up using, except I paid $2 for 6 at the fabric store:

Gold Eye Quilt Basting Needles
Size 7, 10 count
42519 $1.75

http://www.ericas.com/quilting/tools/pinsandneedles.htm

Edit: well, duh, you can buy actual hat pins/florist pins that are longer. This local place has 3" ones for .25 each. I assume you can break the heads off with a hammer or just cut the heads off with wire cutters. It might be simpler than sharpening your own.

http://www.bridalfabric.com/images/milliner.htm

edit: just reread your post and realized that you had already found hatpins at your local store. oops

[FosterFire]

Originally Posted by Magicfire

The long quilting needles on this page are pretty much what I ended up using, except I paid $2 for 6 at the fabric store:
Gold Eye Quilt Basting Needles
Size 7, 10 count
42519 $1.75

Do you have pictures you could post? I'm not sure of your intent? Are you making custom pins from the needles or making hatpins? TIA!

[Magicfire]

I used needles to make custom quilting-type pins. They are long and nice and sharp, and you can't tell I used a needle; the eye is covered with glass of course, and it melts together anyway.

Obviously the OP is making hatpins, which would be longer and thicker than what I made. One can buy the tig rod and make your own, or buy commercial hatpins and remove the head and make your own glass head on it.

I would be inclined to buy the commercial pins or hatpins or whatever, but that is just me. Either way would be fine. The main thing is to have fun with the glass part!

I was trying to help by finding a source for the pins, but I didn't read the original post carefully enough, and it looks like the OP has it covered.

-Patti

[wendybritt]

How bout these?

http://www.manyhorses.com/store_stee...stick_pins.htm

some examples from their site:

http://www.manyhorses.com/store_vintage_hatpins.htm

[LoriGreenberg]

I have gotten hat pins from Rings & Things. I don't make hatpins but have used them for other things:

Hat Pins at Rings & Things

I don't know how they would hold up to a flame or how much heat they conduct but they are hat pins.