So Quiet

The pin is an under-celebrated invention.

They've probably been around since a man or woman got a splinter. They work because there's little enough friction to be inserted, yet enough friction to then stay in place, often for ages. I've used them in sewing, quick repairs, to remove splinters (apparently needles are better but needs must), putting on race numbers, pinning things to a notice board, in art to wrap string around and in an office setting before staples and before managers worried about the odd stabbing as you did the filing. In the latter case we even remove the pins for re-use when the paper was shredded - can't do that with a staple!

I don't know the cost of a pin but millions must be produced, with such quality engineering. Pick up a meagre pin and note the uniform head, straight and smooth body, sharp point and bright shine. Try to bend one and appreciate the strength of it's tiny cross-section. They are such robust items for their usually single, temporary mission in life. They are one of the few household objects to feature in several 'sayings' (english scholars please help me out with the correct term) "Find a pin and pick it up ....", "so quiet that you could ..."

Definitely worth a photo once in their lifetime.