Pins
Created | Updated May 19, 2006
Pins are small, usually metal objects which can attach one object e.g. a piece of cloth to another similar object. There are many different kinds of pins and they are made in many different shapes and sizes. You should be very wary of pins as most are very sharp and can pierce the skin causing pain (nerve stimulation) and blood loss although luckily this is usually short-lived and the puncture wound will heal fairly quickly. There are different kinds of pins and these are used for different purposes:
Drawing Pins
These are short pins that are often made of brass, a metal. They have a disc made of the same material as the pin at one end, which enables a person to push the pin into a semi-solid surface. At the other end of the pin is a sharp point. Drawing pins are used to secure notices and other similar documents to walls or noticeboards: pressure is applied to the disc causing the point at the other end to penetrate the surface. A disadvantage of using drawing pins in this way is that they can become bent when unevenly distributed pressure is applied to the disc to make the pin stick into a wall. This makes the pin useless, the person angry, more perforations in the surface and less drawing pins than before. Drawing pins are often used at Christmas for displaying greetings cards, balloons and useless paper decorations.
Safety Pins
These pins are considerably different in appearance to drawing pins as they are used for different purposes. A safety pin consists of two parallel pieces of metal wire held together at the ends with stronger, round-ended pieces of metal. To fasten this pin to various materials, the parallel metal wires must be squeezed together, causing the end of one of them to separate from the round-ended metal piece at one end. The wire is very sharp, so care must be taken so you do not puncture your skin. The pin may now be pushed through the material, and the separated wire then replaced to secure the pin and material.
Rolling Pins
Rolling pins do not fit in with the usual 'fastening together' concept of pins. They are used for flattening and stretching dough or other mixed ingredients as part of the preparation/cooking method. Rolling pins are usually made from wood, although nowadays they are often made from plastic. They are cylindrical in shape and are typically around 12 inches long, although length can vary. Some persons may decide to use a rolling pin in the manner of a club, i.e. for hitting other persons over the head. This is not very nice.
Drawing Pins
These are short pins that are often made of brass, a metal. They have a disc made of the same material as the pin at one end, which enables a person to push the pin into a semi-solid surface. At the other end of the pin is a sharp point. Drawing pins are used to secure notices and other similar documents to walls or noticeboards: pressure is applied to the disc causing the point at the other end to penetrate the surface. A disadvantage of using drawing pins in this way is that they can become bent when unevenly distributed pressure is applied to the disc to make the pin stick into a wall. This makes the pin useless, the person angry, more perforations in the surface and less drawing pins than before. Drawing pins are often used at Christmas for displaying greetings cards, balloons and useless paper decorations.
Safety Pins
These pins are considerably different in appearance to drawing pins as they are used for different purposes. A safety pin consists of two parallel pieces of metal wire held together at the ends with stronger, round-ended pieces of metal. To fasten this pin to various materials, the parallel metal wires must be squeezed together, causing the end of one of them to separate from the round-ended metal piece at one end. The wire is very sharp, so care must be taken so you do not puncture your skin. The pin may now be pushed through the material, and the separated wire then replaced to secure the pin and material.
Rolling Pins
Rolling pins do not fit in with the usual 'fastening together' concept of pins. They are used for flattening and stretching dough or other mixed ingredients as part of the preparation/cooking method. Rolling pins are usually made from wood, although nowadays they are often made from plastic. They are cylindrical in shape and are typically around 12 inches long, although length can vary. Some persons may decide to use a rolling pin in the manner of a club, i.e. for hitting other persons over the head. This is not very nice.
