As I will be home for the holidays and thus not able to spend all of my time in the computer lab at school (they are doing electrical work in the building at the end of the month, and the computers will be shut off so I can't even remotely do work from my parent's house), I thought I would do something useful with myself and make a bunch of straight hairpins. It will remain to be seen if I can manage a wound-wire head, or if I'll just end up soldering the top on.Anyway, I am wondering if anyone who has made these sorts of hairpins has suggestions for the type of wire (thickness, content) to use for the pins. I will have access to my father's elaborate workshop, with all sorts of tools and such, and also access to all sorts of supply shops in the DC area. I may even try out a few with beaded tops, depending on the difficulty, as there is a terrific bead store nearby. I know from experience that it takes roughly 30-40 straight pins MINIMUM to get my hair/veil/hood settled so that everything doesn't immediately fall apart.
Are there also any suggestions for sharpening the pins? I remember from the _Bone, Antler, Ivory, and Horn_ books (the more recent one part of the Arch. of York series) by MacGregor that chunks of cow bone were used to sharpen the pins, by making little grooves in the bone that you could set the wire into so the metal wouldn't bend when it was being sharpened. I could probably do the same with a block of wood (or go to the butcher and see if I can get a big hunk of cow bone, i guess), but what to sharpen them *with*?? Fine metal-sandpaper? An electric grinding wheel (tempting... 
)?
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posted 12-14-2001 01:16 PM
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