The (humble) safety pin

Simple in design and form, the humble safety pin has one of the widest uses anyone can think of. From holding up your trouser in the most of embarrassing of situations to pinning on your childs triumphs on the school sports field, from first aid applications to using it on your baby’s nappy, to making a fashion statement for the 1970’s punk to post modern jewellery of the more conservative, the safety pin is the go anywhere, easily portable and most ultimately useful thing you can find at the bottom of your handbag. It has a simple design; it's strong but still lightweight and is made from readily available materials. Its clever mechanical action is form and motion at its best and does not depend on any external power sources to make it work. It is more amazing to think that this was a product of one man’s afternoon of pondering how to pay back a $15 debt just over 150 years ago and it has never gone out of fashion nor been replaced by a superior design. Our familiar modern form of the pin was invented by Walter Hunt and the patent sold to for $400 to the man he owe that $15 debt to. That design has earned millions over the intervening period

Submitted by: Elaina Hermitage