Accidentally damaging pins 😭

[DisneyOlivia]

Whilst changing displays today I pulled this Tink pin, one of my faves, off the blue tack board it was on. As I did so - a big layer of the metal from the back stuck to the blue tack - ripping it off the pin 😭.

I had not even imagined that was a possibility but have learnt from my mistake! Luckily not a pin I was planning to trade.

Has anyone else accidentally damaged their pins? 🥲
This comes a week or so after I accidentally bent a pin post of one I bought from DLR 😂🙄, so not my finest moment.

 

[momin.ator]

It happens. Bent post and sometimes posts fall off.

There is a thread somewhere about bending the post back.

I'm sorry this happened. Is that your birthstone?

 

[Pibbman]

I am sorry that you damaged one of your favorite pins. It is such a beautiful pin. I hope you are able to fix it.

I have definitely been in your shoes with bent posts. I once had a Scrooge pin that I purchased come in the male with the post completely bent and I snapped it right off as I was trying to fix it (the post was stuck in those old pin backers). Luckily, I was able to trade for a replacement pin, but I don’t trust those old metal pin backers anymore.

I also found that the free-d element don’t always hold up to the test of time. And screen prints have had a habit of peeling off pins.

 

[TheMickeyMouseRules]

I have had bent posts... broken posts. Pins with moving parts are the worst IMO for becoming damaged. Hinged pins where the two (or three) sides don't aline correctly. Yesterday, I opted out of buying the latest PALM Maleficent pin since I also don't care for lenticular pins and have seen the glue holding lenticular pictures dry out and cause the pin parts to seperate.

 

[Sithathoriunet]

I accidentally broke one of the posts off a favorite pin a couple of years ago, while trying to move it from one board to another. I was eventually able to trade for a replacement, but it still makes me sad, because the original had such happy memories tied to it.

 

[ohanagalaxy]

I have bent a few posts and it kills me every time. I'm sorry that happened to such a beautiful pin!

 

[Jabberwocky]

Broke off the post of an LE100 Disney Auctions pin while trying to move it.

I cried. Because forget about trying to replace it... 🙁

 

[dznycrzyfmly]

I had the base to a post crumble into oblivion this week… YES. The entire base to the post. How the fudge does that happen.. I hadn’t moved the pin in years. Luckily for me I was gifted the exact same pin for Christmas 🤗 Guess I’m making a really nice magnet now!

 

[ViciousLady]

If it's a pin I'm keeping in my collection and the post breaks I have zero qualms about soldering it right back on.

 

[Ajk]

Definitely seen plenty of bent posts over the years, but I don't usually sweat those as they are fairly easy to straighten (knock wood!) If anyone not familiar, let me know and I'll share guidance (I think I wrote the post @momin.ator is referring to. Or maybe just commented on it. Not sure.)

And I agree with @Pibbman that it's often just a matter of time for FreeD and others. Though @TheMickeyMouseRules comment about lenticulars surprised me. Luckily I have not seen that yet (double knock wood!)

 

[DisneyOlivia]

It happens. Bent post and sometimes posts fall off.

There is a thread somewhere about bending the post back.

I'm sorry this happened. Is that your birthstone?

It’s surprisingly not my birthstone! I’m May/emerald and Tink is my fave so I figured it was close enough 😅. Thanks for sharing

 

[DisneyOlivia]

If it's a pin I'm keeping in my collection and the post breaks I have zero qualms about soldering it right back on.

This is a very good point! I’ll keep that in mind if the straightening doesn’t go well 😅

 

[DisneyOlivia]

Definitely seen plenty of bent posts over the years, but I don't usually sweat those as they are fairly easy to straighten (knock wood!) If anyone not familiar, let me know and I'll share guidance (I think I wrote the post @momin.ator is referring to. Or maybe just commented on it. Not sure.)

And I agree with @Pibbman that it's often just a matter of time for FreeD and others. Though @TheMickeyMouseRules comment about lenticulars surprised me. Luckily I have not seen that yet (double knock wood!)

Oh I’d love the post or your comment if it’s easy to find - otherwise I can search for it here. I have seen comments on Facebook but scared to use a lighter close to my pins without someone from DPF confirming first 😂
Thanks everyone for sharing!

 

[Ajk]

A lighter?! I presume to soften the metal. I've never done that and it sounds dangerous to me. Basically the way I've straightened numerous bent posts over the years is as follows:

First off, go sloooooooooooowwwwwwwwwlllllllllllllyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!! Take a needle nose pliers and grasp the post at the very edge of the bend (on the bent side). You are going to grasp them very tightly and rotate your hand. This is not using your arm or shoulder or any big sort of movement. It is a rotation. And especially an extremely slow and SMALL one. You should be unsure if your hand actually moved or not. The tension is mainly in your grip. So a tight grip and very tiny, almost imperceptible rotation. Then STOP! Take a look at the post. Is it still bent? If so, good, it should take a couple of times since you are going...what?...that's right....slowly. So should get slightly straighter with each super tiny rotation. Or maybe it didn't straighten at all yet which is also good as you can then just increase the degree of the rotation another teeny tiny bit. This isn't a straighten in one go sort of thing. Key is tight grip with extremely slow and minor rotations.

Good luck!