Well, these safety pins seem to bend easily, but are plenty springy...of course the bag of them have been riding in my tool box since probably 2003, LOL!My wife has been complaining about the quality of safety pins (well, at least the larger sizes) for a couple of years now. The older ones could not be easily bent with your fingers, and the new, cheap ones almost wilt before your very eyes. So, for others trying this, unclip the safety pin, and try to bend the wire (of the sharp end that clips into the head) by hand. The new ones feel like limp spaghetti - the old ones are pretty robust. Obviously, old pins will last longer when used as a spring.
Uncle Phil,
You've got mail, sir.
Frank