How often do you wear a kilt pin?

[OC Richard]

I was going to put "never" but you know, once in a great while I will wear one. And I have a really nice one! Bespoke from Ortak I think, a nice Sterling Silver Celtic cross (which they only offered as a pendant, and I had to ask them to make it up into a pin).



But I've been around Pipe Bands for 35 years or so now. Ever seen a pile of 20 year old band kilts, where the band wears kilt pins? I've seen several such piles from different bands, and you'll not see one which doesn't have some of the kilts, sometimes most of the kilts, with tears or rips or at least shaggy enlarged holes where the kilt pins go. There will not be a SINGLE kilt where you can take off the kilt pin and not plainly see evidence of where the pin was, displaced threads and small holes being the best-case scenario.

The logic of the thing escapes me: "Let's spend $500 a piece on heavyweight handsewn kilts, then hand them over to a roomful of chimpanzees armed with icepicks to jab holes in them." (That's what the kilts look like!)

Think of the drummers, who are hooking up and unhooking their heavy drums constantly, these drums having numerous projecting bits any of which can catch on the kilt pin. Put down the drum and rip! there it goes. We pipers aren't quite as hard on our kilts but say if the band has to march through a crowded room, shoving through people and past chairs and one of the kilt pins catches on chair and rip! there it goes.

So we're starting up a new Pipe Band now and we're looking to buy kilts and it's no kilt pins, never! Kilts are a big investment and we want them to stay is as good a shape as possible.

I trawl used kilts on Ebay regularly and I see, all the time, vintage or used kilts showing damage from a kilt pin. I have to pass on those kilts, even if otherwise I would want them.

BTW there was a nice thread a while back "show us your kilt pins"

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...lt-pins-64703/

and I was surprised that most of the things people are wearing on their kilts aren't things designed as kilt pins, but are as random an assortment of objects as can be imagined... basically anything that has a pin back, or can have a pin back attached, is used as a kilt pin.

[MNlad]

*** Always. The one exception, if you can call it that, are my X-kilts, which I view as more utilitarian garments. Since a pin might get in the way, I asked my daughter to embroider a pin on them instead. (Talk about un-removable.)



Works for me.

[Spartan Tartan]

Never. not ever. Apparently, I am in the minority on this issue, but I already knew that.

[kiltedrennie]

I didn't wear one for the first few months... until winter came along with the associated wind. I ran out to Hobby Lobby and put together a quick pin. I plan to purchase a more traditional cross or claymore pin soon, but this one does the job.

[unixken]

I would be in the "Always" camp, but for me, it is based on the kilt I'm wearing. I always wear one on my PV and heavyweight wool kilts, but never on my SportKilt "team kilt", my 5.11 TDKs, or a recently purchased light weight 5 yard kilt from Scotweb that I feel is too light to support a kilt pin without sagging, pulling, or distorting the fabric.

[Singlemalt]

*** Always. The one exception, if you can call it that, are my X-kilts, which I view as more utilitarian garments. Since a pin might get in the way, I asked my daughter to embroider a pin on them instead. (Talk about un-removable.)



Works for me.

I am not much for modern kilts but this one looks great and I like the embroidered pin, congratulations!

[sailortats]

I, too, am in the "always" category. When I order a new kilt, during the Jonesing I am searching for the kilt pin for that kilt. By the time the kilt arrives a new pin is waiting for it or the pin accompanies the new kilt. Once on the kilt it never comes off unless going to the cleaners which isn't often.

[Mike in Dayton]

As many have said once a pin goes on a kilt it stays there. I now have more kilts then pins so I have one or two kilts without pins. I will wear those without a pin until I obtain one for that kilt. I will occasionally swap a kilt pin with another. For example when attending a Ham Radio event I put on my kilt pin made from a radio tube.

For utility type kilts I don't put a kilt pin on those.

Mike

[tadyergey]

On my traditional kilts... Always. On my sport kilt and XKilts never. Though I do like the idea of an embroidered one. I may have to do that to my Boy Scout XKilt.

[Chas]

I have converted most of my 'pins' to magnets. The smaller lightweight ones have two magnets and the larger ones have three. Even if someone grabbed the pin and ran off, all that would happen would be the magnets would fall to the floor. No damage to the kilt.

Regards

Chas