On April 10 we celebrate the safety pin, patented on this day in 1849 by an inventor named Walter Hunt. Hunt is known for a number of other inventions, too, including an innovative lockstitch sewing machine, an icebreaking attachment for boats, and a nail-making machine, to cite just a few examples. Like the paperclip, the safety pin is basically a bent piece of wire, but its simplicity belies its utility. It has spared many a finger from unwanted holes while keeping clothing together that really wants to be apart.
