Locking pin backs questions

[lorijohnhill]

Hi,
I had purchased some of the locking pin backs at Disneyland, but keeping track of that tiny allen wrench is kind of a pain. What do you use to keep your pins from falling off of your lanyard? We are going to try pin trading for the first time on our next trip, so I'm looking for something that works well and is easy to use.

Do you have a favorite type of locking pin back?
What brand?
Where do you get them?

 

[Imdboss]

My kids have just used the standard Mickey ear pin backs. I bought a pack for each of them so they can swap out any old pin backs with the new ones that are nice and tight. We rarely have to do that though since CMs typically have them hold onto their back and pin boards don't have the back on the pin so you keep your own. This seems to work pretty well for us plus I check their lanyards throughout the day while standing in lines to make sure all backs are still on tight.

 

[nancy drew]

We put the little allen wrench in a pouch on one of our lanyards. Then we don't have to worry about where it is.

 

[ADLFAN]

I bought a batch of pins on ebay, and a batch of 25 or so locking backs from another seller. They just push on, then you have to pry the end out with your fingernail to unlock it. They work great! We have sadly lost a few shiny new pins when the Mickey head backs would get snagged on clothing and fall off. I just searched for locking pin backs on ebay.

 

[DLmama]

We have a little plastic jar in a leather pouch that DH keeps in his pocket or bag. He keeps extra backs and the little Allen wrench in there.

 

[dotfurio]

We use the DL locking pin backs, but before each trip DH puts aside the ones he wants to trade so he doesn't have to mess with it while trading. We have a DL box at home where we keep all our stuff we only wear at the parks, and the wrench stays in there (lanyards, ears, etc).

 

[lorijohnhill]

Ok, thanks! We are new to this, so I'm a little nervous about it!

 

[nancy drew]

I should add that my kids keep non-trading "keeper" pins locked, and trading pins either unlocked or in the same pouch as the allen wrench. We are at the point now where they need a lanyard for their "keepers" and a lanyard for their "traders".

 

[bumbershoot]

If you're trading, don't lock them.

If you're trading and DO lock them, you'll want to give the Mickey-head backing with the pin, NOT the locking back, so you'll need to keep a baggie of the regular backs with you anyway, so just put the allen wrench in that baggie.

But don't lock the traders. That's just wasting time.

 

[mad hatter fan]

We had lots of trouble getting the Disney locking backs to work well for us but it was a number of years ago. We purchased some like these http://www.ebay.com/itm/50-Lot-Gold...064?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1e90f59b50 and we have been very happy with them. Never lost any pins after that.

 

[Speechphi]

We had lots of trouble getting the Disney locking backs to work well for us but it was a number of years ago. We purchased some like these http://www.ebay.com/itm/50-Lot-Gold...064?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1e90f59b50 and we have been very happy with them. Never lost any pins after that.

Those look nice! We also only lock keepers & I tote the wrench + additional backs in the "make-up zipper" of my purse. But the wrench is a pain, and we've found that some of the pin backs only like some of the wrenches

 

[LizzyS]

I don't really collect the pins, but I do have a couple of them. I have always wondered how well those Mickey backs that come with the pins stay on. Do they just get looser after time?

 

[TechGuy]

I tend to press the backs onto the pins through out the day, while standing in line...

I have not lost any but I tend to leave my keepers in the hotel and only wear my traders, in park. They can get heavy but I can see wanting to show off your keepers.

 

[Nonsuch]

...We purchased some like these http://www.ebay.com/itm/50-Lot-Gold...064?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1e90f59b50 and we have been very happy with them...

Those metal pin backs work quite well, there are many eBay sellers.
I'm not a pin expert, but found several reports that the setscrew pin backs can damage the post.

 

[bumbershoot]

we've found that some of the pin backs only like some of the wrenches

At one point in our few years of many trips to Disneyland, they changed the size of the holes and wrench. We have two separate sets of locking backs and wrenches because of that.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Anyone have a favorite generic kind of locking back that fits the Disney pins? I have a collection and tried to find the locking back kinds but the Disney store in my local malls didn’t have them any more and when I called Disney World they didn’t have them anymore so I tried some from Amazon and they didn’t fit. I’m thinking asking would make life easier to ask here than continually buy and return

 

[lalasmama]

We put the little allen wrench in a pouch on one of our lanyards. Then we don't have to worry about where it is.

This is what we do as well.

 

[LuvOrlando]

These are the ones I thought were most similar but they weren’t wide enough https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B007...6_SY340_QL65&keywords=pin+and+patch+lapel+pin

 

[twodogs]

We use these and they are great. No wrench needed.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/100-Lockin...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649

 

[waltonmkb]

I bought these kind at Hobby Lobby and they work great!