T-Pins, Nickel Plated

Quick Answer: T-Pins, Nickel Plated are straight steel pins with a T-shaped head and a nickel-plated finish. In biology labs they pin specimens open in dissecting trays; in classrooms they fix papers, labels and fabric to cork and foam boards.

The Point of a T-Shaped Head

The T-shaped head is what distinguishes these pins from ordinary dressmaker’s or map pins. It is wide enough to push with a thumb without the pin digging into the skin, it gives a firm grip for pulling the pin out again, and it lies flat, holding down a flap of tissue or paper across its whole width. That makes them the standard choice for pinning out specimens in wax-bottomed dissecting trays.

Nickel plating covers the steel with a smooth, bright layer that resists rust better than bare steel, an advantage for pins that meet water, saline and tissue fluids. The plating is thin, though, and wears with repeated use, so drying pins after each practical keeps them in service longer. The length and gauge of these pins and the number per pack are not given in the listing.

These are not insect pins. Entomology collections use finer, longer stainless pins driven through the insect itself; pins of this type are too thick for that, but they are used on spreading boards to hold paper strips across butterfly and moth wings while the specimen dries.

Handling and Storage

• Count the pins out and back in during practicals so none are left in specimens or bins.
• Rinse and dry pins after dissection; the nickel layer resists rust, but not indefinitely.
• Store them stuck into a foam block or in a closed box, points protected.
• Users with a known nickel allergy should wear gloves when handling nickel-plated pins.

Where T-Pins Are Used

• Pinning earthworms, fish and other specimens open in dissecting trays
• Holding paper strips over wings on insect spreading boards
• Fixing labels, charts and student work to cork or foam display boards
• Holding fabric and paper templates in textile and craft rooms

Specifications

Why Choose LabEquip

Biology departments reorder T-pins regularly because they are lost and bent in every dissection practical. LabEquip supplies them with its biology lab products, and they pair naturally with the deluxe dissecting set with tray.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are T-pins used in dissection instead of ordinary pins?

The wide T-shaped head is easy to push and pull, does not dig into the thumb, and holds tissue down across its width. Ordinary round-headed pins are shorter and harder to grip with gloves on.

At what angle should the pins go into a wax tray?

Insert them at about 45 degrees, leaning away from the specimen. The pin then pulls the tissue outward and holds it open, and the head stays clear of the scissors and forceps.

Do nickel-plated pins rust?

The nickel layer protects the steel well at first, but the plating wears and chips with repeated use, especially at the point. Rinsing and drying pins after each wet practical slows rusting considerably.

Can these pins be used for mounting insects?

Not through the insect itself; entomological pins are thinner and made for that. T-shaped pins are used around the specimen instead, for example to hold down paper strips over the wings on a spreading board.

Are nickel-plated pins a problem for people with nickel allergy?

They can be. Nickel is a common cause of contact allergy, so students or staff who react to nickel should handle the pins with gloves.

How should used pins be disposed of?

Pins that are bent or badly corroded should go into a sharps container, not the general bin. Pins used in animal dissections should be disinfected before being reused or discarded.

Last Updated: September 2026