Comments on: “The sting of a hornet”; Edwardian hat-pin self defence

By: joe nawrozki

joe nawrozki — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 08:07:42 +0000

hat pins are unorthodox, effective weapons for self defense…women don’t need to wear a hat…just hide it stuck on the inside of a coat collar, in the strap of a hand bag…know where to strike…and wa-la…surprise, surprise.

By: Bartitsu Society

Bartitsu Society — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 06:31:13 +0000

Granted – I went with Edwardian because most of the sources were post 1901. I get tired of writing “late Victorian/Edwardian” and “fin de siecle” just tends to confuse people.

By: Bartitsu Society

Bartitsu Society — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 06:29:20 +0000

Good for her (maybe).

By: Sharon

Sharon — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 05:59:39 +0000

Fantastic article. Just a quick note though, circa 1900, Queen Victoria was still on the throne. She didn’t die until 1901. So late Victorian & Edwardian. Sorry to be pedantic. X

By: minitru

minitru — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 02:21:31 +0000

According to family legend, my great-aunt once foiled a mugger using her hatpin. She got him in the ribs, he hobbled away, and he was arrested when he went to the hospital where my granny worked as a nurse and she recognized her sister’s thistle hatpin. My great-aunt had $3.50 in her purse at the time. True story. Maybe.

By: Elsie Collins

Elsie Collins — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 00:05:28 +0000

Yet another brilliant reason to wear a hat!! It could save your life!!!
Oh, BTW, hat pins were also sometimes referred to as “line movers”, as in, when standing in a queue.

By: Scrapiana

Scrapiana — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 13:03:33 +0000

Extraordinary! Thanks for enlightening me on this unexpected use of the hatpin.

By: Steampunk News » Congratulations are in order, and beware the hatpin

Steampunk News » Congratulations are in order, and beware the hatpin — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 18:08:31 +0000

[...] fantastic is this entry by the Bartitsu Society on using hatpins as self-defense weapons. Ladies, take [...]

By: Steampunk News » Congratulations are in order, and beware the hatpin

Steampunk News » Congratulations are in order, and beware the hatpin — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 11:14:26 +0000

[...] lit - fantastic." That sums it up, I think. Also fantastic is this entry by the Bartitsu Society on using hatpins as self-defense weapons. Ladies, take note! And finally, for the steampunk-minded in the Chicago area, there's a [...]