How can I make a pincushion that actually sharpens pins?

stuff your pin cushion pocket with steel wool, not the kind with soap in it, it will sharpen you needles perfectly,.

Stuff the pin cushion with sand. It will sharpen the pins, when I used to work as a seamstress, I would stitch on sandpaper to sharpen my needles.

When I was a child almost 70 years ago, my Mamaw Woods taught me to make pincushions. I believe they were all shaped liked red tomatoes with black thread to bind the sections tightly. We usually stuffed the pincushions with sawdust. But I remember Papaw brought in a rasp one year and a metal pipe. He covered his lap with a flour sack dishcloth, and set the pipe between his legs. He used the rasp to file off small shavings from the pipe. Mamaw added the shavings to the sawdust and let me mix them together. She stuffed the pincushions with the mixture and sewed the bottom in a drawn circle, then with a star of green felt sewn on the bottom to keep the stuffing inside. Then I got to run the black thread around and around and Mamaw sewed another felt star to hold the thread in place. These pincushions were Mamaw’s Christmas presents to her three daughters, her daughter-in-law (my mother), and her oldest granddaughter (not me). She told them all that I helped, and that their pins and needles would stay sharp in the pincushion. I would not have any idea where to get metal shavings today, but they were the special secret ingredient for these special pincushions. 😊

I've made them and filled them with steel wool, which sharpens needles.