I know that there are a number of Jewlers here in our midst and I wanted to see what you would recommend for quality Bar Pin Backings.
I’ve found these: Hobby Lobby Bar Pin Backs for a good price, but I don’t know how well they would hold up. Do you have good recommendations for these kinds of pin backs that would last awhile?
(Yes, I’ve seen the really clever way to use a second piece and use a safety pin, but I don’t want to go that direction)
There were a number of designs you could solder on a bar with both parts.
But the ones I used were two part put on with the gold or silver solder used in the rest of the piece (if built and not cast), and made of gold or silver so the whole piece would be of the same material. They certainly looked better without that bar which would cheapen the result as well.
A very narrow engrave in the back with a safety pin embedded and a bit if wood covering the engrave sounds like a good idea actually. Things would be different for acrylic and there I would think the bar across would not be good at all. A way to sink each part into the acrylic so it looked like the good jewelry ones would be good but have no idea where you might find such a thing.
I recall some very nice wood pins of NW area native design that had that bar type glued on and thinking that detracted from the look.
Thanks @rbtdanforth, the pins are going to be wooden fronts, so I can’t solder the backs on. I was planning on using epoxy to fix them to the back, but open to better suggestions.
Yes I was not suggesting solder, just saying what I did in metal. I noted the NW native designed orca and how I did not like that glued on look. And I have some made from thin brazing rod that one end was hammered flat and bent to an arc to receive the pin and the other end sharpened to be the pin. Something like that embedded and glued into the wooden backs would keep the hand made look and be as simple as you could accomplish.
Another alternative using those cheap pins would be a deep engrave the size of that metal plate and covered with a veneer thin wood that was the same as the rest.
You do get what you pay for when it comes to jewelry findings. In the past I’ve skimped and regretted it. Those Hobby Lobby pins may be fine quality - but the fact that they don’t say what kind of metal it is kind of causes me to raise an eyebrow.
I’ve had bad experiences with cheap pin backs falling apart, so I’d prioritize quality over pricing. FMG has quite a few options in stock. They’re honestly not my favorite supplier, but at least they’re more specific about the metal type. If nothing else, it gives you a few more options to consider 
THANKS @drea! I think this resource will do quite nicely. I needed at least 100 to start with and for about $14, it’s not out of the question for definitely better quality. (I was finding Sterling Silver for about $1.70 EACH, or a bag from Hobby Lobby for $1.99 for 50. VASTLY different prices and quality)
Much less expensive (and a bit different from the handmade ones, but similar)would need to be embedded in an engraved line but the least intrusive in the look
found at
https://www.dhgate.com/product/pack-of-1000-pcs-22-mm-french-style-u-shape/378386647.html?recinfo=8,103,5#cppd-5-5|null:103:r0660193497
I might think about small rare earth magnets, strong and no chance of fabric damage.
I have engraved a recess in proofgrade ply that I could press a magnet into without adhesive.