To sharpen Hornet’s Needle in Hollow Knight: Silksong, save Bellhart by defeating Widow, then speak to Pinmaster Plinney at his workshop in town. The first upgrade is free; subsequent upgrades require Pale Oil, and the upper tiers also cost Rosaries.
How to unlock Pinmaster Plinney
- Travel through Shellwood and defeat Widow to free Bellhart, as described in Nintendo Life’s upgrade guide.
- Once Bellhart is saved, find Pinmaster Plinney’s workshop in town and speak to him. He gives Hornet the first Needle upgrade at no cost.
Needle upgrade tiers and costs
The following damage values and upgrade requirements are listed by Hollow Knight Wiki’s Needle page and its Pale Oil page. They are reference-listed game values, not independent tests across current platform builds.
| Needle tier | Listed damage | Requirement listed |
|---|---|---|
| Needle | 5 | Starting weapon |
| Sharpened Needle | 9 | First upgrade; free |
| Shining Needle | 13 | Pale Oil |
| Hivesteel Needle | 17 | Pale Oil and 450 Rosaries |
| Pale Steel Needle | 21 | Pale Oil and 680 Rosaries |
The listed sequence has three Pale Oil upgrades after the free Sharpened Needle. The reference lists Rosary costs for Hivesteel and Pale Steel; it does not state a Rosary cost for Shining Needle.
What Pale Oil does
Pale Oil is the material Pinmaster Plinney uses for later Needle upgrades. The item description reproduced by Hollow Knight Wiki reads: “Bile gland of a rare sylphean slug. Talented pinmasters can use the glistening liquid within to improve a blade’s sharpness.”
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- Discover the fallen insect kingdom of Pharloom! Explore mossy grottos, gilded cities and misted moors as you ascend to the shining citadel at the top of the world.
- Engage in lethal acrobatic action! Wield a huge suite of deadly moves as you dance between foes in swift, beautiful combat.
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The weapon descriptions make the first change clear: the original Needle’s blade is described as marked by time and use, while the Sharpened Needle’s is “honed to a fine edge.” These descriptions are reproduced by the same Needle reference.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why you cannot sharpen it with an item
“Sharpen” here means upgrading Hornet’s weapon through Plinney after Bellhart is freed. It is an in-game progression system, not an action performed with a real sharpening tool or a generic item from the inventory.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
![Hollow Knight - Nintendo Switch [Digital Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51nXCF+sf5L._SL160_.jpg)
- Classic side-scrolling action, with all the modern trimmings.
- Forge your own path! The world of Hallownest is expansive and open. Choose which paths you take, which enemies you face and find your own way forward.
- Evolve with powerful new skills and abilities! Gain spells, strength and speed. Leap to new heights on ethereal wings. Dash forward in a blazing flash. Blast foes with fiery Soul!
- Equip Charms! Ancient relics that offer bizarre new powers and abilities. Choose your favorites and make your journey unique!
- An enormous cast of cute and creepy characters all brought to life with traditional 2D frame-by-frame animation.
Rank #3
- Classic side-scrolling action, with all the modern trimmings.
- Tightly tuned 2D controls. Dodge, dash and slash your way through even the most deadly adversaries.
- Explore a vast interconnected world of forgotten highways, overgrown wilds and ruined cities.
- Forge your own path! The world of Hallownest is expansive and open. Choose which paths you take, which enemies you face and find your own way forward.
- Evolve with powerful new skills and abilities! Gain spells, strength and speed. Leap to new heights on ethereal wings. Dash forward in a blazing flash. Blast foes with fiery Soul!.Equip Charms! Ancient relics that offer bizarre new powers and abilities. Choose your favourites and make your journey unique!.An enormous cast of cute and creepy characters all brought to life with traditional 2D frame-by-frame animation..
Rank #2
- Hollow Knight: Silksong is the epic sequel to Hollow Knight, the award winning action-adventure.
- Journey to all-new lands, discover new powers, battle vast hordes of bugs and beasts and uncover secrets tied to your nature and your past.
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