Hornet’s Needle in Hollow Knight: Silksong gets its first permanent sharpening from Pinmaster Plinney after you free Bellhart by defeating Widow in Shellwood. That first sharpening is free. A second, later upgrade depends on Pale Oil, which Plinney provides after the first one. Separately, a short-term Needle damage tool can be found in Deep Docks. It is a temporary boost, not a permanent weapon upgrade.
Step 1: Free Bellhart and get the first sharpening
The first Needle upgrade is locked behind a boss fight and a rescue. The title guide’s route runs in this order:
- Defeat Widow in Shellwood. This frees Bellhart.
- Find Pinmaster Plinney in Bellhart. The guide places him in a building marked with three white pins. That landmark comes from the guide alone and was not confirmed by other references.
- Talk to Plinney and choose the “Sharpen Needle?” option.
The guide describes this first sharpening as free and permanent. Nothing else needs to be paid for at this stage.
Step 2: Start Pinmaster’s Oil Wish and collect Pale Oil
The second upgrade does not come from a simple second payment. It runs through Pinmaster’s Oil Wish, which Plinney starts once you have completed the first sharpening.
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- After the first sharpening, speak with Plinney again to begin Pinmaster’s Oil Wish.
- Complete the wish to receive Pale Oil. The wiki reference says Plinney gives it to you in Bellhart.
- Bring the Pale Oil to Plinney to upgrade Hornet’s Needle a second time.
Pale Oil is the key item here. The wiki describes it as a rare substance, and Plinney’s in-game dialogue reflects that. In the wiki’s transcript he says: “Welly, ho! That oil! You have it! That rare substance, hoarded close by the Citadel. Few are the pinmasters of our age that ever chanced to work its wonders.”
The two upgrades named in the title are not the whole Needle upgrade system. Pale Oil reference material lists later tiers that require more Pale Oil and Rosary. Those tiers go beyond the two-stage route covered here, so the second upgrade in this guide should not be read as the last possible sharpening.
Step 3: Find the temporary Deep Docks boost
The title guide reports a temporary Needle damage tool in the upper-left vertical rooms of Deep Docks. The guide is explicit that this is a short-term boost and not a true upgrade. It does not change the Needle permanently, and it should not be counted as one of the two permanent sharpenings.
The available sources do not give the tool’s exact item name, how long it lasts, how much damage it adds, or whether it depends on your build. Treat any specific figure for it with caution until you confirm it in your own playthrough.
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How the three boosts compare
| Boost | Permanent? | How you get it | Where | Damage change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Plinney sharpening | Yes | Free, after freeing Bellhart by defeating Widow | Bellhart, Plinney’s building (three white pins, per the title guide) | Not stated in the title guide or wiki material reviewed |
| Second Plinney upgrade (Pale Oil) | Yes | Pale Oil from Pinmaster’s Oil Wish, brought to Plinney | Bellhart | Not stated in the title guide or wiki material reviewed |
| Deep Docks Needle tool | No, temporary | Found in the upper-left vertical rooms | Deep Docks | Not stated in the title guide or wiki material reviewed |
The comparison comes down to three points. The first two are permanent Plinney upgrades, and the Pale Oil upgrade requires a quest to finish. The Deep Docks tool is temporary, and it is found by exploring rather than through an NPC service.
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What is not yet confirmed
- Room directions and landmark details come from the title guide and the wiki. They have not been independently verified in gameplay for this article.
- Silksong receives patches, so item locations, quest steps, and boost behaviour can change. The guide and wiki material was checked in October 2026. Compare against the current patch notes if something does not match.
- No damage numbers are given for the temporary tool, and none are presented here as established.
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