Recently I had a pin fly off into never land because of the needle nose pliers slipping. Once I found it and when I went to remove the other other one I put a rag over the pin and then used the pliers - for one to stop flying round pins grabbed in a flat surface and two, to stop any marring from the plier jaws.

The drift I use to drive pins out is always smaller in diameter than the pin I am driving - that is a must. That way if the pin comes out easily - I don't make the hole any bigger if I slip.

Just food for thought.

Dave......JW