touching and feeling fine antique steel knitting needles

Knitting and other yarn carfts - Yarn making & use: spin, dye, knit, weave etc. 

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touching and feeling fine antique steel knitting needles Aaron Lewis 07-23-2007
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Posted by Aaron Lewis on July 23, 2007, 8:20 pm
I have just been allowed to touch and feel a set of "Superfine Knitting
Needles" made by THOs Harper & Sons', Redditch England
full set No. 17. While I have looked at them with a hand lens, I have not
fully characterized them yet. The are basically 1 mm steel lace needles,
about 8" long. They have significant wear, but I do not see the wear marks
of a knitting sheath on them.

They are mild steel, tempered for springiness. This tells me that old
needles were spring tempered steel - even when they were not being used with
a knitting sheath/ knitting pouch. But no, I do not yet have a statistically
significant basis for that theory.

They are very like the superfine steel needles that I make, and very unlike
the steel needles that I have recently purchased through commercial sources.

Aaron



Posted by Shirley Shone on July 24, 2007, 1:57 am
>I have just been allowed to touch and feel a set of "Superfine Knitting
>Needles" made by THOs Harper & Sons', Redditch England
>full set No. 17. While I have looked at them with a hand lens, I have not
>fully characterized them yet. The are basically 1 mm steel lace needles,
>about 8" long. They have significant wear, but I do not see the wear marks
>of a knitting sheath on them.
>
>They are mild steel, tempered for springiness. This tells me that old
>needles were spring tempered steel - even when they were not being used with
>a knitting sheath/ knitting pouch. But no, I do not yet have a statistically
>significant basis for that theory.
>
>They are very like the superfine steel needles that I make, and very unlike
>the steel needles that I have recently purchased through commercial sources.
>
>Aaron
>
>
On my website under antiques I have a red leather case with blue steel
knitting needles and bodkins in.
It is about 1860 so I was told by the vendor.
Probably used for knitting fine lace stockings and gloves.
Shirley
--
Shirley Shone
shirley@allcrafts.demon.co.uk
http://www.allcrafts.org.uk

Posted by Mirjam Bruck-Cohen on July 24, 2007, 11:14 am
In the collection of my late mother there were 3 pairs of Cast iron
needles circa 1936 ,,,,,,
they lived very long ,,,
mirjam

>>I have just been allowed to touch and feel a set of "Superfine Knitting
>>Needles" made by THOs Harper & Sons', Redditch England
>>full set No. 17. While I have looked at them with a hand lens, I have not
>>fully characterized them yet. The are basically 1 mm steel lace needles,
>>about 8" long. They have significant wear, but I do not see the wear marks
>>of a knitting sheath on them.
>>
>>They are mild steel, tempered for springiness. This tells me that old
>>needles were spring tempered steel - even when they were not being used with
>>a knitting sheath/ knitting pouch. But no, I do not yet have a statistically
>>significant basis for that theory.
>>
>>They are very like the superfine steel needles that I make, and very unlike
>>the steel needles that I have recently purchased through commercial sources.


Posted by Aaron Lewis on July 24, 2007, 5:01 pm
Are those cast iron needles still extant? If not, what happened to them?
What was (or is) it like to knit with them?


Aaron


> In the collection of my late mother there were 3 pairs of Cast iron
> needles circa 1936 ,,,,,,
> they lived very long ,,,
> mirjam
>
>>>I have just been allowed to touch and feel a set of "Superfine Knitting
>>>Needles" made by THOs Harper & Sons', Redditch England
>>>full set No. 17. While I have looked at them with a hand lens, I have
>>>not
>>>fully characterized them yet. The are basically 1 mm steel lace needles,
>>>about 8" long. They have significant wear, but I do not see the wear
>>>marks
>>>of a knitting sheath on them.
>>>
>>>They are mild steel, tempered for springiness. This tells me that old
>>>needles were spring tempered steel - even when they were not being used
>>>with
>>>a knitting sheath/ knitting pouch. But no, I do not yet have a
>>>statistically
>>>significant basis for that theory.
>>>
>>>They are very like the superfine steel needles that I make, and very
>>>unlike
>>>the steel needles that I have recently purchased through commercial
>>>sources.
>



Posted by Mirjam Bruck-Cohen on July 24, 2007, 11:55 pm
I tried to knit with them , and wasn`t happy at all , i found them too
heavy , glitchy,cold , sure i put them away somewhere or gave them,
or ??? have no idea ,,,,, they weren`t good for me.
mirjam

>Are those cast iron needles still extant? If not, what happened to them?
>What was (or is) it like to knit with them?
>
>
>Aaron
>
>

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