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touching and feeling fine antique steel knitting needles

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

Reply to
Aaron Lewis
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In message , Aaron Lewis writes

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

Reply to
Shirley Shone

In the collection of my late mother there were 3 pairs of Cast iron needles circa 1936 ,,,,,, they lived very long ,,, mirjam

Reply to
Mirjam Bruck-Cohen

That is a wonderful set.

Any idea how the needles were made? (i.e., are the needles springy? )

Reply to
Aaron Lewis

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

Aaron

Reply to
Aaron Lewis

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

Reply to
Mirjam Bruck-Cohen

PS i still have my OLD cast iron U form piece for making HAIR PIN LACE ,, in this method the heaviness of the U helps me working better thah a modern plasticated one ,,, but i have some chipped places on the u ,,,, mirjam

Reply to
Mirjam Bruck-Cohen

They have a tiny bit of spring but not much, The needles are a sort of blue mottled with gold ends, I can scan them and send the scan in an email to you. You would get a better picture of them. I will also look in my books to see if there is any mention of them. I used to collect antique needlework tools but can no longer afford them. Shirley

In message , Aaron Lewis writes

Reply to
Shirley Shone

Are you sure that they are steel? Have you checked with a magnet? They might be silver with gold plated tips? For example, coin silver would be quite firm with a slight springiness. It would oxidize to a deep bluish black. I have some old Russian silver that is that color. But if silver, they would be easy to plate with gold for the ultimate in smoothness. I know Faberge did silver needles with gold tipped ends, and I assume other makers did as well.

They are a nice set. A lady could be proud to be seen knitting with them.

Aaron

Reply to
Aaron Lewis

That is what I thought.

I could not see cast iron needles as being pleasant to use.

Thanks for the info.

Aaron

Reply to
Aaron Lewis

Yes , but when you don`t have alternatives you use that which you can find , mirjam

Reply to
Mirjam Bruck-Cohen

They are definitely steel. I tried the magnet and they jumped on to it. In fact they stick together now. LOL I will send you a scan of them. Shirley

In message , Aaron Lewis writes

Reply to
Shirley Shone

What a great set of steel needles!

I would love to know what those "gold" tips are.

Would you mind taking them to Antiques Road show the next time it comes around?

Aaron

Reply to
Aaron Lewis

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