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Wood: Yew do it?

Maybe?

But, bamboo *does* do it!. It turns out that commercial bamboo needles in sizes ~ US #4 - #6 do have a spring constant that is suitable for use with a knitting sheath or pouch. This opens up a world of fast and easy knitting for those of you that like looser fabrics. With # 4 *aluminum* needles, I knit faster continental style than using a sheath. With the # 4 *bamboo* needles, knitting with a sheath is much faster, than any other knitting method using any #4 needles that I have tried. ( I do not do ROSEWOOD! Test them yourself!!)

Knitting with such needles (and knitting sheath) has similar physics to knitting with #1 steel needles and a sheath. However, the stitch size is larger, therefore needle tip travel is greater, and resulting knitting speed in stitches per minute is less that with the smaller steel needles. However, fabric production in area per minute is greater due the larger size of each stitch.

(New "Clover" bamboo needles should be polished with "real" fine steel wool and waxed before use for extra speed.)

No data yet on the durability of bamboo needles when used with a sheath.

Trials were conducted with 8.5 " DPN so there are not the safety concerns as with very long steel gansey needles.

In addition, these days I am using 7.5" or 5.5" US # 1 steel DPN with knitting sheath for socks and cuffs. I really have tried a lot of ways to knit socks, and short needles with a sheath is the best that I have found. Lopi & # 4's for ski socks and house slippers, #1's & worsted for heavy socks, # 0's & etc. Knitting sheaths are letting me produce better socks, faster.

Aaron

Reply to
<agres
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Reply to
nancych

On 12 Oct 2006 08:03:52 -0700, nancych spun a fine yarn

Reply to
YarnWright

Reply to
<agres

Great to hear from you Aaron.

Nice to hear about the new needles. I will have to try them.

Dennis

Reply to
sysadman

DON'T WAX THE WOOD NEEDLES!

Yes, steel wooling them is fine (very fine) but putting wax on them just adds to the gunking up factor. Your best bet is to use a spray silicone...that's what I do, it doesn't gunk up, and makes them slicker than cat s**t on a linleum floor.

Reply to
never

Beeswax isn't something I'd use on wooden needles but I do condition them with lanolin-based hoof dressing, or even with greasy wool. New rosewood needles especially are dryer than the Sahara and benefit immensely from a little grease.

Reply to
WoolyGooly

I have not been happy with the quality of the finish on the last few sets of bamboo needles that I have bought. I end up polishing them with very fine steel wool. Then, I use a wood finish product such as Watco or Miniwax Satin Finishing wax. Those products stink (much) worse than cat shit on the kitchen floor, but after they have dried outdoors in the shade for a couple of days, they will not gunk up anything. Polish the satin wax with superfine steel wool, then spray with your silicone, and you will have a surface that yarn slips over easily. I do not use silicone on my wooden needles, because I do not want my wooden needles that slippery.

I find wooden needles, inherently slower than metal needles, (i.e. they do not have the stiffness and strength) and wooden needles degrade rapidly (tip wear) when knitting fast. When I feel the need for speed, I use steel needles. Nothing is faster.

Aaron

Reply to
<agres

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