Re: touching and feeling fine antique steel knitting needles

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

"Shirley Shone" <nospam@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:IXJBUYAlqupGFwKO@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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 <Xwtpi.53021$5j1.3055@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Aaron Lewis
<agres@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> writes
That is a wonderful set.

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

Aaron
"Shirley Shone" <nospam@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:dAU0BrCTTZpGFwZ5@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
In message <6Bbpi.21358$bz7.11646@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Aaron
Lewis
<agres@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> writes
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@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://www.allcrafts.org.uk



--
Shirley Shone
shirley@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://www.allcrafts.org.uk


.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: touching and feeling fine antique steel knitting needles
    ... What a great set of steel needles! ... I would love to know what those "gold" tips are. ... I know Faberge did silver needles with gold ... A lady could be proud to be seen knitting with them. ...
    (rec.crafts.textiles.yarn)
  • Re: Water torches
    ... which is why these are not normally used on steel; ... silver, gold, platinum, etc - jewelry work, mostly. ...
    (rec.crafts.metalworking)
  • Re: Soldering stainless steel question
    ... I have some Radio Control ball links and I want to solder the balls to some piano wire (or possibly some silver steel I have hanging round). ... AIUI the balls are stainless steel and my attempts at soft soldering these have failed - basically the resin-cored lead-free solder doesn't want to stick. ...
    (uk.rec.models.engineering)
  • Re: LATE Sunday AM, etc, and a *wanted* "ad"....
    ... needles of the same size that you do like? ... Did you really give stainless steel a honest try? ... to stainless steel tubing and really get the weight down. ... than steel needles with a knitting sheath! ...
    (rec.crafts.textiles.yarn)
  • Re: Soldering stainless steel question
    ... I have some Radio Control ball links and I want to solder the balls to ... some piano wire (or possibly some silver steel I have hanging round). ... 250gm tub of flux for less than about UKP 10 you are doing well. ...
    (uk.rec.models.engineering)
Loading