Making needles

[feministmama]

For thosse of you who make your own knitting needles, (i.e. going to the hardware store and getting dowels the same diamter as needle sizes and putting them inthe pencil sharpener) what do you use on the wood? Wood oil, varnish, nothing? I want find a way to give them just a hint of finish.

[gardenmommy]

I've also heard you can rub them with waxed paper too.

I guess it's mostly a personal preference as to your finish. You could probably even do same sized sets with different finishes that would be appropriate for whatever type of yarn you're using.

[rebecca]

I thought that you made needles by going to the store and making the person that works there show you where the ones u need are located

LOL, a friend of mine uses cooking skewers. She said that they come in a multitude of sizes, buys a bag for $1-$2 and she does the refining with wax paper & then puts a drop or 2 of vegetable oil in her hand & begins rubbing her hands together vigorously & then grabs her (now) needles & continues rubbing them & with the heat from the friction the needles absorb a bit of the oil (not so much as to make them slippery, or even so that u can feel the oil) and she tells me that they are then very, very smooth & knit very nicely. Said she will never buy another dpn . I believe she uses addi's for everything else.

[misstialouise]

Just be careful with the type of dowel you get.

I had some that are a 6mm that just split to all hades.

But I finished my others with uber fine sandpaper, then beeswax (same as you use for beading), then rubbing between my hands .. my 4mm ones are smoooooooth as :D