| Needle
Type |
Material |
Length |
Per
Set |
US
Sizes Available |
| Double
Pointed |
Bamboo |
6
inch |
five |
|
| Price |
$7-8/set |
European
Sizes Available |
|
| Janice |
In
Plano, Illinois |
| I
have some of the Plymouth bamboos in the 6" length in 3.25 mm (3's?)
that I'm using for socks. I also have Crystal Palace bamboos in
sizes 7 and 8 (8" length) that I've used for hats, and some of the
5" Brittany Birch in 1's (I think). What I'm seeing in all of
them is the tips vary from needle to needle. Some of the Plymouth's
are > real pointy (the way I like them) and some are less so. Same with
the Crystal Palace and the birch. Crystal Palace's seem the most
consistent. Crystal Palace and Plymouth both have nice finishes initially,
but it's starting to wear off, and they're becoming stickier (which I
don't like). The Crystal Palace are supposed to be impregnated all the way
through the needle, but I still feel the shiny surface is wearing off and
the stitches aren't slipping as easily. One tip on the Plymouth's
has a split or developed a snag. I hate the birches...can't get my
stitches to slip at all on them. Among the three, I'd choose the Crystal
Palace, but given their price, I'm really disappointed that the finish
isn't holding up better. |
| Chrisanne
G. |
|
| These
are very nice needles, but of 3 sets, I have had problems with one needle
splintering at the tip, and the tips are so sharp as to be 'scratchy', for
lack of a better term. They don't bend. (I use #0 and #1 almost entirely,
so this is something I notice!) They cost a bit more than the Plymouths,
and the finish is sort of a dark maple color--which can be annoying if you
are knitting a same-tone yarn. These were my first sockneedles, tho--I'll
always have a few sets of them. |
| Linda
Nelson |
In
Tijeras, NM |
| These
are the needles I have the most of mainly because my LYS carries only
these and Brittanys. I like the Crystal Palace needles because of the nice
smooth, slippery (but not too slippery) finish and the very sharp points,
although they do have more of an urge to split the yarn than I consider
absolutely necessary. I've had some points chip but my DH was able to fix
them with a bit of sandpaper. I prefer a bit shorter needle, but these are
the ones I use when I cast on more than about 14 stitches on each needle.
I have bent the size ones a bit but it doesn't seem to bother me when
knitting with them and I have never broken one in the act of knitting and
my son sitting on my knitting bag doesn't count. |
| Nanette
Blanchard |
|
| I
just bought a set of Crystal Palace bamboos in size one and size two. The
six inch needles are about as short as I'm comfortable working with in
dpns. Like all bamboo needles, the Crystal Palace needles hold on to the
yarn (i.e., the stitches won't ever accidentally fall off the needles like
they do with metal, plastic and wood). I prefer the Clover bamboo needles
- the points are sharper and they seem less likely to break. After only
half a sock, my Crystal Palace bamboo dpns in size 1 are already
permanently bent out of shape. |
| Kate |
in
St. Louis |
| I
prefer Crystal Palace bamboos over anything else. CP's are soaked in
resin, not just painted over as the Clovers are so they are quite strong
and have a really serious point that helps avoid splitting yarn. I never
broke a pair till last week when I fell here at work hurrying to get to
clinic, if they had been metal I guess I'd have a chest tube in. |
