Tarnished Tatting Needles

[waterdew]

Hi - Has anyone else found their needles becoming tarnished?

I have been using mine since May and where I hold it has become a dull grey. When I try to do splits rings and tat on the end that I hold it, they don't slide easily the way they do at the other end.

I wondered if my needles were cheap (I got them with the HH book) and the coating has just come off, but at a tatting group yesterday, it was suggested that it may be coming off my hands.

I have tried to clean them to see if it is something that is on the needle without joy.

I will probably have to get more needles but wondered if anyone else has this problem and whether you have a remedy for it because at this rate, I will be going through a lot of needles.

[carolivy]

Your needles have just picked up the oils from your hands. Take the needle and wash it with dish soap and a dish scrubby. It comes right clean and works great after. I had this happen to the needle I use the most and after cleaning, it was just like new again.

[Josie Passell]

Hi Waterdew, I don't use my tatting needles nough to tarnish them :-), but going off the topic which tatting group did you go to?

[waterdew]

Carolivy - will let you know if I am successful!

Josie - Afraid it may be a little out of your way - it is a local group in Kirby Lonsdale but I also go to the South Lakes Lacemakers Group which meet up once a month. They are part of the Lacemakers group and have groups up and down the UK, so you should be able to find one near you. Have a look at http://www.laceguild.demon.co.uk/. However, just done a search on lacemakers in Chesterfield and it came up with this group - http://www.inspiredlacemakers.moonfruit.com/

The group I am a member at are very nice and eager for new recruits, especially if you are willing to demo at local fairs, county fairs, etc and I should imagine this is the attitude of all the groups. Besides tatting, they also teach lacemaking, use of bobbins, etc if you are interested in it because they are very keen to spread the word and keep the art alive. They also go into schools to teach the local children.

In fact I have been roped into a demo in August at a local agricultural county fair and am submitting my first newly designed tatted item into their competition - secretly, I am very excited! Not bothered about whether it gets placed, I am more interested in their thoughts on it. I hope to do an album soon and will post a pic.

Let me know how you get on. If you need more help (I can ask at my group, the chairwoman seems to be a mindful of info) PM me.

[TotusMel]

I've heard a few other people talking about tarnished needles recently, but it's never happened to mine and I use them daily. I think you're right about the oils being the issue and I wonder if hand lotion has any effect because I never use lotion on my hands...just a thought.

[Josie Passell]

Hi Waterdew, I do belong to Inspired Lacemakers and Derby Lace Society, I bobbin lace as wel : -) Good luck with the demonstrating and county fair.

[waterdew]

Hi Totusmel - I have been using a paraffin cream recently for eczema (think it is an allergy to my cat!!!) so it may be that. Am supposed to be working at the mo, even though DH keeps distracting me with questions (!!!), but will see if it comes off later tonight.

[waterdew]

Thanks Josie.

[ldr103]

I've had a smidge of trouble with that on a couple of mine, but it's not bad enough to interfere yet. I figure I'll just sand them smooth when they reach that point.

[waterdew]

This has been the first chance to look at my tatting - let alone my needles - since I have had to meet a deadline with my everyday work. Anyway, now that is done, I did clean my needles and, low and behold, they look brand spanking new and shiny!!! Woohoo! :w00t:

The downside is that I now feel grubby. :yuk:

[carolivy]

Glad it worked for you. Ya know....you wash up just as easy...:tongue::innocent:

[Mogs]

I've heard a few other people talking about tarnished needles recently, but it's never happened to mine and I use them daily. I think you're right about the oils being the issue and I wonder if hand lotion has any effect because I never use lotion on my hands...just a thought.
I think it probably has more to do with the type of skin you have-some people turn silver black-I am one of those and have ended up with a green neck from wearing certain type of metal jewellery in the past, and am allergic to nickel. I am a violinist, and after playing, I always have black lines on my fingers from the silver in the strings-some friends of mine don't have this problem, others do. They call me acid fingers!!!

[tatknot]

Although I haven't had this problem yet, I really appreciate this thread and the resulting information. Thank you, all.

[StephanieGrace]

I am actually amazed that I haven't run into this problem yet! Then again, I'm also going from needle to needle, so maybe that's just stalling it. LOL. (You can tell the three I use from a room away --all bent, LOL). It's good to know about how to clean them, though. I've actually taken dish soap, kitchen cleaner, and Lysol to one of mine after using it poke eggs for some project or another that was in my head --the three eggs that I did are still waiting to have their destiny determined. LOL. The needle is clean as can be and it's never ruined any of the tatting done with it, but I did worry about the abrasiveness of the cleansers --but it was the "big" needle that I never use that, actually, is with my mom so she can learn to tat. LOL. (I love teaching while learning --whole new experience. LOL).

There I go rambling... Ugh.... Good to know that you know found the solution! If you're using cream, though, what about using a thin glove on your right hand? I'm thinking one along the lines that come with dry hand treatments. Just a thought.

As far as the mentioning of allergic reactions: That's very me. I can't believe that needle tatting doesn't make me break out. I break out from almost every metal, unless it's real gold. Stainless steel I can handle in certain places, Silver I seem to be okay with, but if it's plated or anything, forget about it! The coating on my glasses wore off and I actually thought my ear was going to fall off because of the reaction to it. What did I learn from that: Clear nail polish can be a life saver sometimes! ;-)

Okay, now I'm really done rambling --on this thread anyway. LOL.

:heart:,
Stephanie Grace

[waterdew]

:mad: Bad news ... after having cleaned it and using it for a day, it has now gone black again...in just one day! I do not believe my hands were so dirty/greasy/(fill in the gap) that it would turn the needle again ... in just one day ...because it took 2 months originally to get black!

I do have a confession and say that I cleaned them originally with a metal polish...this may have caused the problem. Will go back to the beginning and try washing up liquid.

[Judy]

Thanks Carolivy for the suggestion, and the caution about hand creams. I've recently had a problem with my needles. I have a solution that I have used in the past:the emery strawberry that comes with some pincushions. I had a primitve form of that purchased when I was doing needlepoint. It was a long flat rectangle sandwich with the grit in the middle. It burnished the needles sparkling clean, taking off the oxides that develop with use. It may also depend on what you're eating and your body chemistry.

[carolivy]

Because my perscription weighs so much, I have to wear metal frame glasses, but like Stephanie, my skin eats the metal! I have to coat my glasses with clear nail polish as well. I did have one pair that my skin didn't eat, a pair made from Titanium, but they were very expensive and after 10 years, no-one would any longer put lenses in them...sigh
I've never heard of the emery strawbery you describe Judy. I would hesitate on using any abrasive on my needles as it might leave rough spots where the thread might catch. That and if you have to do it too often, you would rub your needle right away. Washing it often with dish washing soap will not wear away the needle.

[Judy]

I'll take a photo of what I'm talking about, and, when I get a black needle, a before and after. The abrasive is very fine. It might wear away some surface coating, but the surely the needles are stainless steel throughout.

[Judy]

Here's another take on the issue. Excessive hand perspiration seems to accelerate the tarnishing. In the winter when its cooler and dryer I don't have a problem. As I mentioned, I also had the same problem with needlepoint needles. Here's the photo of the "strawberry". I don't like this one as well because it has a larger size grit -- like different sizes of sandpaper, and its harder to punch the tatting needle #3 through. You may see smaller ones attached to matching pincushions. The flat one is wonderful. I got it in the 1970's and have been looking for more like it ever since. I think of it as compressed diamond dust.

[carolivy]

Hmmm, I've seen those Strawberries on old pincushions. I thought they were just decorations...lol Have never seen one like the flat one though.

[xstchntat]

I will have to give this a try on some of grandma's old needles, thanks.

[RandaGray]

.....wonder if this would work on the needles DH put on the stove to sanitize so he could pick a splinter out of his finger...... or if they're permanently ruined... :( why he had to use the biggest needles i've ever bought, just to use as a picot gauge, i'll never understand; he ended up ruining a whole card of needles that night....

[Marty]

.....wonder if this would work on the needles DH put on the stove to sanitize so he could pick a splinter out of his finger

Hmmm...tell him to clean them off with rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide next time!

[RandaGray]

I did... he's a cave man though lol seems to think fire & duct tape are the answer to most problems... Strange to think the things that drive me CRAZY the most are the reasons I married the looney toon.......... :) It didn't work btw; gas flame apparently ruins my needles!

[carolivy]

Flame will change the COLOR of the metal, but the needles should still work fine for many purposes. They shouldn't leave any residue on your work. It is just that the metal has been heated and cooled that has changed the color of it.

[RandaGray]

i think maybe i should just give them to him; let him have his splinter digging kit without injuring anymore of my stuff lol needles aren't that expensive anyway ;)

[tatterbug]

Hi everyone,
My needle tarnishes if I do not wash my hands before I work the tatting, also if my hands sweat while I work. I found that if I use a baby powder on my hands while I work, it doesn't tarnish the needle!

[Sunny_0ne]

The downside is that I now feel grubby. :yuk:

ROFLOL! :D