[TheForge] Making needles?

[Bob Ehrenberger]

---Original Message----

Subject: [TheForge] Making needles?
I need a few needles of dimensions I can't find commercially.  The
application is a sewing pliers (US Patent 1,352,508).  I have one of these
pliers and it's great for repairing those damned silly running shoes you
can't seem to avoid these past forty or so years.

The needle needs to be about 1" long, maybe 1.25", "heavy" thickness
(equivalent to a #8 Tandy sewing-awl needle).  Therein lies the rub --
cutting off the commercial needle to an appropriate length gives a needle
that isn't quite appropriate for mounting in the sewing pliers.  I have
done this and it can be made to work, but such commercial needles are not
cheap and I'd prefer to make my own than to pay the price for what ends up
being a second-rate needle.

----Reply-----

I don't do a lot of patent searches and was a little surprised when it 
couldn't find the patent even though I had the number. When I went to add 
the subject to the search I discovered that the search engine defaulted to 
starting at 1976. Once I told it to search all, it found it.

On the original topic, I do make sewing needles, but I make big ones for 
sewing brooms. The early ones were just flat stock 1/4x1/16 with a taper on 
the end and a 1/8" hole.  Later I demoed at an event next to a broom maker 
and he asked me to make him some needles and gave my one for a pattern. 
These were heavier 1/4x3/16x6 and tapered at both ends all the way to the 
middle with the hole in the middle. They feel better in the hand and with 
the hole in the middle are faster to use.

Sorry, it doesn't help with your current problem.  I think Frosty's idea of 
shortening an awl needle should work.  One of the problem with hand made 
needles besides the heat treat, is they really need to be polished to work 
right.

Robert Ehrenberger
Shelbyville, Mo.
eforge at centurytel.net