Largest size for tortoiseshell needles ?

[angelfire]

I am collecting vintage tortoiseshell knitting needles and the largest size I have at the moment is a 6 - did they come in the full range of sizes or is this the biggest ?  Would r-e-a-l-l-y appreciate some help on this one

[knitqueen]

hi angelfire

i dont know if you mean the casein timbergrain needles, but the wool shack sell them and they go up to size 7.50mm

http://www.thewoolshack.com/needles.htm?action=detail&ID=11

kint queen

[angelfire]

Thanks, KnitQueen, but I meant the vintage ones that were popular in the 50's and 60's - they're very similar, but no longer produced.

[shazknits66]

hi angelfire I too am collecting tortoiseshell needles and so far  size 4 (6mm) is the largest size I have come across.  I can remember as a child my mother using tortoiseshell needles for knitting totem and baby wool and then using bright green and pink needles for 12 ply wools.  As tortoiseshell was her favourite knitting needles I am sure she would have used them if they were available.  Living in a small country town I am assuming that the larger sizes were either too expensive or simply not available.  I too would be interested in hearing from someone who may know the answer to your question,

Sharon.

[knitnat]

My Mum LOVED her tortoiseshell needles and I have inherited them now. I am finding though that they seem to be getting fragile...I have inadvertantly broken some. However, those I use, I love!

[angelfire]

Thanks everyone ! In the two years since my orginal post, the largest size I have still been able to aquire is still a 6 ( metric that is, English size 4 ).   That may have been the largest produced.  I still love using them and will treasure them.   angelfire

[shazknits66]

Yep the same here, I found a size 6mm in an op shop.  I mentioned my tortoise shell knitting needles on my knitting blog and a lady from the US asked me to post a picture of my needles.  I thought this would be a great topic and decided to do a bit of research about these lovely needles.  I can't find any history of them at all, so if anyone out there can help I would appreciate it.  

Sharon
http://shazknit.blogspot.com

[angelfire]

I tried to find some info when I first started collecting them too, Sharon, but couldn't find anything using Google or a any other search engine.  Hope you have more luck    Let us all know if you do ! There have been some replica torties produced , but none come close to the originals, in my opinion   Happy knitting and blogging ! angelfire

[angelfire]

OK folks......... am still on the hunt for info on tortie needles........ found this article in Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knitting_needle
but I think its a furphy.........I don't think knitting needles were ever made from genuine tortoise shells, but am now on the hunt to verify the info ( I am a teacher/librarian by trade, currently on LWOP, so I should be able to find something, eh ? )  
~angelfire~