棒针的材质
#1
编织英语漫谈之三
knitting needle materials
material：材质
古人经常用骨头制作棒针，尤其是鲸鱼骨。
Years ago knitting needles were made of bone，especially，whale bone。
现在，大多数人购买市售成品针。也有一些自己磨针做针的织女。我也购买过半成品原材料请我家爷爷帮忙做针，成品还不错呢！
市面上主流材质有3类
01
plastic needles
plastic 塑料
塑料针手感温暖，好织，编织时没有噪声。
Plastic needles seem to be warm to touch and permit the yarn to slide across the needle with ease。The needles make no noise as the knitting moves across the row。
塑料针的缺点是针头钝（blunt），容易掉针，有时粘针。
Flexible.柔韧的
Not easily broken.不易损坏
quiet and lightweight.安静轻便
Come in a range of colors .色彩丰富
May be hard to use with cotton yarns，which sometimes stick to them.不适宜织纯棉会粘针
May，become curved over time with use.长久使用可能弯曲
虽然我自己不怎么用塑料针，但是我还是屯了一套准备等女儿长大点教她学编织时使用。塑料的，对孩子来说可能安全一点吧。
02
metal needles
metal 金属
金属针包括铝（aluminum），不锈钢（steel），镀镍的（nickel—plated）
手感凉爽，摩擦少，织的快，耐用不易折断。
Metal needles tend to be cool to the touch。They are great for knitters who want to knit fast as there is very little frictions，they very rarely will bend or break so they will last a long time.
金属针的缺点是有时太顺滑（slippery），不适合真丝等材质，手松的人也不适合。
另外好多人不喜欢金属针编织的哒哒音（clicking sound）。而且金属针可能会比较重。
Good if you knit tight or for yarns that tend to stick to the needles，because stitches slide easily.适合手紧的人
Very durable.耐用
Not usually chewed by puppies or kittens.
这句有点意思，不会被猫狗咬，哈哈。
Too slippery if you knit loose ly or for slippery yarns.太滑不适合滑的线
Click while knitting;clang when dropped on a hard surface.编织时会哒哒响
Feel cool,can be heavy,and are not flexible-unpleasant features if you have arthritis or hand problems.凉，重，不适合有关节炎及手部问题的人
Some are very shiny,making it difficult to see if your vision is poor or if glare bothers you.
有些太闪了，视力有问题的人不宜使用
3
3
03
wood needles（including bamboo）
3
wood needles （including bamboo）
wood木头
bamboo竹子
适宜编织蕾丝，滑的真丝线或复杂的花样。
When working with lace，slippery yarns or very complicated patterns，wood needles，such as bamboo,might be best choice.
中国人非常喜欢竹针。像我婆婆这样的资深织女，她的说法是竹针比较有温度，织出来的东西“暖”。
木头针也比较轻便，市售很多品牌。也常使用一些昂贵的木材，胡桃木、檀木等等。
木头针的缺点是容易折损或开裂。
The disadvanges of wood needles is their tendency to break or splinter。
Especially.good for lace,circular knitting on double-pointed needles,and slippery yarns.特别适合蕾丝及很滑的线
Provides more friction than metal,so stitch don't slip off.比金属摩擦力更强，不易掉针
Feel warm,are light weighted,sound quiet.温暖，轻，安静
Somewhat flexible,so good for people with arthritis and other hand problems.柔韧，有关节炎和手部问题的人友好。
Tend to break more easily than metal needles,especially in very thin size;bamboo is more resilient than wood. 比金属针更容易折断，尤其是很细的针号；竹子比木头更具韧性。
Can develop splinters(easily fix with a little sandpaper）会起尖碎片，（可以用砂纸处理）
Easily destroyed by puppies and kittens,which like to chew it.容易被猫狗咬。
没养过宠物，不知道是不是真的。
面对不同的线材、作品花型，每个人选择不同的针，没有一定之规。