Blacksmith made netting needle

Posted by: TonyE

Blacksmith made netting needle - 08/14/17 04:16 AM

I have a netting needle (top) that I have been using for years for fine mesh net making. I bought it many years ago at a New England maritime museum. It is useful but it always looked too machine made to me.
At the Goschenhoppen Folk Festival (where I display my Pa Dutch fishing nets) this past weekend I found a blacksmith who said he could copy the needle. He rummaged in his junk box and found a coil of wire that he straightened on his anvil and cut it to length with a chisel.
I wish I could have watched him do his work but I had to get back to my "fish nets" display.
Less than an hour later He showed up at my stand with his creation (bottom). It was better looking than I had hoped. It has none of the stamped out looks of the original. I gave him a large onion/potato storage bag i had made. We were both pleased with the exchange.

Posted by: Bingley

Re: Blacksmith made netting needle - 08/14/17 05:32 AM

Neat stuff! Long live the traditional arts!
Posted by: Phaedrus

Re: Blacksmith made netting needle - 08/14/17 07:22 AM

That's very cool!
Posted by: CJK

Re: Blacksmith made netting needle - 08/17/17 02:36 PM

Great job on it and congrats on finding a 'smith' that could do a good job. Thanks also for keeping the art of bartering alive!