What is this?

[5ubtle]

I came home with these from my cousin's estate sale. She was a farmer then later a nurse. What are they?


Google image search suggests that they are "felting needles", but I am unsure. I have about 50 of them. Most of the bodies seem to be brass and the needles are steel. The needles seem to be soldered or epoxied in. There are no identification marks. Most have 3 needles, but some have 2 needles. Some needles have spiral flutes, but some have none. The needle length is not consistent from item to item. Many items have needles that vary by up to 2 mm.

I have:
Qnty. 23 of 3 unfluted needles epoxied into a brass body with a 6-32 thread.
Qnty. 17 of 3 fluted needles soldered into a brass body with 8-32 thread
Qnty. 8 of 2 fluted needles soldered into a brass body with 8-32 thread
Qnty. 1 of 3 unfluted needles soldered into a steel body with 8-32 thread.



I don't think that they are saw set tools.

 

[RTM]

Come on, obviously holders for eating corn on the cob.


Edit: At first I was being a smart@$$, but the more I look, the more I am starting to believe myself. Found several images of brass nozzles that look like the lower half of those. Cut them off, reuse them, like any good frugal farmer would

Brass Hand Pump Nozzle Set

Maa Tarini Agencies - Offering 1/4 inch Brass Hand Pump Nozzle Set, Pipe Size: 1 inch at Rs 60 in Jajpur, Odisha. Also find Brass Nozzle price list | ID: 2849892477773

www.indiamart.com

 

[930dreamer]

Early detection alarm when placed tip up in the ground.

 

[Chefjpd]

Tips for a rust busting needle gun???

 

[seber]

Arrow points.

 

[Snip's]

 

[Meursault74]

I've felt more silk than I've felt felt.................

 

[AffableCurmudgeon]

I am just curious, why did you bring these home?

 

[RTM]

I assume that's just a holder, and you only use one at a time, from other images I saw.

 

[5ubtle]

The main reason why I don't believe they are felting needles is because some of the needles are smooth. Felting needles seem to all have barbs (possibly what the flutes on mine are for) to pull out felt fibers on the backstroke.

 

[hans109h]

They are felting needles. You're correct about the flutes.

 

[neophyte]

What “felting” is.

 

[5ubtle]

They are felting needles. You're correct about the flutes.

If they are felting needles, can you explain why approximately 1/2 of them have smooth (unfluted) needles? The smooth needles would seem to be useless for felting.

 

[Spareparts]

Well that blows holes in my answer, thought that was to be used on the Bull's dangley things after you
put the rubber band on them. Well he did say she came from a farm.

 

[rlitman]

I assume that's just a holder, and you only use one at a time, from other images I saw.

You can use individual felting needles, though those are usually longer. And you can also use them in sets to speed up the process. A felting machine might have hundreds. It's just like a tattoo artist might use a single point needle for making lines, and multi-point needles for shading.

But the OP's needles don't look like felting OR tattoo needles to me, and they're way to small to be corn cob holders. Those spirals COULD be for felting, but they don't look to me like they'd do much. My guess is the spirals started out as brads that someone sharpened. That long taper on the other pins leaves me baffled as to their origin.

 

[webscrounger]

I know nothing of them but - 'Guide to Felting Needles': https://www.hawthornhandmade.com/en-us/pages/guide-to-felting-needles

 

[hans109h]

If they are felting needles, can you explain why approximately 1/2 of them have smooth (unfluted) needles? The smooth needles would seem to be useless for felting.

High quality detail felt finishing where the friction of the needle does the felting rather than barbs. There are likely, or were likely barbs on those needles but have worn to a point you don't notice them, but they are still good for when youre finishing.

 

[5ubtle]

@hans109h - The large quantities and the fact that the needles are threaded on the other end suggest to me that they are for a a 'felting machine'. Do you think they are for a 'felting machine'?

 

[hans109h]

@hans109h - The large quantities and the fact that the needles are threaded on the other end suggest to me that they are for a a 'felting machine'. Do you think they are for a 'felting machine'?

When I first saw them I thought they looked a bit more industrial than most needles I've seen. Quite possibly from a large machine with lots of sets of those needles working at the same time. Could also be from a kit when a handle they screw into but that doesn't explain why so many...

An industrial machine would explain how they got so worn down.

If you had the machine it would make a good meat tenderizer lol.

Hans

 

[Paul Aslanides]

I bought this item at a flea market - don't know what it is. I've seen it before somewhere but can't place it. Intriguing.... any ideas out there ? It's 6 inches by 5/8 inches ( 150 x 16 m/m) and about 3.5 m/m thick, stainless steel, stamped ST-96292. One end has a slot of approx. 1 m/m, the other end has a slot of approx. 3 m/m. Thanks.

 

[slowtwitch73]

^^^^

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[Paul Aslanides]

^^^^

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Thank you. Now I do have a typewriter, haven't used it for years. Such a messy job to fit a new ribbon. Went to night school back in the 80's, learnt typing, among other things. It was tough being the only guy in the class, with all those young ladies in summer clothes. How a bloke could learn anything under such conditions I don't understand. Towards the end of the term we were taught how to insert carbon paper to make copies, but never used that method as word processors and computer keyboards were just coming in.