Cleaning Hooks

[princsstrish]

I crochet, alot! And I realized recently that my hooks are starting to show their age.

How do you all clean your hooks?

I imagine the aluminum and plastic ones can just be washed in soap and water. But What about the wood ones, the specialty ones.

I use my TOTC almost exclusively and where my pinkie holds the hook, it's dirty like. I did try asking Bill at TOTC but he didn't seem to know what I was talking about. It has happened with several of my wooden hooks and makes it kind of icky to use when you think of it.

Any ideas?

[threeolivemartini]

trish on the wood use a very very very fine grit sandpaper.. like a 400.. then what i would do is rub it down with some beeswax.. the very fien grit will take off any surface dirt and a little finish .. the wax will reseal your wood.. or you can use some poly oil.. jimbo has nice instructions on his blog about caring for wood hooks..

[crochetfun]

I read somewhere that you would rub your aluminum hooks with a brown paperbag... and applying beeswax does not hurt them either. I did it once or twice - it did make a difference.

[princsstrish]

Beth -- Thank you for that info. i'll have to try the fine grit and beeswax. Where do you find beeswax? Is it something they sell at a hardware store or something?

Oooh, I can see how the paper bag would work, it absorbs oils so...makes sense!

I'll have to check out jimbo's page.

thanks!

[faithpa76]

I agree with Elizabeth.

Also - when you finish using it, take a piece of cotton flannel (absorbent and soft) and wipe it down. It will remove some of the oils and help keep buff the wax (if you add it).

Did you ever play piccolo?? When I first started using my wood hooks I noticed some of the same smell I got playing my (wood) picc, so I started using some of the same concepts to clean it ... something about the oils getting into the wood. Of course I would never in a million years have taken sandpaper to it ... lol.

[threeolivemartini]

lol @ faith.. using like a 400 grit sandpaper is about the same abrasive you would get using baking soda .. its THAT fine..


and Trish you can get beeswax at the hardware store or even in the candle making aisle at craft stores..

[faithpa76]

Yep, I know, Beth, but I still won't, lol. I'm extremely protective of my instruments - mind you, I would let a knowledgeable service tech do it, but there's no way I would. Even the tiniest change can make a huge difference and no way would I risk that with something worth that much money! :lol

[jimbo]

Hi Trish
Everything in the responses above looks fine, and in fact i'd even suggest 600 wet/dry paper..., but all that with some reflection first before you start.
Take a look at your hook and see if the discoloration is affecting your comfort or the hook's workability. If the hook feels fine and your yarn slides over it as it did to begin with, consider leaving it alone.
I say that because some of my most cherished tools i have are the ones that have a bit of discoloration from years of use... patina. Every time i hold one of my dad's old tools, i think of him and smile.... and he passed away in 1953. To me, that bit of wear and discoloration means a whole lot.
Your hooks could become cherished heirlooms too. Just something to keep in mind.

[threeolivemartini]

oh faith.. i didnt mean using on your piccalo LOL.. i would never do that either.. i play clarinet .. i have one that is french and made about 100 years ago that is wood and i would never sandpaper it either.. but if myhook was rough i would ..


and yeah what jimbo said 600 .. hehe sorry i think that is what i really meant .. and i too enjoy a patina on my tools..

[MaryPat]

I always just use whatever is in my hand soap dispenser for my aluminum and steel. Some of them are now 50 years old.

For my wood ones, I wash them in Ivory Liquid dishwashing liquid and then apply olive oil. I've always cleaned my wood furniture and the wood handles of my very expensive kitchen knives this way.


I crochet, alot! And I realized recently that my hooks are starting to show their age.

How do you all clean your hooks?

I imagine the aluminum and plastic ones can just be washed in soap and water. But What about the wood ones, the specialty ones.

I use my TOTC almost exclusively and where my pinkie holds the hook, it's dirty like. I did try asking Bill at TOTC but he didn't seem to know what I was talking about. It has happened with several of my wooden hooks and makes it kind of icky to use when you think of it.

Any ideas?

[princsstrish]

Faith - I never even thought about the piccolo/wooden hook reference! I can do that! LOL. Of course I played piccolo! heheheh

Jimbo - thank you so much for your advice. The dirtiness isn't where the yarn hits, it's where i hold it in my pinky so I guess I could leave it unless it become uncomfortable for me.

MaryPat- Oooh, olive oil sounds like a nice addition. That would help keep myhands nice and soft too. heheheh

I'll have to think about that "heirloom" thought. Never thought of that way. I'm the first in my family to do anything crafty so it never occurred to me that somewhere down the road...

Thanks everyone for your advice. I'll try it out.

[Jimmie Lu]

My aluminum hook the one I use the most has the color wearing off!!! lol now I know I crochet to much!!!

[Gran]

I've used diluted white vinegar to clean the plastic and aluminum hooks. I buy bees wax at the health food store. They sell it in bulk.

[Lowrancer]

you can get small beeswax in the embroidery isle in most craft stores for about 1.29 or buy a big block in the candle making supplies area and cut and form it to you specifications.


as far as my hooks i rub them with a cotton ball to find the rough spots and then either file or sand paper them down, wash the hook in alchohol for steel and aluminum then liberaly rub them with beeswax let them dry and buff the wax to a shine. my heavily used hooks get rewaxed 3-4 times a year and my rarely ones get rewaxed once a year.... make sure you wax the inside of your hook also when you do this though.

for hook sthat need a paint job i use testors model spray pain in very light coats after removing the old paint with 400 grit paper when apply a sealant and wax

[Gran]

I also use bees wax on the end of thread before I thread the needle.

[missamorphosis]

I was wondering about this, too. So far, I haven't had to really clean any of mine, but the time will come soon at the rate I'm going.

[The_Virginia_Hooker]

I only have plastic and aluminum ones, and i used an old toothbrush, Ivory soap, and water to clean them.

[LadyT]

I've had my hooks (aluminum and steele) for about 5 years now and have never cleaned or waxed them. :eek

In fact the ones I use most steel hook 7 and aluminum g and h are smoother than the rest and are a lot easier to crochet with.:lol

Ususally when I want to break in a hook I use acryclic ww yarn and make something with it. It's a pain in the neck at first because the hook doesn't glide but after some use the paint wears down and it becomes easier to work with.:hook

Is there a specific reason for cleaning aluminum hooks? :think

[The_Virginia_Hooker]

I clean mine just because they get oil/sweat build-up on the handles (i have sweaty hands).

[AuntyM]

What about Murphy's Oil Soap to clean the wood hooks?

[jimbo]

From my earlier response....."Take a look at your hook and see if the discoloration is affecting your comfort or the hook's workability. If the hook feels fine and your yarn slides over it as it did to begin with, consider leaving it alone.
I say that because some of my most cherished tools i have are the ones that have a bit of discoloration from years of use... patina. Every time i hold one of my dad's old tools, i think of him and smile.... and he passed away in 1953. To me, that bit of wear and discoloration means a whole lot.
Your hooks could become cherished heirlooms too. Just something to keep in mind."

I can't emphasize that enough. If your hooks, even metal ones are not affected by the patina they are developing.... PLEASE leave them alone. I look at it as leaving tracks.... a little bit of yourself, on tools that you loved to use. Imagine the value that will have for your loved ones in generations to come. Now think of the value that would be placed on shiny new looking hooks that you can't tell from the ones on the shelf at the yarn store. Think your grandkids or other loved ones are going to cherish them?

ok ok... enough on the soapbox. gotta get to jury duty.

jimbo

[sfgwife]

I think you are referring to where the oils from your hands have only discolored your hook.

I would be afraid that after I did the sandpaper thingy that it wouldn't feel right.

Me personally I don't mind the darker colors they get from use.