First and foremost, let me be clear: The problem here is me, not Knitter’s Pride. This is not a negative review of their needles, but instead, a realistic evaluation of how their Nova Platina needles fare under my own personal knitting style. I am posting this review so that if you are a knitter who has a similar style, this information could help you with a purchasing decision.
Secondly, and just as importantly, Knitter’s Pride has an entire range of wonderful needles, most of which do fit my knitting style, and that means they will also fit with yours. There are many reasons to use needles of different materials. Since all types of Knitter’s Pride interchangeable tips work with their cords, this is easily accomplished.
Now, about Nova Platina…
When I first discovered Novas, I thought I’d died and gone to Knitting Heaven. Smooooooooooth, these needles were, extremely durable, beautiful and very reasonably priced. They are my FAVORITE NEEDLES OF ALL NEEDLES, and the ones I use for 90% of my knitting. Nova, that is, NOT Nova Platina.
Novas are nickel-plated hollow brass, and Nova Platinas are chrome-plated hollow brass. Nova needles have points that are slightly more blunt, and the Platina have sharper points. There are definitely reasons to work with sharper points, but I personally never had any problems with the more blunt Novas. However, the sharper points don’t bother me.
What bothers me is the fact that the chrome plating of the Platinas is not durable like the nickel of the original Novas. This is probably no problem for most knitters, but for me, it is a big problem. While I have used and re-used the same set of Novas for over 50 projects, I can barely get through one project before the Platinas scratch themselves. I am a “thrower” type of knitter, and I tend to knit tightly. This is a style that is very hard on needles, I admit. And, yes, I have tried altering my style, but knitting becomes burdensome for me when I switch styles, and knitting is not supposed to be burdensome. So, I have come to accept my knitting style, and seek needles that hold up under the friction of my knitting.
The scratched surface of used Platinas is extremely unpleasant. Annoyingly, my entire Special Short Tips set (needle tips of 3.5” to fit circular cords of 16”, 40 cm, for hat and scarf projects) was an uninformed purchase of Nova Platinas. I have tried to make the best of it, but I just can’t take the "nails on chalkboard" scratching anymore.
Unfortunately, Nova Platina is now the only plated brass needle that Knitter’s Pride sells in the United States (rare and random finds of old Nova needles can still be found on eBay and ETSY). However, at the time of this posting (February 2017) there is good news. KnitPro (which is Knitter’s Pride in the UK) still sells Nova, the original nickel-plated brass! I have been able to find Novas online and purchase them from “across the pond”. This has been extremely important to me, especially because the interchangeable tips for KnitPro circular needles fit exactly, thank heaven, with the Knitter’s Pride cords. I have now been able to replace every needle in my Special Short Tips set with my beloved nickel-plated brass. Yea!
I am aware that other brands like Addi and even Susan Bates make nickel-plated needles, and at some point I may have to replace my needle sets with these. (Of course, due their incredible durability, fire, flood, loss or theft are the only reasons I would need to replace my beloved Novas.) I am also fully aware that at some point in the future, they will simply stop manufacturing all nickel-plated brass, and I will have to adjust. I would like to think that writing to Knitter’s Pride and expressing my preference as a consumer would have some influence, but who am I kidding? And besides, once all the nickel is mined out of the earth, then what? I realize all of this, and accept it. But for now, I am thrilled that I can still enjoy the nickel-plated Nova line through KnitPro. And in truth, I’ll probably be “discontinued” before they are.
I am curious to know your opinion! Please leave comments telling me your experiences with nickel-plated brass, chrome-plated brass, other brands, and anything else regarding this subject. For example, I know some people have dermatological reactions to nickel. I’d be interested to know if using nickel-plated needles has been a problem for you.
“FUR”-THER PERTINENTS:
-XB
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