New Viking Knit tool

Has anyone tried the new Viking Knit wire weaving tool? I think it is american. I have seen it advertised and wondered if it was any good. Up to now I have used a wooden kit and have been really pleased with the results, but I am always interested in any new gadget.

I've always just used an allen key for viking knit. The obvious limitation of the tool is that it's designed only to make six stitch knit, which isn't always the best size. I actually think five stitch is probably the prettiest, but four is often better, especially for heavier wire gauges.

That's an interesting thought, George, I hadn't thought about the number of stitches making such a difference. The kit I already have uses a round stick, so I can have a little play around with the number of stitches and see what works best for me.

If you're happy using a round, try knitting needles in different sizes to vary the number of stitches. I only use allen keys because I like having the bend and find them easy to pop in a small vice to work on, thought the flatter surfaces can make stitching a little easier.

You still owe me a demo Gillian

I use a wooden dowel and up till now have only ever used 4 loops. I can't even imagine viking knitting on a flat surface. Do you have a link to the new tool Pru? I'd like to have a look at that please.
Tinker, I'm still up for that demo.

Odonata wrote:I use a wooden dowel and up till now have only ever used 4 loops. I can't even imagine viking knitting on a flat surface. Do you have a link to the new tool Pru? I'd like to have a look at that please.
Tinker, I'm still up for that demo.

Not a flat surface like a flat surface! The shape of the allen key means that it's easier to slip behind the previous stitches as they sit on the corners of the octagonal shape.

Hahahaha, my bad. That's sssssssssso funny.
I I thought there must be some way of knitting sheets of the stuff like for medieaval sweaters

It is called the Lazee Daizee Viking Knit tool. This is a link to a video,

http://www.veoh.com/watch/v20670825bnePj73p?h1=Lazee+Daizee+Viking+Knit+Tool

It looks really easy to get started, but it doesn't seem to explain how you get the wire tube off the head of the tool. Looks a bit pricey too and not terribly strong. Perhaps I will stick to my little wooden stick, or knitting needles as Mizgeorge suggests, unless I hear rave reviews from someone who has used the tool.

Ooo, that's interesting. I like the idea of a hole in the rod for starting off a new wire. I could knit a lot longer lengths with that. Up till now I've woven in a new wire by poking the end down under the last loop and then kniting over it as I go but the end gets in the way a bit.
It looks like the pin-wheel section of the tool slips off when you want to remove the knitted tube and then all you'd have to do is slip off the loops of wire ready for drawing.
Love that a pair of nail clippers is called Travel Cutters, haha.
I really like the look of this but,as you say, being plastic it's probably a bit weak.

I see Abbey Hook is now doing a tutorial for VK for a fiver and is selling a tool kit for a whole lot more but you can get them much cheaper elsewhere. That one doesn't even have the sharp pointy tool in it, just several dowels and a drawplate with a handle. (you don't need a handle though, just a small tablet with a series of holes in it).
Thanks for the video tut Pru.

Yes, the 'travel cutters' take creative descriptions a bit far! I am surprised they don't put in a pair of knitting needles and call them a patented dual mandrel device!

lovely idea

I use a biro as a mandrel for Viking knitting - the cheapo ones that are hexagonal shaped.
nan

I use the standard wooden dowel and poke drawing pins in the top as anchors for the first loops. Makes removal of the knitting a doddle and saves wasting wire on the "starting off" section.

Gillian, your drawing pin idea is excellent. I will have to give that a go.

Gillian, doesn't the drawing pins stop you turning the mandrel? I use the biro and give a twist after each stitch. Because the pen is hexagonal it is easy to draw the wire through.
I still sometimes need to use a prodder, especially if I am doing double or treble Viking.
Ann

What do you use to grab to draw the finished piece if you haven't got a 'tail'?

Ooh George you're back, good will be droppin you a line tomorrow...

I don't understand the question about turning the mandrel, sorry. I don't turn the mandrel cos there's no need to as far as I'm aware. Certainly wasn't the way I was taught.
For pulling through the draw-plate I make a tail bt feeding a 6 inch (or so) length of cheapy wire through the starting loops and grip those with pliers to pull through. You have to keep an eye on not over stretching 2 loops more than the other 2 but that's easy enough to do.

Now I'm really curious Gillian! Can I ask a couple of questions, because this is clearly very different to the way I've always knitted.

Firstly, how do you hold your mandrel? Do you not use a vice at all? Do you use shorter lengths of wire to be able to stitch one handed?

And if you are starting from pins, straight with 'good' wire, what do you do about the single knit rows at the beginning before the first dk stitches?

I hold the mandrel in my left hand and manipulate the wire in my right hand. I don't use a vice but I go to great lengths to keep my stitching tight and even.
I use lengths of wire just as long as both arms outstretched. Any longer and it tangles too easily. If I need to make longer lengths of knitting I bring in a new length of wire in exactly the same way as when knitting wool but obviously the ends go INSIDE the knitting. The ends are about 3/4" to ease in concealing them.
I don't do single knit rows at the beginning. I knit a 2nd row straight onto them. This isn't, I hasten to add the way I was taught but is a "short-cut" I have devised myself. As both ends of the knitting are fed into cones or end caps any untidiness in the ends are hidden from view.

I'm curious as to why you'd use a vice.

That really is very different to how I do it! I use an allen key held in a vice - so the end I'm working on points away from me, and turn the work with each stitch - there's only ever about a cm sitting on the key. That means both hands are free, so it's pretty easy to keep wire from tangling as it's fed round the spare hand.

Isn't it funny how the same thing can be done so many different ways!

Hmm, that's interesting. Having both hands free would be easier. However I wouldn't be able to watch TV at the same time if used a vice cos it's in the garage

It's just occurred to me...allen keys are L shaped. I have no idea how you can get your work off them.

I use a little mini vice - I can even put it on the little table in front of my favourite sofa

I put the long end of the key into the vice with the short end pointing away, and work from the end, towards me. The finished chain just comes off the end - there's only ever about 1cm on the key at any time if that makes sense. I'll take a pic in the morning which might make it more understandable!!

I am self taught from Irene From Petersons book. I started off using an Allen key, holding it in my right hand ( I'm left handed) but heard about using a biro on one of the US forums. I make a 'daisy' out of 1 mm wire and bend this over the end of the pen. Then I work a couple of inches with craft wire before joining on my silver or copper wire and starting double stitch.
I hold the pen in my right hand, make a stitch, then twist the mandrel a quarter turn. This loosens the next stitch ready to take the wire.
I am probably knitting cack handed because I always seem to do things awkwardly to other people.
nan