| Was the invention of the wheel really what changed | | | | and two gutters were stamped in the middle, and the |
| the future of mankind? Consider this. The man who | | | | eye was punched out. |
| invented the wheel was wearing animal skins that had | | | | Using fine wires between the new eyes of the |
| been sewn together with a needle. | | | | needles, they were separated, the burrs were ground |
| Being able to sew skins together to craft clothing for | | | | off the ends, and the needles were ready for |
| warmth and protection enabled Stone Age men to | | | | tempering and finishing. |
| remain in northern areas of the globe, thus breaking | | | | Tempering was done by heating the needles on trays, |
| away from their nomadic existence. | | | | then dunking them in oil, making them brittle. The metal |
| The needle has always been a simple tool. Whether it | | | | is heated and turned by hand with hatchet-like tools, |
| is made of bone or metal, the concept remains the | | | | causing it to turn colors from pale red to blue and then |
| same - a pointed instrument that pulls a thread through | | | | to a straw color. |
| some type of material. The key elements being a | | | | When the tempering was right, the heat was removed |
| sharp enough point to poke through the material (be it | | | | and the needles were ready for the more finishing. |
| fabric, leather or something else) and a hole or hook to | | | | Needles were felt (yes, by hand) to find small warps. If |
| carry the thread. | | | | there were any, the needle was tapped with a small |
| During the Bronze Age, needles were developed that | | | | hammer on a tiny anvil to straighten it out. Every day |
| were made from metal instead of the primitive bone | | | | for eight hours a day for 8 days, the needles were |
| or horn. Access to early metal needles was limited by | | | | rolled in a heavy canvas with oil, soap and emery |
| cost, since only gold and bronze were used to | | | | which made them smooth and shiny. |
| manufacture them. | | | | Then they were dumped into a copper pan filled with |
| Once iron was developed, manufacturers could make | | | | soapsuds to be cleaned. The needles were then |
| lower cost needles, thus allowing farmers' wives to | | | | rinsed and dried in a bin of sawdust. |
| afford these much-improved tools for sewing. | | | | The challenge at that point was to remove the |
| Records indicate that the Spanish became proficient at | | | | needles from the sawdust, line them up so they were |
| making excellent sewing needles, and guarded their | | | | even and then clump them together so they could be |
| secrets well, slowing down the spread of | | | | sized. After the needles were sorted into various |
| manufacturing to other parts of the world. Eventually, | | | | sizes, they were weighed and put into equal-sized |
| though, the English developed a process that continues | | | | bundles, called a "company." |
| to be the high bar for modern needles. | | | | But the process was still not yet complete! |
| The process and the number of steps required to | | | | In the final steps, the heads were heated to give them |
| make a needle - even today - is amazing. | | | | a blue tint and to soften them in order to countersink |
| Beginning with a coil of wire, the first step was to cut | | | | the eyes. Countersinking was to ensure smoothness |
| the wire into 3 inch lengths and then straighten the | | | | so the needle would not shred the thread. |
| curve. This seems like it would be simple, yet it required | | | | Once the countersinking was complete, skilled grinders |
| that the wire be heated, pressed and then cooled. | | | | once again polished the heads and points of the |
| Once cooled, the wire was turned over to a grinder | | | | needles until the desired quality was achieved. Finally, |
| who made points at both ends of the wire. Because | | | | the needles were packaged and sold. |
| this step required a water wheel, early needle makers | | | | Although completely automated, modern needles are |
| lived in villages near streams or rivers where they | | | | still made from coiled wire, the pieces cut into the |
| could harness the water for energy to run their water | | | | length of two needles, and points are ground on both |
| wheels. | | | | ends of the piece. Two eye shapes are then stamped |
| As you can imagine, the work of a needle grinder was | | | | in the center of the piece, the holes are punched out |
| fairly deadly. Standing over a grindstone breathing | | | | and the needles are separated. |
| particles of jagged steel from the needle and stone | | | | Modern needles are tempered and frequently |
| dust, these men refused to take any safety | | | | electroplated with nickel. Often the eye portion is gilded, |
| precautions since they believed it limited the number of | | | | creating a kind of gold look. |
| newcomers to the trade. That it did, but it also limited | | | | There are actually about 70 processes that wire goes |
| their life expectancy. | | | | through to transform it into a needle! |
| Once the points were ground on the ends of the wire, | | | | It's amazing what it takes to create a short, straight, |
| it was taken to the stamping shop where two eyes | | | | pointy thing with a hole in one end. |