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Review on ChiaoGoo 7400 C Interchangeable Complete 4 Inch by Heather Shaw

Revainrating 5 out of 5

ChiaoGu, I love you!

I've wanted a set of replacement needles for a long time. There are so many, how could I choose? Every knitter has a specific style and needs. Although I mostly knit Continental style (yarn in left hand) I don't think it matters when choosing my needle sets. My criteria are discussed below. I referenced several fixed length circular needles of various sizes to get a feel for how the tips and cable work. Please see the photo above. It shows the difference between a US 7 needle (item A) and three US 6 needles (item B, C, D), specifically in terms of blunt or pointed tips. Its tip is the bluntest, and the bamboo is "tenacious," holding the yarn well and preventing it from slipping off. (Bamboo isn't usually my choice, but I can use it for smooth yarns like silk.) Photo B - Knitters Pride (KP) Nova Platina Cubic, fixed circular needles, size 6. I like it, but it takes a little time to do this. used k. It has a square cross-section, so the sides are flat and it's said to be more ergonomic. This is probably my favorite needle and has the sharpest point of the three metal needles I am reviewing. Photo D shows a size 6 HiyaHiya solid circular needle. It's the bluntest of the three metal needles I'm reviewing, but it's still sharper and smoother than any bamboo needle. {Photo C} This ChiaoGoo (CG) set ticked all of my boxes. At the time of purchase, the price had been reduced from $160 to $114. The "Twist" set contains metal needles. ChiaoGoo sells three types of kits: small, with 7 sizes - US 2 (2.75mm), US 3 (3.25mm), US 4 (3.55mm), US 5 (3.75mm), US 6 (4mm), US 7 (4.5mm), US 8 (5mm); Large with 6 sizes: US 9 (5.5mm), US 10 (6mm), US 10.5 (6.5mm), US 11 (8mm), US 13 (9mm) and US 15 (10 mm); and Complete set with a total of 13 sizes. Tips are very fluid and fast. They have a longer taper than HiyaHiya (HH) tips and are slightly sharper, but not as sharp as Knitters Pride (KP) Nova Platina Cubics. There are 2 sets of cables, small and large. All kits come with cables, connectors and end caps. The choice of 4" or 5" grommets and included cords will vary depending on the length of the lure. All cables are interchangeable with ChiaoGoo "Spin" (bamboo) attachments. I bought additional 37" cables (small and large) to cover any lengths I could want. Although I prefer to knit with 5 inch points, I chose 4 inch points because I knit hats. These tips, combined with an 8 inch cord, make 16 inch circular needles and I don't have to buy a special kit just for hats. Beautiful black and white fabric bag with smooth zippers on the main compartment and gear pocket. In the compartments Each pin is labeled and a red ribbon adorns the look. The only thing that distracts me from the CGI is that I wish the cables and connectors were color coded small or large. They come separately in small zipped pouches that fit in my gear bag I will be working on another way to store them for my own convenience. Yes, the diameters and sizes of the connectors vary, but this is a small issue that I'd like to work around. KP needles are metal cubics, the tips are long taper and sharp, good for lace knitting and knitting on the tips of the needles like I do for the same tension. Fast. I also like the ergonomic cubic shank tip in. The Black cord on non-removable needle is a little stiffer than ChiaoGoo or HiyaHiya, but replacement kit cords may be different. The needles in the DELUXE set are each said to be 4-5/8 inches long and the replacement cords are color coded along the length. BUT the deluxe set only included 9 sizes: US 4 (3.55mm), US 5 (3.75mm), US 6 (4mm), US 7 (4.5mm), US 8 (5mm) and US 9 (5.5mm). . Also, I would have to buy a 'special' kit to make 16" lengths and the cables are not interchangeable with the deluxe kit. KP also offers a round replacement set of Deluxe Symfonie Rose Cubics which I have not reviewed. I find the Symphonie Dreamz set to be interchangeable with each needle size color coded, I prefer metal over wood or bamboo. COST influenced my decision. (including cables, spade lugs, connectors, cases, etc.) or individual small or large sets were much more expensive than my CG's ($155-$180) at the time of writing. True, there was a choice of 4 inches. which I could use to make 16" hat-sized cables or 5" spade lugs. Also, these needles are the least sharp of the 3 types of metal I compared in the photo. I hope this story helped someone choose their needle set. It's a big investment but I think it will serve me well and be a lot of fun in my knitting career.

Pros
  • Best in its niche
Cons
  • Will be added later