Tina Mathis, age 14, of Danville, Ill., for he: question:
WHEN WAS THE NEEDLE FIRST USED?
A needle is a thin, pointed tool that is most often uses in sewing. A hole or eye is at the end that is not pointed. The needle is one of the very oldest implements used by man and it goes back to the dawn of civilization.
Early needles were made of bone, ivory, wood, bronze or thorn. They were used to punch holes into animal skins or cloth. Needles punched these holes for thin strips of leather, or long plant fibers, that were pushed through the holes to bind pieces of various materials together.
Stone needles were found in the tombs of ancient Egyptians, while the first bronze and iron needles were known to be Roman. Steel needles that look very much like those used today were first made by the Chinese and brought into Europe by the Moors during the Middle Ages.
Europe's first steel needles came from Nuremberg, Germany. They were made during the 14th century.
A German named Elias Grouse taught the art of needle making to the English during the reign of queen Elizabeth I. It has now become an important industry. Today's center is Redaitch, Worcestershire.
Large numbers of needles must be imported by the United States today because not many are manufactured domestically. The world's chief producers of needles are England and France.
Sewing needles are made from Sheffield steel wire. The wire is cut into lengths long enough to make two needles. The wire is heated to a dull red and then rolled on a flat steel plate to produce evenness and straightness. Each end of the wire is ground to a point on a grinning wheel and the center section of the wire is stamped, making s flat place for the eyes. An automatic press cuts grooves in the center section of the wire and makes an eye in each groove.
The wire is then cut to make two needles and the eye end is rounded and smoothed. The needles are then sharpened and tempered by heating.
The needles are hardened and tempered to give them springiness.
The tempering process turns the needles dark, so as a final step in the manufacture they must be scoured, polished and given a finish.
The sewing machine needle has its eye near the point and a groove on one side to help guide the thread.
The crochet needle has a hook near the point and thread is caught in the hook instead of going through an eye.
Needles that a surgeon uses for sewing up wounds are made of rustless steel and usually are curves.
The doctor's hypodermic needle is hollow and has an eye near the point through which fluid moves.
Phonograph needles are usually straight and may be tippet with either a diamond or a sapphire.