When I first heard about these beautiful knitting needles made of copper back in June 2021, I was very intrigued. Aren't they lovely to look at? This post includes some basic information and hopefully also answers some of the more common questions you may have about these needles.
If you're shopping around for a set of interchangeable needles, you'll know that there are a million different ones out there. How can one possibly choose? How do you know what's a good fit for you? There are so many factors to consider, such as wood versus metal, length of the tips, cords, durability, and so much more. I have tried several different brands of needles and also wood versus metal. Personally, I prefer metal because they feel smoother and sharper to me. The clicking doesn't really bother me either. If this sounds like you too, keep reading!
I do own a set of wooden needles for those pesky magic loop projects where I'm terrified of dropping stitches - think of any of my mitt patterns and the thumb section.. no thank you! For most of my knits though, I reach for my metal ones. These are just my preferences and I am a fairly average knitter when it comes to tension. I have used bamboo needles and found them to be very coarse and didn't allow the yarn to glide smoothly. Some have no trouble with them though. I have also tried Lykke wooden needles before, but they weren't sharp enough for my liking, so I was curious whether these would fit the bill. The interchangeable set I own is Chiaogoo Red Twists and I love them for their sharp tips, but that's also a downside after prolonged knitting. It can hurt and make your finger sore after poking it in the same spot repeatedly.
Enter these gorgeous copper needles. Lykke Cypra is available in 3.5" and 5" tips, in brown or black vegan suede cases. I have the 3.5" tips, perfect for smaller projects like hats and cowls. It is worth noting that this shorter tipped set only goes up to US 10.5/ 6.5mm.
Important: Needle tips are defined from the tip of the needle to the cable join, not the tips themselves!
Assembling this set was easy too - each set of interchangeable tips is clearly labeled and packaged, so all you have to do is put them in order using the elastic bands. This set comes with 8 stoppers, 4 clear swivel cords, 2 connectors, and 4 keys. The longer tips, 5", come with even more needle tips up to US 17/ 12mm and another cord. This set would be perfect for larger projects such as sweaters, shawls, and blankets. My set also came with a polishing cloth to maintain the beauty of these needles. Of course, you don't need to polish these - they will develop a beautiful natural patina over time as they are 100% copper.
One of the first things I noticed was how weighted these are compared to my Chiaogoo set. They're not heavy per se, but comfortable. The needle tips are sharp enough for me (not nearly as sharp as the Chiaogoo set) and very pleasant to knit with. If you like the wood Lykke needles, these are very similar. They are definitely sharp enough for fancier stitches like the ones in the Granger Toque below. The tips also begin to taper sooner, leaving a shorter "body" to the needle tip, compared to my Chiaogoo set. See the photo above for comparison - again, needle tips are defined from the tip of the needle to the cord join, not the tips themselves!
The question of whether you can smell the copper after using these needles has come up as well. FYI: It's a natural phenomenon with skin contact, so if this would potentially bother you, try it out by rubbing pennies between your fingers first before purchasing these needles. You can minimize the smell by having clean, dry hands also.
I haven't noticed a metallic smell on my hands after knitting with these since my needles are mostly covered by yarn and I'm not really touching the needle body after the cast on. You can also see in the photo above that the needle itself is shorter than the actual length of the needle tip of 3.5" long, which means there really isn't as much copper exposed as you would expect. That being said, I'm not sensitive to the smell of copper and metallic smells don't bother me. If you are sensitive to smells though, definitely try the penny trick before purchasing.
I've also had people ask about the benefits of copper and if I've noticed any difference since knitting with these. I really cannot say since I just started using these and I also do not use this set exclusively. (I usually have several projects at the same time.) That being said, I'm not sure that even wear of copper bracelets and other physical items have had enough medical studies to prove their effectiveness, so take what you read online with a grain of salt.
Lastly, the new clear, memory-free, swivel cord is also amazing, allowing your project to glide smoothly and effortlessly. I haven't noticed the yarn catching at any of the joins and the cord hasn't kinked at all! The tips have not unscrewed on me either since I made sure to use the key to twist them in place. All in all, I really like these new needles. You can even get extra needle tips or replacements separately!
Did you know that Lykke also has a great warranty/ replacement policy? Lykke guarantees your set for 5 years against manufacturer defects! Yep! It's just a simple form you can fill out on their website should you need any assistance.
You can shop some of my patterns as kits through The Dizzy Knitter and pick up these beautiful copper needles too!
** I do recommend that if you do not know your preferences yet to research and compare several different kinds of needles before investing in an interchangeable set. This could mean visiting your LYS for more information or purchasing a few different fixed circulars to determine what you like.
Great read Jenny!!!