Since kindling my joy of crochet, I have decided to look into the many different types of crochet hooks. Comfort, or the lack there of, is the entire reason I had stopped before. It came to the point where I would think about getting back to work, but the unimaginable pain that followed quickly had me running the other direction or finding other hobbies to occupy my time. So, off to the Internet I go. What a load of information! Video after video after article after self-promoting blogs and websites. What can really be trusted? Are they being paid to promote these companies? Is it really worth buying? Do they last? Well, I don't know if any of them last, I'm just as new to this as you are (or more so, depending on when you click here).
RESEARCH!
Both of these hooks are 5mm, yet the hook on the bottom in the left picture looks smaller. Why? The one on top in both pictures is an inline, the one on the bottom is tapered. Susan Bates is known for the inline variety, the width is uniform throughout. The side picture (right) shows the hook does not flare outward past the thickness of the hook stem. The hook is sharper, which tends to cause the yarn to split. Boye is considered a tapered hook, and the width decreases between the stem and the hook. Using inline can cause an inconsistent tension. I suggest trying both out to see which one feels more comfortable. Since my tension is consistent, and splitting is not a horrible issue for me, I like them both, though I tend to reach for the tapered before inline. Why? It's just what I started with, so I have three or four sets of them. (I will neither confirm nor deny having a hoarding problem.)
Next is to decide grip. As you can see from the picture above, there is a wide variety of types to choose from. Since I have arthritis in both hands, along with a spur, this part is very important to me. The basic aluminum sets are out of the question, because they are too thin to keep a comfortable grip. The wooden hooks are lighter, and longer, but still too thin for my hands, so I bought several ergonomic styles. Susan Bates black grip, the rubber ergonomics, and Furls. (The longest crochet hook called a Tunisian Crochet hook, and has no mention elsewhere in this post.)
The type boils down to preference, so I needed to buy one to give it a whirl. By far, I do very much like the Furls, though they are exceedingly expensive. This particular hook costs $25 from Amazon, though it is cheaper to buy directly from the Furls website, I was able to save money going through Amazon after taxes and shipping a single hook. Buying more than one, it would be cheaper to buy from Furls. Free shipping, just FYI. I will buy more, as they are the most comfortable of any hook I have ever held, but I will not buy another made of resin. Yes, it's pretty, but I need something durable. I have seen these break just by being dropped on the floor. Metal for me please.
The set I settled on does not have a brand. I bought them from Amazon (click here for direct link), The reviews are hit and miss, but the set I got was decent enough. The price isn't much more than the basic aluminum, and I feel it was worth it. After looking at several different sets, the deciding factor was the fact it has a whole hook, throughout the handle, making it solid and less likely to come apart. The size stamp can rub off, but it has an engraved size on the opposite side of the grip, and there is no fear of having unmarked hooks. Bonus is the carrying case.
Push comes to shove, buy a few different hooks to determine what sets you want to invest fully in, not that it stopped me from having my own tiny collection.
