# Sock or circular knitting machine?



## WisJim (Jan 14, 2004)

Any one have an old sock or circular sock knitting machine? Looking for info tips or a reasonably priced usable machine, such as a Lagare, Gearheart, or AutoKnitter. We found the Yahoo group for them, and some other sites, looking for more personal hints and info.

Thanks 

Jim


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## ozarkcat (Sep 8, 2004)

Don't know about them specifically, but there's one here:
http://www.applehollow.com/ahf-ue.html


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## WisJim (Jan 14, 2004)

Thanks--seems a bit expensive, though, for one that isn't in actual working condition and needs some work.


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## donsgal (May 2, 2005)

WisJim said:


> Thanks--seems a bit expensive, though, for one that isn't in actual working condition and needs some work.


I saw a vintage one for auction on eBay not too long ago. I thought about bidding but I don't have room to put it any place (like that has stopped me before). LOL

donsgal


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## holleegee (Mar 3, 2005)

I can't stand the noise they make...kind of like fingernails on a chalkboard. I have a friend with one and she loves hers and can make a sock in no time but the noise bothers me. I'll find out what kind she has and see if she has any tips or links for you.


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## weever (Oct 1, 2006)

Funny you should ask...

We just bought one Saturday. You can see photos at my blog: http://shadysidefarm.blogspot.com/2008/02/oh-no-not-another-hobby.html

Can't seem to figure out how to do a quicklink this morning.

We don't know much about them, but the one thing we were instructed by a friend to ask is whether the crank to row ratio was 1:1. Apparently some aren't (the Gearhardt? maybe), and it's a bit of a pain to count rows.

They are very expensive. I've seen them sell for almost $1K on ebay.


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## WisJim (Jan 14, 2004)

We got a Gearhart, and my son (26) has been figuring it out when he is a round--he's great and patient with mechanical stuff. So far he has made 3 or 4 pairs of socks that are keepers, and did a mitten yesterday. Then he figured out the ribber. Now he has to teach my wife and me to use it. I'm thinking of getting another one so that we can all use them. One of the reasons we got it is to take it to antique tool collector meetings, as it gives my wife something to do while I am talking to other tool collectors and buying/selling/trading old tools. She often takes a spinning wheel along, and the sock machine will be even more fun for demos.

I'm glad to see that there are others intersted in and using these machines.


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## Laci (Feb 4, 2004)

I have one, a LeGare, and I used to have an Auto Knitter. I love mine, but don't find much time to use it lately. Maybe in the summer when my fingers aren't so darn cold all the time, lol. If you've found the yahoo groups, then you probably know about the NZAK. http://autoknitter.com/sales.htm They are a sock knitter that is being produced brand new, and they work wonderfully. I don't have one, but I have knitted on one at a sock knitting machine retreat that I went to, and I loved it. Right now they are $1910.00, and with all of the great innovations that are built in, I believe that it's probably worth that. If you want a less expensive one, I suggest that you post on the csm groups, and scour auctions and attics, lol. I got my first one by posting on the yahoo group, and paid a total of about $500 for a restored machine with just one cylinder and no ribber. It worked great, and I loved it. After I learned how to use it, I sold it for about double what I paid for it, and used that money to buy a machine from a friend that had two cylinders and a ribber. Good luck!

Marcy in OR


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