right as crazy as it sounds I want to knit socks since I learnt to knit socks 2 years ago I had stopped due to the aches and pains which im sure you all know about. Do I wanna try again. i am thinking perhaps a different material in the needles would prob help since bamboo isnt for me. I knit with plastic straights right now.
my question being - do i stick with the same material with dpns that I do woth straights?
Depends.
Sorry you had such a rough go the first time around. Yes, aches and pains are common especially when working on something so small/tight and so deligently (just kept trying and wouldn’t/couldn’t put them down).
What material DPNs to use is really a matter of preference and will depend on what size you need to use (000-3), how tight/loose you knit and what yarn you are using. Some of those thinner yarns can be quite slippery, regardless of material (silk more so than wool), and will slide off those needle tips if you aren’t careful.
You’ll have to give some different DPNs a try but, I say stick with bamboo when using slippery yarns. Try metal/plastic DPNs with less slick yarns. Try to work a looser tension AND give yourself/fingers/wrists a break (stop knitting, knit different size/project) every once in a while (as hard as that may be 
).
I really like wood, just enough tackiness…
I don’t know what will work for you. The only time socks or other knitting has given me pain is when I was knitting too tightly. I knit my socks on nickel plate or other metal circular needles. I don’t want them trying to hang onto the needles so that I have to fight with the stitches. I usually use a size 2 and sometimes go down to size 000 (those are aluminum dpns) for the ribbing at the top. I hope you find a solution you are happy with.
[B]IF[/B] I was going to use DPN I’d use bamboo myself. I always use magic loop though. :shrug: