Knitting tool issues: Ball Winder and Yarn swift...

So odd question, does anyone know the best way to clean a 20 year old yarn ball winder? I got my first one in the early 2000’s when i first started knitting and just got a new one last week because the first was starting to get jerky and bugging my shoulder when I was using it. The one that came seems to be cheaper quality plastic even though I went through my prior orders on Amazon to get another of the same. I am hoping that I can just clean the old one and add new grease (does it use grease or oil?) but I’m not sure… haven’t cracked it open yet.

Also, anyone else experience “squeaking” with the knit picks birch yarn swift? I give major props to their customer service, i contacted them asking which product they reccomend to condition the wood on the birch swift I got back in 2007 (figuring the noise was just from the wood drying out over the years) and they sent me a new one without my asking or requesting I send back the original, but there is still the squeak from the wood rubbing. The metal and plastic one I got on Amazon doesn’t want to stay clamped in the upright position so i only use it for mini skeins….

Which yarn winder are you wanting to grease? I think some can be reconditioned but I’d be looking on youtube to see if someone has anything posted. My guess is that the plastic/nylon gears are worn out but that’s only a guess. I have the yarn winder and swift I got from Knit Picks many years back. About 10 years ago, probably. The winder is still going strong. I’ve not used the swift recently but don’t recall it squeaking. That doesn’t mean it didn’t, I just don’t remember. I’ve never used my winder clamped to a table top; it came with a handle for holding it in my hand and that’s how I use it so I’ve no idea about how or why a winder wouldn’t remain upright. Can you return it? Which one is it? I wouldn’t want to get the same one if it has problems - I’ve been thinking of getting one that will make a bigger cake.

ETA If I were sure it was shot I’d risk trying to remove screws and take a look inside of the winder. You might see what the problem is and maybe fix it.

Yarn Ball Winder https://a.co/d/aYJdgGD it’s that one. I paid half that price 20 years ago…

I think she meant a metal and plastic swift that doesn’t stay attached to the table.

I’ve never seen or even imagined a yarn winder that you hold in your hand! Seems like it wouldn’t be stable enough to hold steady tension, but if you’ve used one for years, that can’t be the case. Any chance of a pic?

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I have only ever used a hand held winder. It is just a heavy cardboard tube about 3cm diameter (≈1.25 in) and hand winding. :wink:

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I’ll see if I can get a photo later.

I see I got the issues with swift and winder mixed up. Thanks.

Gotcha. I have actually done that, or even wound small cakes (cupcakes?? :smiley:) with no tube.

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I remembered to get a photo. That’s about how I hold it for winding and I tension the yarn through my fingers. Absolutely the best thing when I frog. I just wind it up as it ravels out. There is a piece of lace weight yarn inside it. I figured when that happened the thing would quit working but it didn’t. When I saw Knit Picks had their winder for about $10 I got another as backup. Nothing lasts forever. The new one didn’t have a handle. :frowning:

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Huh. Even with mine clamped to the table, I use both hands! One to turn the crank, and one to manage the yarn coming off the swift. And then I usually wind it a 2nd time, so it’s not so tight.

If your new one doesn’t have the handle, does it have a clamp?

They both came with a clamp. The handle is detachable so if I ever wear out the winder I’m using I hope the handle is still in one piece so I can use it. Handle removed in photo and you can see the bottom of the winder where it attaches.
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The original and newer winders are identical but for some reason they quit including the handle. Makes no sense to me but nobody asked me.

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No, they never ask us. To me it seems so much simpler to clamp the winder to a table, rather than hold it, but we all prefer different techniques. I can’t actually imagine how it would work holding it, as both of MY hands are busy even with it clamped to a table! But it obviously works just fine for you.

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