I think I can definitely shorten one of the cables enough that I can make a circle small enough to make hats for myself.
I’ve got 2x24", 2x32", 2x40" cables.
I like DPNs so I’m not sure I’ll ever do magic loop, but I also don’t want to kill that option.
No seam sweaters are what I got the 40" for. I figure the best choice is either one of the 24" or the 32", but never having done ML I’m not sure if 24" is useless for it.
I’m not sure that is the best option. The needles on the 16in cables are shorter to make it easier. It has been done, but it seems to me that ordering a 16 inch or two makes more sense. I’ve actually had to order more cables because two was not enough so with only 2… Surely there is something else you can find to buy at KP? :teehee:
I’m sure I can shorten it to at least 20" and maybe 18".
If it doesn’t work I can buy more cables at KP 
If I replace the cable with fly line (which the KP cable is remarkably like) I’ll always have the original I can go back to.
Other than ML and knitting on 2 circulars what do you use the cables for? Stitch holders and Starting Yet Another New Project syndrome?
how are you planning to shorten them out of interest, i want to get hold of a 16" cable, my 24" one from my options set has come apart and I’m wondering how I could use it to make a shorter one? How would you make sure the end stayed securely in the screw bit? or were you planning to chop out the middle
I know you can’t get it down to 16". I think 18" might be pushing it towards making it hard to do a decrease.
I plan on heating up the screw caps to release the glue (I have a very small jewelry torch, imagine the smallest gold chain you can buy, I can solder the individual links with this torch), cut the cable (or replace it) and glue it back in.
I’ll probably use arrow fletching cement since it’s designed to hold plastic to metal.
Cutting the cable in the middle wouldn’t be a good idea. That would require a sleeve to make the join strong enough. I could make a sleeve but I want to do this with as little work as I can.
I use my 24" the most. I never ever use straight needles so it is a good length for a lot of the stuff I knit flat.
That’s why I can’t figure which one to sacrifice.
Any flat that will fit on a 24" would also work on the 32". And you really only need 1 to knit flat.
So it really comes down to is are 24" cables any good for magic loop vs is 40" too long for magic loop.
I haven’t done magic loop, so I can’t say for sure, but everyone I’ve heard mention it seems to want a longer cable for that.
However, I’d say figure which cable you think YOU will use the most at this time…it’s only $3.99 for extra cables.
Hey Mike! :waving:
I ordered all of the 16" fixed (Harmony) circs from KP. Know what makes them so effiecient and usable? It’s more than the fact that the cable is shorter. The actual needles of the 16" fixed circs are stubby…and this allows you to wrap a tighter circle for knitting in the round.
If you find a way to cut a 24" cable down, you will still have to work with the full length OPTIONS needle tips. That in itself is awkward.
I found out the cable isn’t glued in, it’s a press fit.
So I pulled the 24" out and glued a 20" together.
I figure if I ever need 2 24" cables I can pull out one of the others and put the 24" in.
The stock cable is flared at the ends but the fletching glue does a good job of simulating that.
And if it doesn’t work out I can burn the glue out and put the original back in.
I don’t see why it would be any more awkward than my 16" circular (bamboo, stiff cable). The needle points line up about the same.
Plus I don’t get along well with short needles. That’s probably why once I got a base laid down with the 16" bamboo I’d switch to DPNs.