What does "in-line" mean?

[Heidi7Sue]

Hi

 

I'm trying to figure out how to find the hook shape that I like. I like Susan Bates hooks, and I hate using Boye hooks, because of the shape of the hook itself. Are Susan Bates hooks "in-line", while Boye hooks are "tapered"?

 

Also, Susan Bates thread hooks are shaped like the Boye ones!

(The biggest problem is the shallow slot for the thread, so it wants to fall off the hook.) Does anyone know how I can find thread hooks that are shaped like the larger Susan Bates hooks?

 

Would pictures help here, or am I making enough sense?

 

Thanks!

Heidi

[proudmama762003]

I am just the opposite - LOVE boye - HATE susan bates for the very same reason - the yarn always falls off the hook on the bates and it is hard to grab my stitch

 

you are right - bates is 'in-line' and boye are 'tapered'

 

check ebay maybe?

[GurleyGirl]

I am just the opposite - LOVE boye - HATE susan bates for the very same reason - the yarn always falls off the hook on the bates and it is hard to grab my stitch

Same here - thought I was the only one who felt that way.

[Sylviaf]

I also like the Bates hooks and those designed the same way best. I have noticed that thread hooks all seem to be the same, but it doesn't bother me the way Boye hooks in larger sizes do.

[EEE_mom]

just out of curiosity, is there a difference in how one holds the hook between the boye lovers or the bates lovers?

 

I personally am a Bates lover and I hold in a knife grip

[bajr]

Heidi, in-line hooks have the same size shaft (the part that is just below the flat grip area) as the hook itself and continues to the hook, while the tapered does just that, it tapers from the grip area to the hook throat, having a slimmer throat than the hook itself. Hope that makes sense.

I am with you on the hooks. I love the in-line susan bates, can't stand boye in any size. The yarn just won't stay on the hook and insists on splitting with the boye hooks. I have been croching since childhood, over 40 years now and have never found in-line hooks fine enough for thread, with that said, I use susan bates, just seems that the thread behaves better.

[bajr]

just out of curiosity, is there a difference in how one holds the hook between the boye lovers or the bates lovers?

 

I personally am a Bates lover and I hold in a knife grip

I am also a Bates lover, I use the pencil grip.

[EEE_mom]

I am also a Bates lover, I use the pencil grip.

 

Well, i guess that shoots that theory all to heck!

[texasredhead]

Well, I love the Clover Soft touch Hooks!!! They are perfect for a knife girpper like me and the yarn slides just right! Good thing there are different types of hooks for different types of crocheters!!!

[Lisaizme]

Viva La Difference!!

 

I have never had a problem with either kind of hook with the yarn slipping off.

 

My deal with the different styles of hooks is that the Boye seems to have a slightly more "pointy" head to the hook making it easier to find it's way between tight stitches.

 

I've always been a Boye gal until recently. The bamboo handled Bates have been getting a workout lately.. but I keep a Boye handy to help me through the tight spots. LOL

[EEE_mom]

My deal with the different styles of hooks is that the Boye seems to have a slightly more "pointy" head to the hook making it easier to find it's way between tight stitches.

 

See now, I feel EXACTLY the opposite way!

 

I always found the Boye ends too rounded to get into the tighter stitches and more of an angled "point" to the Bates..

 

Isn't that funny?

[stitchgirl]

Love Bates hooks, don't care much for Boye.

[MissRach]

I can use either kind; right now I can't even FIND my Susan Bates hooks! Of course, the ones I have are a couple H's (my go-to size!) and an E? I think, and are my favorites, but I can use a Boye hook just fine. I use an overhand hold.

[proudmama762003]

Same here - thought I was the only one who felt that way.

 

YAY!! I am not alone!!

 

I use the knife grip or as my friends say the 'death grip' - it looks funny to everyone i know cuz i am a lefty and they are rightys - LOL!!

 

Love those Boye hooks!

[Heidi7Sue]

Thanks to everyone for the explanations!

 

EEE_mom, to answer your question, I also use a knife grip (though I don't grip tightly), and I much prefer Bates hooks. I've tried the pencil grip out of curiosity, and it felt incredibly odd.

 

As for the pointyness of the end of the hook, I noticed something very interesting when I compared my newly purchased Susan Bates hooks with the ones I have from 30 years ago (My mom gave them to me, so they could be older than that; I don't know). The older ones have much more of a point on them - you could use them to score paper. The newer ones are still less rounded than Boye hooks, but you could never carve a line with them in anything. And I think this is unfortunate; that point is incredibly useful.

[barbstitches]

I'm exactly the same....have always loved boye hooks till I found bates with bamboo handles. Loveeeeee them. But those are the only bates I like. I keep my boye hooks handy and swap around some.

[MaryPat]

Hi

 

........Also, Susan Bates thread hooks are shaped like the Boye ones!

(The biggest problem is the shallow slot for the thread, so it wants to fall off the hook.) Does anyone know how I can find thread hooks that are shaped like the larger Susan Bates hooks?

 

.

 

 

I had several thread Susan Bates that are in-line. Most likely got them in with a bunch of hooks via an eBay purchase as I would never deliberately buy a Bates hook. I gave them to someone who wanted in-line for thread as well.

[IrishMist]

Knife gripper....love bates hooks. I find boye catches and splits the yarn especially if using the "nubby" ones...Homespun, boucle, bernat coordinates!