Review: Susan Bates Quicksilver crochet hooks

These are my very favorite crochet hooks.  Made out of a special heat treated aluminum, they are smooth and light weight.  The most important thing to me, though, is the head -- these, like most Susan Bates hooks, have an inline head.  The head is slightly shallower than most Susan Bates hooks, however they still have that nice sharp edge so I find that it took some getting used to, but is not a problem.

The thing I really like about these hooks is the finish.  It feels almost powdery in the hands, and is very smooth for speedy hooking.  It isn't, however, TOO slippery -- I'm happy working with these hooks on everything from grippy wool to slickery bamboo.

The one issue I have with them is how easy it is to damage that finish.  That being said, I have kids who like to do thinks like repeatedly drop my hooks on the concrete to make them go "p-ting-ting!"  So my experience with that may be skewed.  But my kids aren't allowed to touch these hooks.  They are my favorite.

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In search of the perfect hook...

I admit it.  I've become something of a hook snob.  I discovered this working on my sock.  I was just incredibly frustrated, and couldn't figure out why.  Then I took a closer look.  I was not using an inline hook.  It was one of those Boye style hooks.  Teh horrors!  Thus began my search.  First I went to the yarn store by my mom's house (as I was down there for Christmas anyway).  They had it, but only in Brittany Birch.  For a 3.5mm, I don't trust myself not to break it.  Then behind the Clover Soft Touches I saw them... Susan Bates Quicksilver.  My favorite hook.  They only had 3.75mm.  ARGH!  So the next day I was on a quest.  Inline, 3.5mm, preferably metal.  I called four yarn stores.  Two didn't have any at all.  One was closed until after the fourth (and I wanted it NOW).  Finally I called the Twisted Knit.  They have Brittany Rosewoods, which is a harder wood, so less prone to breakage.  Maybe, just maybe.  They also offered to order me an Addi hook.  I'm not sure what kind of head they have tho, and that's the important part... it must be an inline head!

Then I stopped by Joanns and found the right size in Susan Bates Silvalume.  For two dollars.  Yeah, it's a funny kind of snob I've become.  I'll probably still order some Quicksilvers from the Colorado Springs yarn store tho.  Just, you know, later.  When I'm in less of an "instant gratification" sort of mood.