Is there a good way to remove rust and recondition sewing machine needles?
By Judith C.
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Rusted, old sewing machine needles are best tossed in the bin and replaced with new, clean, sharp ones. You'll never get ALL the rust barbs off the shank and those miniscule barbs will catch in thread and fabric.
Plus old points loose their sharpness after 5 or so years in storage. You can try plunging them in and out of a strawberry (that dangly thing attached to a pin cushion tomato) but you'll never get the true sharp needed for sewing back on those points.
Basic sewing machine needles are very inexpensive-just be sure you buy the correct size for your machine and project. Different projects (fabrics, thickness, etc) require different sizes and types for success, and you'd be using a different needle on a Brother embroidery machine than you would on a standard Singer domestic machine for sewing clothing and household items, for example.
But if you are on a desert island or incredibly tight financially, you can try soaking the needles in WD40 then after wiping off all of the WD40, holding the flat end in one hand and scraping the shank and point between the folds of a sheet of super-fine grit sandpaper.
Be advised the above rarely works for any real length of time-you might be able to get a little more done on the project but really, it's at best a stop-gap measure. Better to replace if at all possible.
I have some very old sewing machine needles in the original packets-I have those in a shadow box decoration near my sewing machine. I'd never try to sew with those antiques, though.
I would not want to even attempt this - just not worth the hassle, and I really don't think it will work for any length of time. Best to just toss them and buy new ones...
Hello!
Do not try to scratch the needles ! Especially with sandpaper !Otherwise the needles will become rough and will not be able to go softly along or into the threads of the textile.
From the softest to the most agressive, here are 3 methods :
1 . Let the needles stay a few days in oil (mineral oil)
2 . Stick the needles into an onion. After 15' wipe them with soft cotton.
3 . Put the needles in lemon juice and then put them in a box with fine salt and shake the box for a few minutes.
To finish the process you should put petroleum jelly or mineral oil again on the needles and use them on your sewing machine. Make them sew without thread through a cotton rag the textile will softly abrase the needle.
Hope this help!
Catherine
This really interests me as I just bought a ma h8ne from 1860 that has rusted needles that are curved and I cant get anymore!
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