Inoxydable

Now THAT'S a knitting needle!

Not really. In actuality, it's something called a soil knife. In a conversation about weeding my new landscaping that I had with a colleague at work last week, it was suggested that I get a soil knife. It's kind of like a garden trowel, except thinner and sturdier. And it has those menacing serrated teeth on one edge. And it comes with swashbuckly scabbard-sheathy thing from which one can withdraw it as one stalks unwanted flora. Eye-patch not included.

So imagine my knitterly surprise when I looked at the writing on the blade. It reads INOX ITALY. Right there on the metal. Many knitters will be familiar with the Inox brand of enameled metal knitting needles, which I believe (but am not sure) are made in Germany. They are very smooth and make a pleasant (or annoying, depending on whether you are me or Jeff) clinking noise as you work with them, especially if you are using the double-pointed variety.

So, I thought -- how is it that a company could make knitting needles AND blades for soil knives? I dug around on the internets, finding all kinds of references to European companies that made ball bearings, fitting rings, cookware, countertop surfaces -- all referring to Inox. Then, I finally stumbled across a page that explained -- Inox is short for "inoxidable" -- or something which cannot be oxidized -- usually in the context of acier inoxydable(Fr.) or stainless steel, basically. Which makes sense. And which everyone in the knitting community probably knew, except me.