Stainless Thimble
| This article discusses the use of stainless steel in the manufacture of sewing thimbles for World War I sewing kits, quilting and commercial applications. It also briefly discusses nautical thimbles. It puts forward some reasons why more stainless steel thimbles were not made. |
Thimbles
Stainless steel was invented around 1910 to reduce the corrosion of
gun barrels. However, it is a type of steel that stays bright and shiny
because it is resistant to corrosion, so it wasn’t long until this
feature made if perfect for many products such as razor blades, cutlery,
and flatware. Although it was not widely used for thimbles, there are a
few examples.
One of the first instances of a stainless steel sewing thimble was the
one furnished with the small painted metal sewing kit carried by
soldiers in World War I. The thimble, which perched on the top, held the
kit together.
Another sewing thimble, still made of stainless steel today, is the
deflector, or underthimble, used in quilting. Unlike most thimbles which
protect the finger pushing the needle, an underthimble is worn on the
hand receiving the needle, the hand beneath the quilt. It deflects the
point of the needle and prevents painful injury and stains. It is
usually dome-shaped and secured to the finger with a replaceable
adhesive pad.
Although stainless steel thimbles are economical and are still being
mass produced for use in commercial sewing, their use in these
applications has diminished. Rubber thimbles have also been found to be
economical. They are flexible, conform well to the finger and provide a
better grip.
Don’t confuse a sewing thimble with a nautical thimble which is made
almost exclusively of stainless steel. It comes in a variety of sizes,
is shaped like a horseshoe with the open end partially closed, and used
to form an eye for ropes and rigging on ships. This is the perfect
application for stainless steel because its strength and corrosion
resistance are particularly important.
The fact that stainless steel has not been widely used for personal
thimble manufacture may indicate that we perceive it as primarily
practical and utilitarian rather than attractive. Stainless steel has a
cold industrial quality, little depth and develops no surface patina
with use, like silver or brass. Hence, its uses have been limited to
factory settings or situations in which practicality matters more than
looks, like the WWI sewing kit, designed to be carried in rough
conditions.
By the time stainless steel was invented, personal thimbles were
becoming more ornamental rather than practical, in keeping with the
Victorian taste. Thimbles manufactured today are primarily ornamental
since the popularity of hand sewing as a proper occupation for ladies
has greatly diminished.