Explain the anatomy of a knitting machine needle?

Knitting Machine Needle Types:

Knitting machine needles are made from stainless steel, they are very hard wearing and can last for many years if looked after.

The various parts of a knitting machine needle can be seen in the image below. The stem is often referred to as the shank.

Each knitting machine brand requires its own particular needle; they may look similar, but I guarantee, they will be different in one way or another, often only by the length of the latch which is hard to spot. It is always best practice to use superior quality, own brand needles, that way you can rest assured you are getting the correct one for trouble-free knitting.

When checking the needles for damage, pay close attention to the latch rivet. This often gets clogged up with a mixture of yarn fluff and oil. The latch must be free to move from fully closed with the latch-spoon centered on the hook. It should also move to full open, nearly resting flat on the needle stem. There should be no stiffness while the latch is being moved. The latch is an essential part which forms every stitch. The carriage brushes move the lighweight latch to the desired position so it is ready to form the next stitch.

Needles can be checked for straightness.

Each needle can be placed on a flat surface to check it is completely straight, both sideways and on its base. If it is not perfectly straight, it will need to be replaced. Spare knitting needles are a very reasonably priced.

The needle butt must not be twisted, or have grooves where it has been used too many time and has worn.

The hook can become bent out of shape... check it is the same smooth circumference as a known good one.

The needles are stainless steel, but can still rust, so when oil is needed, only ever use sewing machine oil. It is colourless and exceptionally fine; it will not solidify and will always offer the highest levels of lubrication and protection against rust.