A fish-hook maker like me, huh? I have switched to a John James "size 11 mi-longues". They are still nice and thin (like the 12's) but they are a shorter needle. I figured out that I was bending needles because I was loading too many stitches on the needle. The shorter needle length doesn't allow me to do that. I've tried the John James betweens that come in the itty bitty envelopes but they fish-hook on me in no time. I've tried unbending them but end up with grooves along the length of the needle that catches on the fabric.