Thank you for the recommendations. I'm thinking maybe I have a bad batch of needles and will give John James needles another chance. I'm going to go with a thinner needle when I buy my next needles. I was using 9 but will go with a 10 next time.

Check directly with John James. Maybe they’ll send you a new set. I’ve never heard of peeling either.

I had purchased some easy threaders that were John James if memory serves me right. On two of these needles the eye head broke off while I was using them with Aurifil thread. Maybe they had a manufacturing problem!!

ditto on using JJames needles.

I use straw or milliners needles. When I try to sew with a "regular" needle, I feel like I'm sewing with a straw!