I would like to make a ditty or duffle bag and could probably make do w/ needles laying about the house but would rather use a sail needle and palm but the wealth (or obfuscation) of information on the web is a bit overwhelming. Does anyone know of a reputable and reasonable dealer in these items (via the internet) that they could share? thx for any and all. Deke
deke,
Try this site -
http://www.outdoorxscape.co.uk/store/shop.php/splicing-tools/c_90.html
Gordon
I got a right handed palm from www.go2marine.com. They have some needles, not a huge assortment.
Pat
In the United States Hamilton Marine has palms, needles and waxed trine. Great place to order from. Click on Order # for price. Tony
http://www.hamiltonmarine.com/full.asp?page=163
thx for all the replies. gosh i like this forum 
deke
Also in the U.S., http://www.rwrope.com/contact.htm of New Bedford, MA has many accessories for the purpose, from palms to needles and sailtwines… Send them an email and ask for Bob Dollar.
Deke,
There are a variety of palms available. Make sure you get a “seaming” palm as opposed to a “rope” palm for your ditty bag project. I got one a few years ago, I believe from West Marine, and it was cheap but I don’t find it easy to work with because it is not adjustable and doesn’t fit well. Checked today with a sailmaker friend and found a nice variety in a Bainbridge catalgue but they only sell to sailmakers and chandlaries. If you have access to either, they could get one for you. I saw an identical one on the site Pat listed but from Bainbridge it was $10 instead of $30. The really good ones are in the $40 to $50 range. They also have something you will need for the project and are hard to find, a bench hook.
Lastly, you should check out Louis Bartos’ site http://marinersails.alaskamade.com/book/index.html, He has recently published a book on making ditty bags. He also had the bench hooks - can’t remember about palms.
CL
Deke,
If you think this Forum is good news and fun…you should try to get to one of our meetings, they will blow you away.
Now to the detail, to take Capt Larry just one step forward. The Capt mentions a hard and ill filling palm. The secret is a bucket of hot water, you steep/immerse the palm in the bucket over night,and put it on wet and work with it and keep it on for other jobs too and it will take to the shape of your hand. Now it is your personal palm do not lend it to any one, otherwise it will take to their shape. You have to get a spare one to lend out, when you look for your palm 'Smith ’ is a good make, but do not look for cheap get one that will last.
yours Aye
Ken.
Shamr0ck has some great comments and a link about improving his bench hook (in the last two posts of this thread over at Dan Alaska’s Pineapple site).
http://pineapple.myfunforum.org/about1231.html&highlight=