New monk gear question

[Dazbonez]

I finally got my client working a couple days ago and ive been leveling my monk and so far its been going great, the server has a great community (right after starting an awesome druid walked by and handed me a trance stick).

Ive been scrapping my spare change together and I am wondering what I should be looking for:

Is cured silk worth buying? Is it better to just try and farm mesh pieces for upper guk (Also how hard is that to do/what lvl would I need to be?)

I would like to get another 1hb, should I be looking for another trance stick or is a cane of harmony a better option? Would I be better off sticking with trance stick/fist combo and saving for something like a knuckle duster?

Are there any cheap 2hb options for keeping the skill up while I level?

Im a while away from this but also do people actually group in Dalnir's? I like the idea of farming the crescent armor set but from what I remember of the zone its a ghost town and id have to solo it.