Trox

Hi, I am able to get something from my supplier in Oslo who is made the old way. I believe it comes from a tannery in Italy, it is expensive and do not look very good on the surface. But after wetting it looks good. The sizes I have (in mm.) 1 to 1,2 mm and 2,3 to 2,5 mm. Because its very strong I use this leather on the light weight tasks. Its not often my supplier has this leather, because nobody asks for it anymore. I buy it when I can get hold of it.This leather takes colors,oils, casing and tooling better than anything else I have seen. You got to work on it, its not meant to be Left as it is. When I read about all they did to their leather in the old days, it kind of makes sense to me. Tor

Hi Bruce, The reason I asked was a small order I have with you, Its no hurry only want to make sure you remembered it. Just take your time with it. It might be a braider's tool or for some kind of work like that. You would need both your hand for that job and a blade with guides attached to the work bench would work much better for that job ( just bought one from Ryan O Neil, on sale by the way. A strap splitter made of heavy cast steel with a blade and two brass guides, very cheap on EBay right now , about 35 $.) Its strange however, Ive never seen it in any old French tool catalog ;and I looked true allot of those lately. I would remembered If I seen it before for sure. Thats why I mistake its related to something like a coach building or similar, even bookbinding. If its a saddler or harness tool somebody here would have recognized it. I am only guessing. Tor

Hello Bruce, I did not see this one before now. I do not know how I could missed this interesting looking tool. I have never seen one before, thats for sure. Looks like a kind of channeler/ plane maybe related to a more miscellaneous leather trade. Blanchard made tools for many other trades, they still do. We can ask Vergez Blanchard what it is, he must have some kind of archive of their product. It cuts down into something thats for sure, where did you find this gem. Bruce are you on holiday nowadays or working. Tor

Thank you very much Walter for your very informative answer. Being Norwegian I understand a bit German of course. Its been a pain not knowing the German tool makers and their maker stamps. I am a collector and user of German Industrial sewing machines (who are the best there is), I would of course prefer German quality in leather tool too. However, for some reason those makers are not known outside Germany. I agree Melzer & Feller (Rossler) has a superior quality and finish over Blanchard. I could not find much information about him on the web; only that he made Parade daggers for the SS before WW2. I guess thats was something all good German tool makers did. I guess its more info out there, its hard for me to write technical German search words. ( I understand them, but write them correctly is an other story) About the Pfaffrath Plough; I agree thats a quality you normally would not find in Germany ( not that bad but too expensive for the quality). I got it cheap second hand in Norway, and bought it out of curiosity. Too bad the last maker (Wolfgang Zwanzig) has no web site, If you going to visit him and try persuade him in to make more tool; it might help to have a bigger order on hand. I could order something from him too, like a plough gauge, German mini plough or punches. Depended of what he is willing to continue to make, he might be a old man. Please let me know if its any extra trouble for you, I can send you my Email in a PM. I do not know what you are looking to buy from him, anything of the old quality would be perfect. Thank you Tor

There are information about Bridles in the 1875 manual in my above topic http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=49430. The Danish Royal saddler company Dahlman http://www.sadelmager-dahlman.dk/side38.html has lot of historical documents on their website, here is some from the old French saddlery the year 1878 . It has been rated as the best saddlery in the world http://www.sadelmager-dahlman.dk/side32.html. Just try the links and look at the pictures, some are in French, German and English too, (Google Translate is your friend). Here is some leather museum links. http://www.lederbibliothek.at/über-uns/ http://www.sattlermuseum.at/links/ You will find some inspiration and see what was the fashions of the 17. and 18 century saddler and Harness makers in these links. Any detail patterns, perhaps that too have a look and enjoy. Good luck Tor

Hello Walter, Very nice collection,I collect and use French leather tool too.Those two small strap cutters/plough gauges what are they called? I have never seen them before. Who made them? What is the name of the German tool makers you use, the one who still a life do he make and sell tools anymore? I do not have many German leather tools, they are hard to find (for non Germans) I have a Griffe à Molette, pricking wheel carriage of French pattern. Its made by Melzer & Feller Germany. A couple of hammers, one with the stamp "Germany 2". An other Hammer with the same Horse as on your big plough gauge, Its German or French, do you know the maker name of this tool (your tool). The last German tool I have is the new plough gauge from M. Pfaffrath OHG, stamped with the number "9 2006" and "Germany" with a small mark that contains a "S" and a "L" melted together on top of each other (top one in picture, the other is a Mayer Flamery, Paris). Is this the same tool maker you are talking about, who is the last one alive in Germany? Or is there an other one still around. Please post his name here. In advance thanks. Tor

I noticed that too. He said it would be better to have all weight classes of leather to avoid it. The splitting is a loss of material too. The strongest part of the leather might be the grain side. However, the leather is subjected to all kinds of stress, tensile and compressive strength to name some. The Flesh side might be more durable to other kinds of stress like friction,(heat), crack resistance to mention some. The best quality (strongest leather) is not corrected/splitted in the tannery , It has its full grain and does not look as good as the corrected ones, but are much stronger. Its harder to make and are much more expensive, few people uses this leather today. He is right ; having leather in all thicknesses would be more economical and make better products for sure. Tor

yes, I think so too. Look at all the receipt for dying/staining the leather black, it must be twenty different ways. Allot is certainly lost from this great trade of ours. I hope we get something back from this.

By searching around on the biblo web for leather related literature, I found this old book about Harness making from 1875; "The Harness maker illustrated manual, by Wm. N. Fitz Gerald New York N.Y. 1875" This book has no copy rights because of its age. By googling the name i found a free online copy too. http://www.cd3wd.com/cd3wd_40/JF/417/06-246.pdf The book has 340 pages of very interesting reading. It covers the leather trade and history better than any other book I have read. I always suspected the leather business to be "better" before, as all the leather tools are. This proves it. The book describes in great detail the process of selecting the best hides, which tanning process and all the different craftsmen who did the work. Along with the making of the different products (and much more). Some of the knowledge are "only" history today because of the modern ways. However, it is impressing reading how the harness makers took part in selection and treatment of the leather, most of it is a lost art today. I have not read it all yet, far from it. I am looking to buy a hardcover version of it, I have seen them as low as 34 $. It would cost me more in printer ink to copy it from the web (thats also not legal, you can copy the original book but not the online copy). Especially interesting are all these lost secrets of the trade you can read about here. Its not only a wonderful historical document, it makes you a better craftsman too. This book might be known to many of our US members, to me its great (old) news. Thanks Tor

What do you want to know. Kochs Adler 167-373 (later merging with Dürkopp in to Dürkopp Adler AG 1990). The 167 is the same machine as the earlier Adler 67. It has a larger hook and a different handweel or else all part are interchangeable and they use the same part list. The 67 came in allot of sub classes, with different feed types one and two needle, the 167 only a few (one and two needle and a couple more). The subclass -373 was the surviving subclass. Straight lock stitch flatbed, It has compound triple feed ( bottom, top and needle feed). 7 mm max stitch length, forward and reverse. It handles thread sizes from Tex 60 to Tex 180 and has a large bobbin. The machine was made from 1955 until 1984, parts are still available. The machine is very well made out of the best quality German materials. You will find manuals and other downloads on this site http://sew24.blogspot.no/p/downloads.html. Its a old machine but the quality beats everything on the marked today. The machine you have listed and want to compare it too is all Chinese made machines, Consew and Chandler are good Chinese machines, The Tacsew however, has bad reviews on the forum. Tor

You need a front thread guide with a adjustable position. You can buy or make one. Look at the video of the Cowboy machine, it has thread guide that can adjust how the bobbin winds. Without it you can use your finger as a guide. However with out a consistently woven bobbin your machine will not sew right Tor

Hi , feet's for the Pfaff 335 and Pfaff 345 will also fit your 1245. I buy my feet's and accessories from http://www.kwokhing.com/pfaff/ They are based in Hong Kong, ships fast and take Paypal. Very good product and prices. Send them an email with the product number or your questions. Pfaff foot set are from 9 to 15 $, their very fine dropdown sewing guides around 25 $. Good luck Tor

I use white sewing machine oil, it does not stain. WD 40 might contain some harmful acids used for cleaning. A little drip in each lube point before use, just enough to get a small film between the metal surfaces. I believe the Square drive is the motion of the needle feed on your machine. Did you find the adjustment of the jump foot? I have an Old Adler class 5 with a jump foot, I used it before I bought my 441. It did not have any needle feed only bottom feed and a spring loaded jumpfoot. You was suppose to adjust the foot so it just clears the material and could advance freely forward again. Without clearing the material it would not feed, to much clearance did not really matter anything on that machine. Your machine have a jump foot that just go up and down (It looks like it). To compare it to a regular needle feed (like my Adler 204-64), where the foot stays down on the material all the time. It hard to see from the video. However, It might be important that the height of the jump foot is correctly set, because of the square drive timing. The foot must keep the material from moving when the needle advances forward. To test it I would take some wegtan leather 1/4 to 1/3 " thick and sew in a long straight line ( 12 to 20 " or more). Sew with the motor and in the same speed all the time (remember to hold down your thread ends tight in the start). Then you will be able to see if it is the machine or operator caused uneven stitches. Change settings and do a new parallel line until it looks good (make notes) If the lines look good, do some turns, use the method of elimination. Always use a new right size needle, trow away all old needles. A bad needle is responsible of the major of stitch errors. Like Wiz said, check for play in the needle bar and loose screws etc. Good luck Tor

Hi, not that bad. I see some errors mainly in conjunction with corners. A stitch can get loose when you lift the foot and during the advancing of the needle. Take car your needle is down and bit past B.D.C (so the hook has grabbed the thread) before lifting the foot. Try to increase the foot pressure and thread tension a bit. Did you find the stitch length regulator, to me it looks lite you can adjust the travel of the arm that moves side ways (on the back of the machine). I you get hold of a Luberto manual I am sure you can use it. Steve (Singermania), I am sure you are able to help him out a bit here. If you disregards the top needle guide than looks like a foot, it should be like the other similar machines. Tor

This is a needle feed with a jump foot, and the strange looking front top foot is Ferdinand JeanBlanc patented upper needle guide http://www.google.com/patents/US5762014. He pimped allot of machines in to leather stitcher's, like the Bull machines. He took a Juki TSC 441 and made it in to the pro 2000 twenty years ago. The todays 441 leather clones are all based on his machine. Before that he used Adler's 105 and 205 needle feeds, Singer 45 B6BC (needle feed) or Seiko Ch/ Consew 754 needle feed to make the Ferdinand 900 Bull. I remember I have seen this Ferdco 6/6 on the Ferdco website some years ago, now I cannot find any info on it. I do not know what machine its based on. However it looks the same as a Luberto with a upper needle guide added. Luberto writes on his website he received the rights to produce several machines from Ferdinand JeanBLanc. Ferdinand JeanBlanc is the man behind the no closed Ferdco company. I know we have members who can tell this story, so far they have not posted anything. To bad the Ferdco company is closed, They made allot exiting new stuff for the leather business.

That more like it, very nice. Now you have an industrial quality table your machine deserves. Normally we use some rubber ears the machine bed rests on, to avoid vibrations and such. You can use some furniture knobs instead. A coat with green soap or paint will preserve and protect it. Nice job Tor

Yes, thats the safest way. I have to buy a gallon of ink to my printer first. I am wondering if it has a leak somewhere, its alway empty when I need it.

You are welcome, I do not remember where I got it. I have a great collection with sewing machine manuals on my computer. I better store them online if my computer breaks down they are lost. Tor

You are we You are welcome. Its a good manual, every 441 owner should download it. It has both user and adjustments data, that is pretty unusual. The down load link will work 60 days, if that is not enough I will post a new one. Tor

Hi, all who needs the Juki TSC 441 manual and the spare part list can download them here (from my cloud drive) http://shares.1hund.....1hund.com/441/ The file on 210 KB is the manual, and yes the other is the part list. (link is valid for 60 days) This is an public manual I found online somewhere (I forgot where) Tor

Hi, all who needs the Juki TSC 441 manual and the spare part list can download them here (from my cloud drive) http://shares.1hund.....1hund.com/441/ The file on 210 kb is the manual, and yes the other is the partlist. (link is valid for 60 days) Tor

Hold your thread tight when you start sewing (top and bottom for the first four stitches or so). When you lift your foot to do a corner, make sure your needle is down (just past the bottom dead point and catched the bottom thread) before you lift your foot. Or else you will get loose stitches in the corners. Adjust the tension mainly using the top tensioner, keep the knot in the middle of the material and a tight stitch. When you back stitch to lock the seam; hold your thread ends tight ( like in the start of the seam). You might have to adjust both the bottom and the top tension, try to avoid the bottom unless you have to use it. Remember it probably was set up fine from before, when you forget to hold down your thread ends tight at the start; you will get loose stitches and it looks like the tension is wrong.

Unless you use very thin thread linen will be more than strong enough. You do not have to worry about the strength of the thread. Choose what works best with your machine, have the color and size you want.

Hi, I cant find it on the Juki website right now. Send me a PM with your email and I will send it to you (if you post it here you will have allot of spam). It is a pdf on 210 kb only, most emails servers will handle that size. Tor I agree with Greg, these things happen. Steve will fix it in no time. Good luck Tor

You have threaded it right true the take up spring disk, so the spring works. One and a half turn and up over the spring (second disk). This is not a chap machine, use some more under its foot. Everyone has tension problems with new machines. Just get familiar with it, and use it in its comfort zone until you get it right. The jump foot should just get clear of the material, put more under its foot and it still will. Tor