Trox

My bobbin is full with Nm tkt size 40 thread (fairly thin thread, same top and bottom and tension OK), do you thread the bobbin tread true the thread guide hole on the shuttle top? Mine is a blue long arm, it never skiped a stitch. The shuttle lifts like his does when I sew with it, I have never notice it before since it is no problem. There is room for the shuttle/bobbin house to lift, it only do so when it is in the possision when the thread can lift it. It is the take up spring that lifts it. The loop is already formed when it happens.

This is a tip to our few Norwegian members and all other members who visit Oslo, (the capital of Norway). There is an old hardware store in Torshov, Oslo (Norway) who sells screw, tools and bits. The name is Zachariassen Jernvare AS http://www.zachskruer.no/index.php I always go there to find old obsolete screws for my oldest sewing machines. The shop is over 80 years old and unchanged. They still have screws and bolts in stock from their early days. When the owner heard I was a leather worker, he showed me an old wooden drawer, which had not been opened on many years. It was full of old needles and awls. He told me they used to serve saddlers, harness and shoemakers in the old days. It was about 50 years since they stopped with that. They use to sell all tools and every bit for the trade, but this drawer was the only thing he has left. I bought a few from him, and the price was as old as the needles. There still are many different needles and awl (irons) left in that drawer. Visit his shop when you go to Oslo, and ask for the needle drawer. He will keep them, and sell them to the artisans who are left in the trade. Trox

Beautiful catalog, I have see pictures of your 1950 catalog, it looks like you still make all the old tools? I have a plough gauge marked J. Dixon and a round knife marked T. Dixon. The last one I just bought second hand, it came unsharpend (never used). Is the T. Dixon the oldest of them? You make great tools. Trox

Hi, I have an almost “new” 29K-72 (a machine with no wear) and it does the same. This also happens when you pull out the bobbin thread by hand; the thread tension moves the bobbin up. There should be a little spring on the top of the shuttle, which is missing on mine. Maybe that keeps the shuttle down, I do not know, my machine has always worked well with out it, it never skips a stitch. I always thought that spring was just for keeping the bobbin in place. Wiz, do you have that spring on yours? Trox

Hi Wim, I have a manual in German, contains 25 sides on PDF. Each side is one PDF file about 800 kb to 1 Mb, together about 25 Mb. It is the user manual on the Adler class 4 and 5. About the numbers; all industrial sewing machines is divided in to classes and subclasses. 5-27= Class 5 - subclass 27. The Adler class 5 is a cylinder bed, the class 4 is the same machine in flat bed. Subclasses are different construction of the same class, like different feed and for different use. The same for the Dürkopp “CL” stands for Class, “18” is the class number and “1” is the subclass number. If your machine has a wax pot like mine, you can use wax or oil in it. We mostly use silicone or white sewing machine oil to cool down the needle and soften hard leather. If you mean pre waxed thread, I have never tried that and I do not think it will work very well. You will have trouble with the machine thread tension among other. In the old time, they used a wax apparatus with a heater flame to melt the wax first; I have seen them in old part lists. That kept the wax liquid while sewing, after use they had to clean the machine or it was hard as a candle light. Maybe they just light it up and melted it the next day, I do not know. Why do you want to use wax? I also have a part list on paperback; it contains all the subclasses of the class 5. These documents are very hard to get for those old classes, much was destroyed during WW2. The factory that made your Dürkopp was also bombed, parts for that machine is very hard to get. You can find parts and documents for some of the newer obsolete classes here; http://sew24.blogspot.com/p/downloads.html. The use of the class 5 sewing machine is very similar to the newer class 105 and Singer 45 K. The only thing that is different (can be found on other machines to) it the adjustment of the jump foot. The important document to have is a part list. I will not scan all my part list for you, but I will give you a couple of sides with shuttle parts (the part number are longer now, if you need the shuttle number PM me). That is the only part that is available and has to be changed from time to time. I can send you the user manual on mail, send me a PM with your email (don’t post it here; you will be spammed if you do). I hope this helps. Trox

Hi Darren, I apologize, I have not seen that one. The catalogue, does that include more stuff that is not in their web site? I have not talked to them lately, they once asked me to be their agent in Norway. I told them I could not make many sales here and turned the offer down. There is no customers for that stuff here any more; every thing is made in China. What about your machine, is it not a bigger version that sews heavier materials? If that could be stretched, or maybe it comes in a longer version? That will be an inexpensive golfbag sewing machine, it will do all seams. However, not without making some marks and scratches in the leather I am afraid. It maybe in his budget limits. If you are dealing with Vietnam, you might be able to tell him about the possibilities with small workshops there. In Thailand that is ancient history, the best thing for him is to have it made by a small workshop. Pay an experienced Australian saddler to make him a good (easy to make) model of the bag, and tell him about the machines and possibility's the production site has. He only asked us about the machines, but I feel obligated to warn him about the process. It is lot more to it than buying a sewing machine. He had better visit a saddler's workshop to see, he is welcome to visit my workshop. I have a lot of machines but not the ones he will need to make that golf bag, and I am located to far away. The maybe is some Australian member that will be able to help him, tell him a bit about the saddler's workshop and the tools needed to do the job. quote name='Anne Bonnys Locker' timestamp='1337163596' post='248035'] The cowboy 7300 is not in the website but it is in the catalogue and is basically the Puritan OS36.

Cowboy makes a verson of the Juki 461 feed up the arm. Compound feed lock stitch machine with 37 inches arm that uses the Adler 204 shuttle, same as the Juki does. The machine is called CB 7461-37 http://www.cowboysew.com/product5.htm Wiz was talking about chain stitch machines. This machine is also very expensive, you can contackt Cowboysew direct true their website for buying machines in Asia. Trox

Hi, Wiz has described the different kinds of seams and how they are made in factories. The best set up for a small one mans shop, would be two long cylinder arm sewing machines, one with feeding across and one with feeding off the arm. Long arm lock stitch machines, types; Juki 441/ Adler 205-370 with 37-inch arms. You can also use Chinese clones of this two models, Cowboysew.com makes them (so does many other Chinese manufacturers too) But this are expensive machines even in China. 2000 $ is just the first down payment also here. You could find a way to do all seams on one long arm, across the arm feed machine, but this will give you few options on designs. You most first make drawings and a prototype, for this job you need a professional artisan. This is the first step in the production of the bag, when this is done, you can find out what tools you need for the job. I advise you to read up on the topics here on LW net. This way you can get an idea of how much money and work only the first step is. This will help you make a budget. To find a small shop that will make this bag for you in Asia, Thailand is not the place. You are 20 to 30 years to late for this kind of shops in Thailand, I lived in Thailand in the beginning of the 1980`s and at that time there was small productions sites there. Now you must look at other countries, maybe in Vietnam or Cambodia, you will find what you looking for, I do not know. However, if you think you will save money renting a Crafts man in one of those countries making the drawings and prototype, think again. Do not waist time and money thinking you can make those first steps yourself, making drawings and prototypes is a very complicated and time-consuming process, even for a trained saddler. If you find this craft man in Asia who knows the ways of making models, drawings the Western way, the drawings a craftsman or factory need to make the production, he or she sure cost money, also there. Save your self time and money, read up on other people who wanted to start up making bags, search the forum. I hope this was at some help. Good luck.

Hi, To help you I need to know the answers to this questions; do you want to produce golf bags for sale or make one for your self? Material size/weight and seams in construction? Trox

Hi Carl, This is not a walking foot machine. The term walking foot machine is for us leatherworkers a machine with triple feed (under, over and needle feed; working together and adjusted on one stitch regulator) the triple feed machine has two feet’s that alternates. I do not know this Pfaff model, but I can see it is no triple feed machine. Sometimes when machines have one foot that vibrates, (go up and down) they call it a walking foot machine. And sometimes it have one foot that walks, they call it the same. EBay is a very bad place to buy a sewing machine, you must know sewing machines to do so, and it still is a gamble. I see this is a self-oiling machine, it is a system used on high-speed machines not on leather machines. 　 Other things too, I will not use time to explain them, tells me it is not a leather machine. This is a high-speed machine for fabric and thin thread, not for you. And if you need a high-speed textile machine, this is priced way too high. You will be able to sew belts and wallets on a flat bed machine, but for bags, you need a triple feed cylinder arm machine. Read up on the pinned topics on the subject. We have several Australian members and machine dealers here on the forum; one of them will for sure be able to help you. Adding a few hundred $ and you will be able to buy a new Chinese triple feed leather machine of one of our member dealers. (Click on the banners on the top of the site). Stay away from EBay, look in our for sale section and talk to other members. Personally, I have four leather machines for sale, but I am located in Norway. I am sure somebody here is able to help you. Good luck

The tread sizes are a pain in the ….. for us Europeans to understand, we are using tkt numbers. When you are discussing Tex sizes, we have to translate it in to tkt. The threads I am using for my leather work is made by Amman and Coats. Serafil by Amman is a polyester thread, Gral is equal to Serafil and made by Coats. The sizes in polyester goes like this; tex 450/ 6 tkt tex 400/ 7 tkt tex 350/8 tkt And so on tex 135/20 tkt tex 60/40 tkt With Nylon bond, it is a bit different; tex 500/6 tkt tex 400/8 tkt And so on tex 70/40 tkt…………….. I find the Serafil type of polyester thread much better for my big Adler’s than nylon bond. I have tried nylon bond, but my machines will not have it in the thickest thread classes. The polyester is much softer and work better. My patchers (Adler 30 and Sing. 29K) do not mind to use the nylon bond, it work just fine with them. Serafil polyester is made by German Amman group, comes in WR (water rest.) and normal. Lots of colors and a thread well suited for leatherwork. It is the most commonly used thread for leather here. I am satisfied with the threads I am using. Other reasons for not changing and try American threads are the size system. I wonder when we will all take to our senses and use the same measurements all over the world. I do not care if it metric or imperial, Chinese or Greek, it should all be the same. We will always find other things to argue about. Maybe it is a job for the UN, find the best scales and standardize them. :brainbleach: Trox

Not really, you just have to take some time to understand how it all works. Here in Norway it is 200$ an hour plus the meet up fee, you just have to do it your self. I love everything mechanical, but with a 40 $ fee, you maybe should spend your time doing what you do best instead. The machines are not that complicated, but understanding an adjustment manual the first time can be a challenge. They are made for the trained mechanics; some of the German technical language is also badly translated to English. The must challenging thing with the Pfaff`s is the spare part prices, a binding needle plate for my 345 cost 955 $ (USD) here in Norway. I told you I had a 545, I lied it is a 345-H3-6C-LN (with that same binding feed as yours) It has a bigger cylinder arm and a vertical hook. However, the rest is the same as the 335. When I bought it not long ago it came with a normal needle plate, I am setting it up as a binding machine. Many thanks to my friend the Leather Guru, who provided me with most of the binding parts for free (who all cost about 1950 $ with Pfaff). I am still missing the most expensive part the binding needle plate, but I can modify a standard one if I have to. That is why I asked you what you paid for the plate? I have a hard time finding an aftermarket one for mine. Trox

You have to control everything. It starts by putting in a new needle (your needle might be bent); the type and size described in the manual. The distance from the bobbin hook tip to the needle is set to 0, 05 to 0, 1 mm with the needle size/type it should be adjusted with. The new feed dog, is that an original Pfaff spare part, or an aftermarket part? The adjustment of the machine is started with the feed dog, set the stitch regulator in position zero. The clearance around the feed dog (in the needle plates feed dog hole) should be the same all around the f. dog. The difference between the normal 335 triple feed and the binding 335 is the feed dog’s motion, the binding machine do not have the feed motion (up and down motion). I have adjusted my feed dog height flush with the needle plate. It only moves back and forth, if it is over the plate, it will disturb the material feeding. With this kind of binding feed machine, you will just get the top and needle feed, not any bottom feed. When you buy a feed dog, it normally comes with a needle plate. Start checking if the dog is in the center of the plate, adjust it to be. Then you must adjust the height, and see if it moves with the needle. You must check the distance needle hook tip (0,05 - 0.5 mm) check the timing of the hook needle ( with a new needle/ right size) You must take of the presser feet’s before you adjust the feed dog, replace the feet’s and adjust their position according to the manual. If the feed dog and plate are aftermarket parts and very different from the original parts. In addition, you also planning to change it all back to a binding machine when needed, you must consider modifying it. This way you do not need all the adjustments when changing plate and feed dog. (If you need to modify the feed dog, this is done by removing some of its material on the left and right side. So it fits in the center of the plate. You normally should be able to adjust it to the needle, put the plate on and check) Start with downloading the manual, read it and check if your machine is the same as the one in the manual. If it is something you do not understand, feel free to ask me. However, it all starts with reading the manual. Good luck. Trox

Hi Caroline, Look at your picture, to the right of the feed dog is a hole figure as an 8. It should be two screws there, where are those. Did you forget to put them back in again? Those two screw adjust the feed dog to the left and right. To adjust the feed dog in the lengthwise position, you must do that on the underneth the arm. You must attach the needle plate to see if is in the center of the hole. If the feed dog is adjusted to be in the center of the needle plate and the needle still misses the middle of the hole, you must adjust the position needle bar (the rod with the needle in). This is done by removing the front plate of the head, it is adjustable in all direction. It is all in the manual, and it is not very difficult. ( It does not matter if it is the same model 335, it is pretty much the same on all machines) I do not have the the same Pfaff as you ( I have a Pfaff 545 cylinder arm, binder feed machine) but I do have the adjustment manual for the Pfaff 335 on Pdf. You can adjust the position of the feed dog without timing the feed of the machine. Give me your email in this format ; name att domain dot com (this format to avoid spam ) . Or send it to me in an PM true my profile, and I will mail you the manual; 796 kb size of seven pages. I hope this helps. trox

Hi Gong, He did not have a machine in stock, I think everybody have to wait to get them from China. Did he not inform you about this? All the machines he gets from China goes direckt to the customers after adjustment etc. first. The shipping was slow, but it is to keep the price down?. I was sure you already was sewing on your Cobra, I can understand your your dissapoitment. You have to keep in contackt with them, not be the one customer who is on the bottom on the waiting list. This is becauce he have to many people on his waiting list, calling him every day. The Chineese can only deliver a certain ammount of machines every third month or so, all the machines go direct out. He wants more machines, but can not have them. Search the forum, this has been on here before. I hope you get it soon,stay in touch.

I am part of a large community of leather workers that helps and looks out for each other. You are leaving feedback and verifying his products as Barnsley tools. “Prices are high because of steel prices“; Hale is your trusted friend. This type of false flag marketing is not legal on EBay. You friend selling an item claiming it to be something more valuable than what it really is. You are defending this and using your name on the merchandise. The knife is marketed as a high-grade steel Barnsley tool, not as Woodware Rep. Tool. Woodware Rep. Tools, I am sure they are good tools. Nevertheless, these are low priced tools compared to Barnsley tools that have a high collector’s value on them. Who I am, I buy, collect and use new and old leather tools. The people on this site are my good friends, I am grateful to be a member of this great community; we look out for each other. The information is here for everyone to see, I will let each member judge for him or her self. I am not accusing you of anything, other that you have your name on it. I would not use my name on anything I cannot vouch for. If you did not know or do not stand behind the product, Just remove your name. It easy to be misleaded, people will understand. Trox

LOW cost steel @ HIGH prices. A comparison on prices: the Hale & Co price on the Barnsley Crew punch set; 11 punches bought as a set 1,809.00 $ compared to the very similar looking well known (hi priced) J. Dixon 10 crew punches ( bought individual and not as a set) 700 $ (including tax) Bought as a set you will for sure get a big discount. I done some simple research, many of this tools sold by Hale are in fact made by George Barnsley sons. The company name is Woodware Rep. LTD Sheffield England (as mention before). This is also the maker stamp on the new tools. Many this tools are sold as economy saddler tools in England; Abby lists many of the same tools. Abby supply saddlers with first class Dixon and Osborn tools and list Woodware Rep LDT as economical tools. I have an account with Abby and I checked some prices; Swedish patt. knife 4 ¼ “cost 30 $ at Hale and 5 $ with Abby. The green handle knifes the same, Woodware makes low priced head, round knifes and other shoemaker / saddler tools. Technically this are George Barnsley`s son’s tools not George Barnsley and sons LDT but Woodware Rep LDT Sheffield England. Mr. Frank English has his own pattern cowboy boots green handle knife, 24 $. In England, it cost about three £. This is in a gray area; I do not know the US marketing laws. However, in my country this would not be legal. Hale sells this tools as old and new stock Barnsley and sons LDT. Just because the sons of George Barnsley made them, that do not make them George Barnsley and sons LDT tools. He is misleading the customers; make the customer believe he is buying an item more worth than what he gets. When Mr. Frank English Cowboy has his own pattern knife, I will not take his feedback as truth. When they have a shady picture of a tool, and three pages of description. Trying to make hype, using only 19. century names of old artisans’ and tools. Spending more time on the façade of a web page than the content. Making it all look old and truth wordy, that is where you go wrong Mr. Hale and Co. This is one of the oldest tricks in the book. Tricking nice hard working leatherworkers to pay ten times more than they have to, where I come from, that is stealing. Mr. Frank and Dr. Hale, you are BUSTED

Hi Frank, Apparently html programming is not his cup of tea. My advice to him is to hire somebody qualified to do the work for him. Then concentrate on selling tools instead. I do not need any new tools, but if I see something nice, I might buy it. I will only compare his tools with other toolmakers in the same class (like Blanchard, Dixon, Osborne and other pro toolmakers having a catalog of their tools). I have seen what he has listed on Bonanza, his prices, 27 sales and 299 feedback’s (293 of them are imported from other sites, and cannot be verified) The six feedbacks from Bonanza are from users that only bought one item (purchase) each (ensuring? No). Some of his prices are normal, some is not. Some of the tools look like good old Barnsley other not. The plough gauge must be a joke, what toolmaker would put their name on that? What I am saying is; these are all things that make me as a customer on the alert. Small things that do not add up, and scare me away from buying something from him. A salesperson’s job is to make the customer assured of his products; so far, he has not done a good job. So if you can tell me what tool you bought from him, and if you liked it/them; that will be a much more useful feedback to us. Thanks Trox

Thank you Ben, For that Pdf with info. Great work and a very good presentation. A handy documet to use as referance for needle choice. Thanks Trox

Hi, I have one just like that, a Dürkopp Adler 267-990056-373. It is a medium rate upholstry class machine, triple feed, large hook. Adler still sell this machine (Weaver leather USA, among others) It sews up to 10 to 12 mm of material, but not with the thickest threads. Sorry only metric sizes; from TKT 60 up to TKT 15 (polyester/ braided polyester) (maybe TKT 10 on top and smaller in bobbin) But I have heavier sewing machines for thick thread, so I do not use it for that. This is the a strong well proven machine, without to much equipment, to keep the price down. It will sew everything you mentioned but holsters. Holsters are sewen with very thick threads; TKT 10 and thicker. Holsters normaly has three or more layers with thick leather (lining and welts). For this work you will also need a cylinderarm machine, like triple feed Juki 441, Adler 205-370 or clones (Cobra 3, 4 Cowboy 3500, 4500 and more) Or similar heavy leather stitcher. If the motor is as strong as 1,5 hp (1075 watts, that`s the biggest yet?) variable speed Mitsubishi, it is likely a stop motor with needle position. It will be more than strong enoch, and you will sew as slow as you want to. Look for that syncronisher head on the handweel (as on my Efka DC 1600 motor), if it has that it is a stop motor, it add`s value to the machine if it works (expensive pro motor like the Efka is). Do you have three phase current in your workshop? Ask Gregg from Keystone sewingmachine Co for a converter if you only have 110V single phase, he sell those motors . The motor is most likly not that big, 550w to 750w (1 hp) is more likely. 1 hp is more than enoch for that rating of machine. This is a very good machine, it is easy to get accessories and parts for it. High second hand value, high quality machine. Never had any problems with mine and It is a dream working with. I am very happy with mine, higly recommended. Trox quote name='FHL FERG' timestamp='1333323199' post='241986'] I'm looking at a Durkopp Adler 267-373. It comes with the table and the motor. The motor specs are: 1.5 hp 220 volt 3 phase 3600rpm variable speed Mitsubishi. From what I have read this model of Adler head is a medium to heavy duty unit. Is that correct? It will be my first and only machine for now. I will mostly use it to sew guitar strap type projects, maybe a holster, wallet or sheath from time to time. It should work for that I believe..... ? Will I be able to slow this motor down enough or will I need to look at swapping it out? if so what could I expect to spend on making the swap? Best I can tell, this should be the manual info for it: http://www.duerkopp-...%2F267%2F It looks just like this one..... Thanks for any guidance.

Hi all, I can not find a Adler 104-25, Adler did not make one. The Adler 104 came in subclasses;104-2, 104-VN2,104-VN2S, 104-23,104-64,104-102, 104Ws-102S, 104-4102S. The subclasses: 102,Ws-102S and-4102S has a hook that is angled 90 degree and face the operater. (This are special machines 2 needle ornament and so on). But all the 104 has hooks that turns the same way, they turn the same way as all the rest of the classes Adler big classes; 105, 204 and 205.( I have checked the complete list of Adlers 105 and 104, my own 105-25MO, class 204 and class 5, Sorry Bob but they all turn the same way) No 104-25 is produced, it may be as a special order. But why should they when they had the 104-23 The machine on the Google search is most likly a 104-23, that has the same feed as a 105-25; under feed and a driven upper foot. The feed can be adjusted different for ruffing work as Sewmun said. The machine for moccasins is the 105-25MO. The only difference on the -25 and the -25Mo is the needle plate and the feed dog. Install a feed dog and a other needle plate and you have a 25. When we refer to the jump foot, is is a spring loaded foot, the Adler 105-8 has this foot. Non of the 104 has a that kind of jumpfoot, the 104-23 has a driven upper foot as the 105-25 and MO verson. The ones with the driven foot ( a one foot walking foot) has no reverse. But you kan take of the stitch regulator locking plate (two screws) and set the driven upper foot to idle; and you have a reverse. Information on old Adler classes can be found here: http://sew24.blogspot.com/p/downloads.html Trox

I do not kow of any other than Blanchard that still makes tools. A old one is Mayer Flamery Paris.

I would claim it is the other way around, you can get much more tools and stuff in the US than in Europe. I buy very much in the your country I can not get here. I use my headknife for all cutting, except cutting around patterns. When you master the headknife you will use it for anything, skiving, cutting tigh corner with the tip`s. Rolling and angled cut, it is the most importent leather tools of all. I have round knifes, halv round ( Cornettes on French) and skiving knifes in Blanchard. Im am waiting for two older French round knifes (bought on EBay) of unknown maker. I am very exited about what they are, removing the patina to see the maker stamp. The French leather art from the time of Ludvik XIV " the sun king" is fantastic, they created the most unbelivable pieces of art. The tools they used was also the best. France has great traditions, it is a lot of beautiful old tools still around.

Then you will better buy from Siegal, I already have ten knifes from Blanchard so I am OK. The free shipping from Siegal is it for US customers only? I live in Norway, I have bought some tools from that Danish company before, the shipping is not much for me.