Cumberland Highpower

Sell them to the guy. Why not? Like some of the other members above I sell quite a few of my goods to retailers that resell under house brands. It's kind of like, so what?? Think of Craftsman or Makita, Chanellock, etc....They all buy off the line tools and have them rebranded by the manufacturers.... Hell, even machinery companies do that. Weaver Leather sells a Weaver 205 that's really someone else's design and build. Sell your buyer 10x that if he has the money.

Sometimes changing the type of feed wheel can reduce some of that problem. I have both knurled steel and stone wheels. I have stone on my machine now, it seems to work a bit better for what I'm cutting on mine.

I have a FAV skiver with vacuum exactly as you pictured. I'd buy it if I were you. I love mine. I had an old USMC pluma that was around 100 years old for a long time. Was in fantastic shape, but didn't come with a vacuum. With the FAV I never have to clean up anything. It's amazing the shear amount of leather I empty out of the cabinet. I only use it for making a lap on a single type of strap. When I see the thousands of scraps in the cabinet, I wonder where the money from all those items went! Is your FAV having a motor that is dual voltage? Mine is single phase 220v (USA) but if you have a 3phase you can use a phase converter. Check to see if yours is convertible between 440v and 220v.

Nobody ever used a Sandt Clicker? Maybe I should stick to what I know

I thought the same thing about when they moved to Newark. However I was looking at a 1922 issue of some old harness makers trade magazine and it had an add for Osborne and stated Harrison, NJ as the location of business. Did they maintain both locations for a while?

Might be a little high on postage to the US?

Toxo and others are right. On a few occasions I've made belting for machines skived, glued and stitched (In area of lap) and they work for many years.

Hello how did you decide it's from 1958? Is that the year it was rebuilt? I always thought these USMC clickers were far more ancient...

Friend I might be interested in some, but your posting is too vague and watered down. No photos, not machine lists...No prices.... Are you selling them individually or by the "grab bag" pallet? I have interest in Durkopp Adler machines and possibly a clicker if it's in good shape, modern and OSHA approved.

Mike I am not sure if Singer ever made any hook and awl machines, even in the States?

That's pretty interesting. My Rossley doesn't have any cuts like this one does. I've got an electric heating element on mine w/control box. Ever use one like that?

I always got a laugh when I would hear on tv about the Serbs "Trying to join Europe". Chrisash I would agree. Although on a flip coin I bet even you might disagree with your point in the right context. For example, I consider Russians as Europeans, in spite of the fact the majority of Russia is in Asia and rather not on the European Continent. When it comes to Turks, I would say no. Turkey is partially in Europe, but the majority not....And in no way do I consider Turks as European. Matt I think a Pearson 6 would be pretty sharp to have. I'm never against a good classic piece of machinery. A no 4 weighing 450lbs is crazy heavy for just a head. I can't think of any quite that heavy. Maybe a Champion Wide Throat or Campbell Cyclone? I'm guessing on the Cyclone. Never owned one, but I did see 4 rebuilt machines on a pallet once. Pretty massive pieces of machinery. I'm just curious about all this, I don't think I'm "allowed" to buy any new stitching machines though as I have 10 already.....Do you find the no 6 to be a slower stitching machine than others by virtue of the design? Now that I've invoked Russia in the discussion, are there any leatherworking machines such as stitchers made either in Russia or the USSR of old?

Coming from the US, I guess I'd consider Britain "European" It is, it's not...But it is. Germanic/Latin base (by way of French) language, right on the coast of continental Europe, Settled by Angles and Saxons, Celts, etc, Cristian religion (Mostly). You're even EU. Or are/were? I dont know. I've heard of Pearsons but never owned one or seen one in use. did have a Luberto Classic for a short while, I guess that's relatively close. That's pretty unique that No4. So I guess there is one.

Hello not quite looking like what I saw (Was for certain a harness stitcher), but I learned something already. So there is at least one hook/awl machine made in Europe after all That seems to have the look of being a good machine though.

I've never owned a CH8, but used one briefly 20 years ago. I liked it from my vague memory, but I have read of many that didn't. Seems like they don't hold up or stitch as well as a Juki or Adler and have fewer feed available? Sounds like a timing issue. I believe you can balance the stitch length, but I don't have any way to help out there sorry to say.

Ok, just out of curiosity, has anyone seen a European made Hook and Awl machine made in Europe? Or are they more of an American phenomenon? Once when I was riding a slow train in Transylvania, I happened to pass a shop near the tracks with an open door. Right in the doorway was a big RED harness stitcher of some sort, that appeared to be a hook and awl machine. Kind of reminded me from that distance of something similar to a Landis 16 or Champion Wide Throat. Big, on a cast iron stand. Just been curious for years.

Other than maybe limited market ( Leatherworkers are mostly hobbyists I guess), Seems like someone would offer a clutch motor or a servo with a 4:1 gear box bolted to the face. That would be an easy solution and could be make to be drop in to a standard clutch motor. I have 3 machines with GE Gear Reduction motors on them, so obviously it's done with standard motors anyway....

No a router is crazy fast. You could probably use a shaper though, "IF" it were belt driven type and you reduced the speed/pulleys down. You'd have to buy or make a burnishing head.

I like that. Sounds like for a full range of burnishers I only need a spark plug from my Dodge C/V, one from a Farmall and one from a Cessna 150

The Atom Se25 that I have in my shop here is starting to feel a little weak.....But not a good time to send it off for a rebuild. (I can't afford the down time). It's been leaking around the top seal a little and seems to have less power to cut than it used to.... A guy not excessively far away has a Sandt Hydraulik" 20 Ton clicker for sale. Looks pretty sharp. Trouble is, I've never used a Sandt clicker. I'm guessing they might be German made? I'm curious if they're still made or old machinery that's rebuilt over and over? How do they compare to Atoms? I've only owned Atoms (Se25 and 999). Ok, briefly owned a Reece at the dawn of ages..... What is a good condition Sandt worth? Or should I stick to buying another Atom?

1993 seems just fine to me. The machine in your picture looks pretty good. But the price is excessive. That's $700 US! I'd not pay that for a Dixon splitter. Why not buy a Heritage 8" splitter from Weaver Leather? They're made in the US and well built and can also do lap skiving. If you sign up for a dealer/wholesale account with Weaver the wholesale price is about $260 lower than the Dixon you're looking at. They also seem to be made/machined much more precisely than the Dixon Splitter. Maybe postage and UK import tax is a bit high....Just an idea. With all those long bust/defunct leatherworking shops in the UK, I'd be inclined to believe every flea market in England would be awash with surplus tools...

Personally I find the splitter in the link at the top to be somewhat overly priced?? I sold the one I had in September on Ebay auction type listing and it went for $310. I was very satisfied with the price realized. I never used it. They're a very heavy cast iron frame machine. I happen to still have a pair of Osborne 86's Jcuk, and kind of like you have had it for some time. The 86 is a smaller machine than the Dixon and to be honest I prefer an Osborne. The Dixon doesn't do anything the Osborne doesn't. I paid $25 and $20 respectively for my 86's at an auction. Here is a pic of the one I sold (Nothing wrong with the blade, just the lighting):

The very late Dixon tools fell off some in quality...But who's hasn't? Osborne's quality certainly has. I recently sold a very old Dixon splitter (Same as the late model) to a fellow and while it was over 100 years old, I found the quality to be about the same as the recent models. Meaning to say, made of good materials, but workmanship a bit rough around the edges.... Sometimes those old tools weren't always as good as we'd like to think they were. Dixon is generally a good brand of leatherworking tooling. I'd buy anything marked Dixon if the price is fair.

I've got a R-32 embosser and it looks like a roller for it. There were other makes of embossers too that used similar size rollers. I don't have that exact pattern, but I do have a standard basketweave roller and 2 very slim rollers with that scalloped pattern identical to yours that you stack on either side of the basketweave. Adds up to be very very similar to your roller. I rarely use the R-32. Right now it's supporting a stack of Bridle bellies about 2 feet deep. There is one for sale on this forum. If you buy it, you already have a roller for it.

Does anyone burnish lace? I can't say I've seen any burnished lace in my lifetime...If you wanted to actually do it, I think a vertical burnisher would work better. Isn't round lace made by pulling square lace through a "die" known as a rounder? That machine posted above is just a common horizontal burnisher that someone made. Probably works well overall.