Constabulary

You mean this machine can sew 1" thick leather? I´m sure it can´t! To me it looks like a needle feed machine and I would assume it can sew maybe 1/4" of leather or less. Seems the entire top thread tension unit is missing. Pretty poor condition - how much do you have to pay for it?

c´mon - $200 is ridiculous! Only because parts are no longer made does not make it to a piece of scrap metal. It´s the same with oldtimer vehicles, you just have to be patient and you have to have some extra space to store it. I think everything below $1000 is a good deal if it is working but that does not mean that it is not worth some more. I would buy one too if I had the chance and some extra $.

I´m using grease only in capsuled gear boxes f.i. my 307G2 has one and the 133K3 has two. My 111G156 and the 29K71 get my favorite S-761 oil. As Shoepatcher said, grease holds dirt, lint and so on. Oil in best case and when used frequently will wash out some of the dirt. I still oil my 133K3 about twice a month no matter if I used or not (stupid hum?) as some of the bushings still "spit out" some old dirt bound in the oil that is dripping from the machine.

Have you insert the needle correctly? Is it probably the hook tip that "shreds" your top thread when it is going to catch the loop? Try to lower the needle bar a tiny bit. But before you do that check where the hook meets the needle scarf. It should be about 1.6mm above the needle eye.

I just stumbled over this AMAN SERABRAID thread: http://www.amann.com/en/produkte/serabraid/ I have not used it or heard of it before - maybe a new product but AMAN is well known for high quality thread.

I have a Singer 111G156 which is the same machine but made in Germany and with reverse. I can use 207 thread and a 23 needle w/o problems and I can sew up to 9mm and it is still feeding well but thats pretty much the max. I have never used pre waxed thread. I`m using 100% cotton thread, poly/cotton (Aman Rasant) thread, polyester thread and old British linen thread and they all work well. I have restored the machine and it works flawless. I just have done some fine adjustments to the hook and needle bar. The machine was never out of time and the safety clutch never released since. In general it is a very good machine but you never know what you get when you are buying a used machine. It´s always good when you can test sew it.

For 794 needles check College Sewing in the UK https://www.college-sewing.co.uk/catalog/search.aspx?keywords=794

Do you mean the round marking on the bottom side? You probably have too much pressure on the foot. May I ask how much you have paid for the machine w/o shipping? Have you bought just the head or complete with motor table and speed reducer?

The pins are slightly conical / tapered. Usually the pins go out from back to front - don´t try to tap them from front to back as you will drive them in and not out and you will probably damage parts!!!! You do not need special tools for that.

I also like vintage machines very much and hope you really can get this one back to life! Try Ebay.com: http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2047675.m570.l1313.TR12.TRC2.A0.H0.Xsinger+16+tension&_nkw=singer+16+tension&_sacat=0 Or College Sewing in the UK, they are my favorite parts supplier: https://www.college-sewing.co.uk/

okay.... I now have installed the revolving handle, the motion ring and the bell crank lever of my 29K71 in the 29K1. All 3 parts fit w/o problem - at least in my case - not sure if this will work on all 29K short arm machines. I now get 6SPI max. out of it WHEN I have almost zero tension on the blade spring but that means that I have not much foot lift and I can sew maybe 3-4mm thick. When I put more tension on the blade spring I have a higher foot lift but the stitches are shorter. So it could be that just a new + modified bell crank lever can do the job. I will order one and will modify it. So in case it works - fine - if not then this project is dead, I don´t want to invest too much money in it.

I just tried the bell crank lever from my 29K71 in the 29K1 and it DOES NOT work - yet! The BCL fits technically but it has to be modified otherwise it is rubbing on the revolving handle and does not feed properly. So I will try to install more 29K71 parts and see what exactly is going on... To be continued.....

Thats what I noticed when I disassembled it - the foot lift lever is lifting the foot when you push down the lever! Just the other way around as on other machines. It is sewing but how the hell can you time the machine? It has no eccentric.

here is another one - pictures are quite good http://www.ebay.de/itm/sehr-schne-alte-antike-SulennhmaschineAdlerPfaffdrrkopp-/331429059054

in an other thread I found a nice idea for derusting - electrolysis! Don´t want to make a lot of words - here is the thread the idea came from: http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=60600#entry391099 And there are a lot of videos on youtube I had top and bottom housing in the electrolysis bath for about 20hrs. The rust is gone and as a side effect it even has removed the paint or it rather crinkled the paint and I was able to remove it with a wire brush w/o much effort. The bottom parts of the housing still is in the electrolysis bath. Only problem (well not really a problem) is that is immediately starts to build some surface rust but thats no big issue and quite normal. Some pictures:

You of course have to be careful with this stuff and it is for sure not the best idea I ever had but it is at least an idea. And I agree - replacing the screw will probably do the job!

@ CD I know there is not much thread but maybe a bit of loctite

I´m just trying the electrolysis thing for the 1st time. I have a tub full of water / soda solution (about 40 liters water + 250gramms soda) and I`m soaking a complete housing Singer 29K1 cobbler machine in it. I have checked it a couple of times and it really works well. Its seems to remove the old paint too. The old ornamentation decals are gone already and the old paint is starting to crinkle. Not sure if this is the result of the electrolysis or the permanent contact with the water / soda solution.

Online tracking says that the package is close to you.... Thats was surprisingly fast I though it would take longer because of all the Christmas mail.

Ah okay - I just thought the combination of a Russian machine and the Mansfeld machine from Leipzig could locate you to Germany (former GDR area or so). Is it a video of your machine? if so - I think in the beginning of the Video you pull the thread under the spring but then pull it too far - this is what I at least amuse because for a few seconds I can´t see the the bobbin case.... In case the hook does not catch the loop of the top thread properly you can try to adjust the hight of the needle bar the way that the hook meets the scarf of the needle about 1.5 - 2mm above the needle eye. This is where the loop is caught by the hook usually. I´m sorry but I really have no experience with this machine (I wish I had). So this is all I could help you with. But you could try to contact the Leather Worker member SINGERMANIA - he is from Australia and has a lot off odd and rare machines so this would be the person I´d ask first!

@cascabel It´s nice to have these opportunities! As far as I know the bell crank lever and the motion ring have an effect on the stitch length. Maybe the cam and the roller on the motion ring bar have an effect as well but I´m not sure. Just finished painting some parts and started reassembling.

I guess you are from Germany, right? Well Christian Mansfeld machines are not wide spread I think. I assume yours was made prior WWI so the chance to find parts or accessories is not very good. Seems the cover plate for the hook is missing - do you have it or is it gone? The the bottom thread should "come out" under a spring and not in the middle of the hook but I don´t know the machine and its mechanics but thats at least how it usually works. A similar one is on Ebay Germany so maybe you can contact the seller maybe he can give you some information http://www.ebay.de/itm/281539202786?clk_rvr_id=755171170798&rmvSB=true

I usually use oxalic acid but the electric thing is worth a try

WOW - thats an awesome idea - wood and leather!!! I like it!

@ Raven I have never tried to remove anything from a mounted head. I´m not sure but I think you cannot remove the bell crank lever w/o taking off the head and the needle bar. The head is just mounted with 4 screws and you have to remove the pin the needle bar is mounted to the long skeleton lever with - thats it. And a thorough cleaning and oiling may improve the performance. To remove the bell crank lever from the head you have to take off just 4 small screws. 2 that mounts the revolving handle to the revolving bushing and 2 small hinge screws that hold the bell crank lever on the revolving lever. But I honestly think it is the better idea to take the head off and even disassemble, clean and oil it. It looks like a lot of parts but it really is not a big task I´d say. You of course have to be a bit patients but its worth it. The 29K is such a simple machine, there is not much you can do wrong! @ cascabel I´m sure it is the same - the difference between the 29K1 and 29K4 is that the 29K4 is for "waxed thread" so I think it just has the oil cup mounted and it has a side wheel. Welding the bell crank lever will do the job I think - question is how much material you need but you`ll figure it out.