Cobra class4 premium

[Simplejack1985]

Is this machine the one I want. I do wallets,belts,gunbelts,lifting belts, briefcases pretty much anything. I'm about to pull the trigger on one a np10 skiver and their burnisher. Once I retire from the army I'm gonna get a splitter, clicker and a strap cutter so I can have my own small buisness. I don't want to buy or own multiple sewing machines. And after 20yrs of airborne by back and joints can't candle hand stitching all day.

[TomE]

The Cobra Class 4 (or Cowboy CB4500) really shines when sewing 12-30 oz of material, but it's not practical for 6 oz or less.  I have a Class 4 and hand sew about half of my projects.  Sometimes it's easier to sew by hand than to configure a project for machine sewing.  I have the Cobra burnisher and use the sanding drum more than the wooden slicker.  The sander is handy for leveling up edges made from multiple layers.  I covered the burnisher with a canvas sleeve and it's handy for the initial burnishing of long straps like reins, but I still finish the edges by hand to get a smoother finish.

My advice, as someone who recently returned to leathercraft after a ~50 yr hiatus, is at first to focus on a few types of projects using hand tools.  Learn how to use and maintain the tools while figuring out how a machine would enhance your productivity or enjoyment.  As we saw in the Terminator movies, machines have their limits and don't always carry the day.        

[kgg]

5 hours ago, Simplejack1985 said:

Is this machine the one I want.

The 441 class machines like the Juki TSC-441, Cobra Class 4 or the Cowboy 4500 are designed for sewing heavier items but I think you will need a second machine like a Juki DNU-1541S in a flatbed or a Juki LS-1341 cylinder bed with a flatbed attachment or their clones to cover off your bases for the lighter weight items you listed. No one machine will do everything. If you are mostly going to do really thick stuff get a new class 441 machine and a second hand upholstery class machine and set them up to a particular task or vice versa.

kgg

 

[Handstitched]

 

5 hours ago, Simplejack1985 said:

I do wallets,belts,gunbelts,lifting belts, briefcases pretty much anything.

I have a 441 clone , like the Cobra Class 4 . I use it mainly for heavy leather .For thinner  leather  items like wallets etc.  I use a Pfaff 60 , I also use a Seiko  STW  mainly for horse rugs & canvas, but also medium leathers . 

I find it better to have more than one machine than to keep reconfiguring  the  ' big' machine each time.Saves a lot of down time . Each machine is ' set' , just turn on and  use it    

Like KGG said, no machine will do everything , I wish .

HS

[Burkhardt]

The problems as @kgg and others have said is true. I just a couple months ago got a 441 clone and have a little Singer for lite stuff. The Class 4s will run 138 thread but the problem always come down to is how much change over do you want to do every time you sew something different. If you for say have 207 thread in it and need to do a wallet interior that's 2 pieces of 2oz  for a total of 4oz it's pretty tough to hide the knot in that thin of leather. So do you want to change everything over too and adjust to 138 to sew the interior and then change it all back. It's the reality of needing a "tweener" machine also but you'll love the Class 4 for everything else. The servo and speed reducer are a dream when using.  I got the little Singer for under 100.00 so it's not a bank breaker for occasional use.