Sheath Thread for my Machine

[JTknives]

have recently picked up an old champion leather sewing machine and after much cleaning its running like a champ. but my question is what thread should i run through it, I am really only sewing knife sheaths. I like a nice bold stitch and don't want a small thread size. but having never bought a machine thread i am not sure what i need. It is a wax machine but i really don't want to run wax through it as that is what most of the cleaning was about. getting all the 50-75 year old wax off was a pain in the butt. The machine has a #3 needle and awl in it right now. but the manual says that a #3 needle wants to use like a #7 or #8 Cord thread. I am not sure how big that is but is has to be very large. i have looked on www.campbell-bosworth.com and found lots of thread but there are lots of choices. i have been reading that my machine likes linen thread better then the synthetic threads. if thats true then there are 2 brands that thy sell of linen one being of the brand Barbours and the other is Hungarian. I'm guessing that the Barbours is the better thread as its twice as much. now since i don't want to use the wax melting pot on the machine i was told to use a liquid wax like what thy sell called Campbells Thread Lubricant. is this what i want. o and last question, I use a left twisted thread in a machine right? man sorry for all the question but i would hate to order the wrong stuff as its not cheap.

Edited October 9, 2009 by JTknives

[dirtclod]

I had a American straight needle machine similar to yours. On it used the #6 Barbors linen and wax for a long time not sure on the twist of the thread. Then for a little while i used barbors #6 nylon thread and no wax. If you use the wax get some desil fuel and a brush it will clean the wax pretty good and you should have a wax stripper in the pot for the thread to run through. 7 or 8 cord is big thread bigger than you will want to use i belive.

[mpatterson]

I have been running a champion for over 30 yrs. I use 277 nylon that's all it's had as long as I have had it. Runs great sews like a champ.

[Art]

Hi JT,

Seven or Eight cord is real rope, probably a LOT larger than you want. That being said, you need to figure out what size and type you want and then get the needle and awl to match. Dan at Campbell can tell you that. Both nylon and poly work well as, of course does linen. Use Barbour's if you want linen, better quality AND quality control. I use the water based wax on linen (Campbell's), but don't need it for well bonded Nylon or Poly (Linhanyl Nylon or Eddington or Coats Poly depending on the look you want). I'm pretty sure you want Z (left twist) on your machine but you can check with Dan (either email or phone), almost everything is left twist except the sole stitchers (curved needle).

Art

have recently picked up an old champion leather sewing machine and after much cleaning its running like a champ. but my question is what thread should i run through it, I am really only sewing knife sheaths. I like a nice bold stitch and don't want a small thread size. but having never bought a machine thread i am not sure what i need. It is a wax machine but i really don't want to run wax through it as that is what most of the cleaning was about. getting all the 50-75 year old wax off was a pain in the butt. The machine has a #3 needle and awl in it right now. but the manual says that a #3 needle wants to use like a #7 or #8 Cord thread. I am not sure how big that is but is has to be very large. i have looked on www.campbell-bosworth.com and found lots of thread but there are lots of choices. i have been reading that my machine likes linen thread better then the synthetic threads. if thats true then there are 2 brands that thy sell of linen one being of the brand Barbours and the other is Hungarian. I'm guessing that the Barbours is the better thread as its twice as much. now since i don't want to use the wax melting pot on the machine i was told to use a liquid wax like what thy sell called Campbells Thread Lubricant. is this what i want. o and last question, I use a left twisted thread in a machine right? man sorry for all the question but i would hate to order the wrong stuff as its not cheap.