Singer 128

[Evo160K]

On Monday, September 12, 2011 at 3:30 AM, Anne Bonnys Locker said:

The main benefit of a vibrating shuttle over a rotary or oscillating is that it is less prone to tangling when run in reverse. This of course makes it perfect for treadle applications.

 

 

Does that mean the 128 will sew in reverse using the treadle?

@ Kayser  If it helps, we just tried a piece of 10 ounce veg tan in my wife's K28 hand crank, and it sewed no problem.

 

Edited March 20, 2017 by Evo160K

[Wizcrafts]

10 hours ago, KAYSER said:

Jimbob, have you used the 128 with leather?  How does it sew, what weight of leather is it capable of sewing?  Thanks for any info you have!

Since you woke up this old topic from 2011, I will answer your question about the thickness a Singer 128 can sew.

In mid-2016, I sold both a Singer 27 and a 128 from my shop. Both of those machines were from the turn of the 20th Century and sewed perfectly on denim after I did my magic with them. The feed dogs are really aggressive on these machines. This helps feed difficult material, like veg-tan leather belts with smooth or pasted backs.

I was curious about their capacity too, so I brought the 1902 Model 27 into the work area, wound the bobbin with #69 bonded nylon thread and threaded the rest through the top tension path. I let the stitch length knob out for the maximum feeder travel inside the throat plate cutout, giving me 5 to the inch. Then I grabbed a spare piece of 9-10 ounce Q-Tan bridle leather and tried hand wheeling into it. The Sumbitch sewed the bridle leather like butter and fed it without dragging (because of the large teeth on the bottom).

I plugged in the aftermarket motor and after starting it with a quick spin with my hand, the machine sewed by its own power. I did fishtails and circles, sewed back over existing stitches (Poor Man's Reverse) and it didn't miss even one stitch. The Model 128 did just as well. Both machines were portables in wooden Singer carry cases.

I've bought and sold dozens of old domestic sewing machines, but none could match the Models 27 and 128 for sewing 10-12 ounces of bridle leather (that was as thick as they could sew and hold down the leather). I I did manage to get the Model 27 to sew with #92 thread on top, using a #18 leather point needle, but had to crank down the foot pressure spring all the way to keep the leather from lifting with the needle.

[KAYSER]

Thank you very much Wizcrafts and Evo!  Good to know.  Any idea of how frequently either of these machines come up on the market?  Seems price has risen on these?

[Wizcrafts]

5 hours ago, KAYSER said:

Thank you very much Wizcrafts and Evo!  Good to know.  Any idea of how frequently either of these machines come up on the market?  Seems price has risen on these?

I've only had two of these machines and sold them for $200 each, with a Singer carrying case. You can scrounge through antiques stores to see if anything like these show up. I see lots of other models of Singer sewing machines in the booths surrounding our shop (I am located inside a huge antiques mall).

[KAYSER]

5 hours ago, Wizcrafts said:

I've only had two of these machines and sold them for $200 each, with a Singer carrying case. You can scrounge through antiques stores to see if anything like these show up. I see lots of other models of Singer sewing machines in the booths surrounding our shop (I am located inside a huge antiques mall).

I see a lot on our used/2nd hand market, but never the leather capable ones.  I think the leather crafters have snatched them up, and locked them down!  Thanks again!

[Wizcrafts]

A lot of potential buyers avoid the Models 27/127 & 28/128, because of the funky bobbins they use. The long cylindrical aftermarket bobbins available from the Orient don't have end holes for securing the starting thread. So, winding a bobbin is an art form in itself.