Machine Just To Sew Keepers

[Kcinnick]

I want to set up an inexpensive machine just to put the decorative stitch on keepers. Seems like everyone prefers the keepers to have stitch lines, I personally prefer them without. It is cumbersome to try to sew them on my cowboy set up with 277 thread. Is there an inexpensive machine out there I can look for to set up just to sew a decorative stitch on those little buggers. I love what my cowboy can do, but I hate trying to sew keepers on it. I might just hand sew them, but if there was an inexpensive machine that could sew a single layer of 6oz leather with a fairly thick thread that would be awesome.

[dirtclod]

Cut a strip the width you want, sew it and then cut the keepers to length. I wouldn't buy a machine just to sew keepers.

[mlapaglia]

Wouldn't the thread unravel when you cut the keepers to length?

Michael

[Ferg]

Measure length you need, mark lightly,sew inside that area, cut your keepers in the spce you did not sew.

Ferg

uote name='mlapaglia' timestamp='1324942822' post='226201']

Wouldn't the thread unravel when you cut the keepers to length?

Michael

[Rayban]

I use 8-10oz leather for keepers, and shove that lever up to 8 SPI and the results are "keepers".

[TwinOaks]

measure and mark your most common keeper size on straps. Sew that line, pull some slack thread, skip half inch, then set the feet back down and (holding the slack loops you just pulled) start sewing at the beginning of the next one. When you get ready to separate the keeper from the strap, cut the leather AND the strings close to the next one in line. That will leave you a bit of thread to saddle stitch the two ends together to make the keeper. When you saddle stitch it, just overlap the cut threads at the beginning of the keeper and either tuck or burn them to keep them in place.

Ex: You mostly use 1.25" belts.....your keepers are 3" long (unwrapped). Sew the keeper strap for 3", pull 4" of slack, move the strap 1/2", reset the machine, hold the threads, start sewing another 3". When you cut, you have a stitched 'keeper' with 3.5" of thread hanging off the end...which you use to tack both ends together.

[harnessman]

Cut a strip the width you want, sew it and then cut the keepers to length. I wouldn't buy a machine just to sew keepers.

X2

I run 3 foot lenths of 6oz through the big machine at 6spi with 277 thread. Cut keepers to length, melt the cut ends of the thread and at the same time melt a little beeswax/pitch into the holes. Fast simple and never a problem unraveling.