CHAMPION LOCKSTITCH SHOE MACHINE

[Chada]

Hi Mike my name is Al. I saw your old post and photos and wanted to talk to you about your Champion machine. I just picked the exact machine up at an auction and was hopeing i could pick your brain. I know very little about it. Year? Manual availability? Access to parts? Posable value? Your picture is the only one i have found that looks exactly like the one i have. Except i have no seat and mine needs a little cleaning and posable tune up. I would really apprciate any info you can share? Thanks Al

Hi Mike my name is Al. I saw your old post and photos and wanted to talk to you about your Champion machine. I just picked the exact machine up at an auction and was hopeing i could pick your brain. I know very little about it. Year? Manual availability? Access to parts? Posable value? Your picture is the only one i have found that looks exactly like the one i have. Except i have no seat and mine needs a little cleaning and posable tune up. I would really apprciate any info you can share? Thanks Al

[dpate]

I acquired one of these recently as an amateur to the industry. Was a complete rust bucket mostly on the outside. I worked a little every night to clean and free up the pieces and parts. I feel I saved it just in time because most of the tolerances seem to be ok for what I know..considering I have had to build some of my own parts and figure this out with very little available info. I was wondering if there was any clearance or adjustment specs out there to help me fine tune this recovered gem? Wish someone would've posted a video on youtube. The only one I found wouldn't play for me. I have it stitching by hand but finding needles has been tuff. I have had to craft my own so far. Any advice or info would be highly appreciated and rewarded with karma.

Thanks for your wisdom and pics above. Huge help to me when fabricating my pieces!!

[leatherquestions]

Try Pilgrim Machine for literature. They may even have the Operator Manual.

[UberStu]

Just joining the Champion Awl and Hook sewing machine club . I pick up the old girl tomorrow in Ontario Canada . Can’t wait to show it some love . I’m also an amateur machinists so making parts is in my realm of expertise.It looks like a small group , hears to another 100 yrs for these beauties.   

[Trox]

On 12/25/2008 at 4:57 AM, MikePatterson said:

I thought some of you would enjoy seeing my pride and joy, conversation piece of my shop. I bought this old machine back in the early 70's. From what I can find out about the machine it was built in the early 1900's. As you can see in the photos the machine still has the three pedals and the old tractor style seat as it came from the factory. It still has the wax pot attached although it has not been used in years since nylon thread. It is still powered manually and since it will easily sew through over 1 inch of heavy leather I have never wanted to put a motor on it. The machine has served me well for over 30 years and has been used daily and is still in use at this time. I have had to make a few parts as they have become very hard to find and anytime I could find parts I bought them and put them back in case I needed them later. The old machine has a awl that comes down from the top and punches a hole for the hook needle to come up through from the bottom. A lock stich is tied and the cycle repeats. I have several machines in the shop but when I need to get serious I get in the old tractor seat and start to pedal. If anyone can tell me anything about these old machines or would happen to have any parts please let me know.

Love that tractor seat treadle. Was there not a longer arm version, thought I saw one for sale the other day. I've heard they are hard to get parts for.

Tor

[MSARPACKER]

Can anyone tell me more about these i just picked up 2 and am trying to get information on the size of motor to run them. Thanks

[Samalan]

On 8/29/2020 at 4:14 PM, Trox said:

Love that tractor seat treadle. Was there not a longer arm version, thought I saw one for sale the other day. I've heard they are hard to get parts for.

Tor

Doesn't look heavy enough IOL that's beautiful my friend .

[CowboyBob]

On 8/3/2021 at 2:32 PM, MSARPACKER said:

Can anyone tell me more about these i just picked up 2 and am trying to get information on the size of motor to run them. Thanks

I've used whatever was on hand from a 1/3,1/2,3/4 hp put the smallest pulley on the motor you can find to keep the speed down.

[VEW]

On 7/18/2020 at 6:06 PM, UberStu said:

Just joining the Champion Awl and Hook sewing machine club . I pick up the old girl tomorrow in Ontario Canada . Can’t wait to show it some love . I’m also an amateur machinists so making parts is in my realm of expertise.It looks like a small group , hears to another 100 yrs for these beauties.   

Were you ever able to get any additional information on these machines?  Possibly a manual?  I’ve owned one for about 18 years, never had any major problems, just don’t know much about it. 

[Cumberland Highpower]

I've got a couple of Champions...A narrow throat I modified for special work and a regular depth Champion.   I don't know if any manuals still exist? But truthfully they're so simple and heavily built I don't think you'd ever need a manual if you know anything about sewing machines.  I like how they sew.  As far as parts go they are nonexistent.  Best thing to do is scour for a used junker an steal what you need.  I use cut down UL needles in mine.  I run z twist linen on top and s on the bobbin when using linen.  Z on both when running poly.   Maybe my favorite old hook and awl stitcher, just something about them.

Edited August 11, 2022 by Cumberland Highpower