Consew no longer good quality?

[gottaknow]

1 hour ago, Gregg From Keystone Sewing said:

Consew 206RB series, when introduced in the 70s, was sold outside of the US as a Seiko brand, model STH-8BL, then STH-8BLD, and then as STH-8BLD-3.  When brought into the the US at time, as an exclusive dealer, Consew would have their name brand and model.

For some reason, I know a lot about that machine, and the people who put in together. They took some elements of the Adler safety clutch and forget, but a lot went into the bobbin case opening lever thingy too.    

We bought 20 of the Consew 327RB1's back in 1984.  2 needle split needle bars. I STILL have a few left in service, and trust me, we ran them hard, including a 10 year contract making Levi 501's, which can kill the best of machines.

Regards, Eric

[Gregg From Keystone Sewing]

15 hours ago, gottaknow said:

We bought 20 of the Consew 327RB1's back in 1984.  2 needle split needle bars. I STILL have a few left in service, and trust me, we ran them hard, including a 10 year contract making Levi 501's, which can kill the best of machines.

Regards, Eric

Everyone has a base model, mine are Seikos.  I've meet Mr. Seiko, if you will who was with us working the Consew booth at a trade show with my Dad and I.  Again, this is when Consew was selling the Seiko line, some time ago.  

[Tulsaman]

I know in Seiko Divers watches ..you can get one "made in Japan" or the same model but made in Taiwan or somewhere. The Japan one is usually tuned better or a few things to give it just a bit better watch. I wonder if it's this way with the 206... Seiko..slightly better parts or tuned better..vs Conso made in ????   Hopefully Conso has Made in Japan on it still..  But thinking.. Swiss Made  trade mark doesn't mean 100% Swiss Made.     Google Swiss Made.. or better yet "Made in Japan" Which is more purer to the meaning today??

[mikesc]

Levis were ( maybe still are ) made all over the world..in official Levi factories or official "contracted to Levis" factories, Eric ( gottaknow ) mentioned recently that they had run a contract to produce Levi 501s..I know that wranglers and many other jeans brands, and very many big name leather garment brands do not make all their own garments, many are made in Asia, but say that they are made somewhere else closer to "home" or "home"..some production may be, the rest is "badged" "made in xxx" or "made in xx" or "made in xxxxxx"

The company ( who is not in France ) who makes the things I design, asked me if I wanted all production runs that they make of my designs to have "made in France" labels sewn in..or sent separately for me to sew them in..they make for many very well known "brand names" all over the world, they said that 90% of their customers
have the "made in USA" or "made in France" etc labels sewn in ( the company is Asian, based in Asia, they only manufacture in Asia ) ..customs ( anywhere ) never check as long as it is not "fake"..and as long as the "brands" are the big guys..

The customers who have the labels sent separately are not big enough to feel confident about taking the risk of a control by their customs officials..

My stuff says designed in France if it isn't actually made in France..

There is a lot of stuff ( including leather goods ) on Etsy too that is not made where it says it is..

[graywolf]

I usually figure that the "Made in USA" label means the label was put on in the USA. The only time there is going to be a problem is when the owners of the trademark complain to customs, and they are not going to complain about products they are selling themselves.

China is weird, what appears to be the same product may be made in one of the most modern robotic factories in the world, and by 3 guys making it by hand  in a mud floor hut. It does not help if you have no idea which you are buying.

Sorry for adding to the drift...

 

[banjo48]

I've got a Seiko STH-8BLD-3 and it is a superb machine, my mate has the consew 206RB-3, both machines side by side are identical and some parts on the consew are stamped Seiko ! Both come out of Japan as far as I know.

The latest Consew 206RB-5, I am now lead to believe, are now made in China. but the machines are still basically the same.

[Gregg From Keystone Sewing]

2 hours ago, banjo48 said:

I've got a Seiko STH-8BLD-3 and it is a superb machine, my mate has the consew 206RB-3, both machines side by side are identical and some parts on the consew are stamped Seiko ! Both come out of Japan as far as I know.

The latest Consew 206RB-5, I am now lead to believe, are now made in China. but the machines are still basically the same.

Trust me, 206RB-3 and STH-8BLD-3 are not identical mechanically, were not made in the same factory.  

[kwalk20]

Just to add I have the Seiko STH8-BLD-3 and it is made in Japan and all the parts are stamped made in Japan as well. It is an excellent machine

[Darren Brosowski]

Recently a customer brought me a brand new Seiko 132k6 style machine as he was having some issues and the dealer is 200km away.

The badge said "made in Japan" but the body casting was Chinese at it has the standard issue with the casting being incorrectly machined so the plate that retains the outer presser foot in its well is about 2mm higher on one side than the other so the outer presser foot wobbles around all over the place.

Also the linkage on the conrod to the front feed dog bar had about 3mm of slop in it and could not be adjusted.

He paid $2000 extra for a Japanese machine and got one made in China