Singer 96K21

[NorthFireLeather]

Hey all

This is my first post on here so please bear with me. I'm looking to buy a sewing machine and was wondering if the singer 96K21 Would be able to handle my new hobby. 

I'm making Firefighter radio straps and cases. Not sure if the mm, but it's up to 11oz leather. I was told by Ridgeway Leather, a fellow firefighter strap maker, that It should sew up to 22mm to be effective on the thick leather used for the straps. Just not sure if this machine can handle it. 

Thanks in advance for your advise. 

[Wizcrafts]

I used to own a Singer 96k40. I can only imagine that it is similar in design to your 96k21. If true, your machine is nothing more than a tailoring machine for cloth garment sewing. You'd be lucky to sew 1/4 inch (6mm) of denim, but it's more likely that it will not even handle that thickness. Plus, that machine, if like my previous k40, is only a drop feed machine , which is not good for leather sewing.

Thread-wise, the k21 might handle up to #69 bonded thread, which has just 11 pounds strength per stitch. That is strong enough to set a zipper into a biker's wallet, or for hemming a leather garment, but not for sewing 11 ounces or more of medium to hard temper leather..

Now, your friend/source recommended a machine capable of sewing 22mm of leather, which is 2mm over 3/4 inch (just under 7/8 inch). This requires a Juki 441 or clone, or a top of the line Adler 205 or 969, or a Campbell Lockstitch machine. My Cowboy CB4500 can sew 20mm (3/4 inch) with little adjustment, or 7/8 inch with some lessening of the foot lift and total cranking down of the pressure spring on the presser foot. Further, these machines can easily use thread size 277 and 346, with tensile strengths of 44 and 56 pounds per stitch.