What sewing machines sew 12oz/5mm leather?

[Curlywolf]

I'm hand sewing bridles, belts, halters at the moment. Thinking of getting a sewing machine, but which ones do such thick leather & don't cost a fourtune? 

I have looked on eBay but there are so many makes and models. Can any one tell me what they use or would recommend. 

Few people have mentioned :

singer 44k?

brother DB2-B755-3A mark3

any advise would be great thank you 

 

[Matt S]

Where are you located? This affects what is available to you and prices. What is your budget? There are some very reasonably priced machines coming out of China these days -- about US$2500 will get you a properly tuned, versatile machine which will sew 3/4" thick of leather, shipped to your door. If that seems a lot, a similar capacity machine cost a year's wages in 1900.

Neither a Singer 44k nor a Brother DB2 is suitable for leather over say 2mm of the softest leather. Can you show an example of your work so we can make an informed recommendation?

This is an excellent resource provided by one of our top contributors. There's a lot of information to take in but it's all gold: 

 

[Curlywolf]

Hi thanks, I am in England too. I can try and up load a picture but the files are too big it won't let me. I am happy sewing by hand but I does take me a few hours to hand sew a horse head collar. I would like to buy a sewing machine as I am trying to go into home decor too and have recently made some curtain ties backs from faux leather but my mums sewing machine only would take 3 layers. 

So it would be good to buy one what can do the horse halters, but otherwise would settle for a machine that could do up to 3mm to make leather/suede chaps etc. 

 

Thank you very much 

[Mark842]

Neither of the machines you have mentioned will handle 12 oz leather.  For that thickness you need something like a Cobra or Cowboy 441 clone with a walking foot.

[mikesc]

Both the Cobra and the Cowboy ( and many others )..are actually clones of the Juki 441.

[Matt S]

The various clones of the Juki 441 are, as our friends above agree, probably the "single machine solution" to what you want to do, Curly Wolf. They are, by all accounts, very capable and capable machines. For some reason there are very few of these available in the UK, but are available for import from Germany or the USA. After shipping, VAT and duty import from the USA will cost about £2500. Germany probably is a little cheaper.

The disadvantage of the one-machine-fits-most approach is that you will spend some time setting your machine up for each job. The 441 machines have a lot of videos and guides online how to adjust and maintain them because they are popular with hobbyists and small scale manufacturers in the US. If you have some degree of mechanical experience you will find it not very difficult.

Another approach is to consider buying a modern, medium duty needle or walking foot flat bed machine for your more general purposes -- chaps, curtain tiebacks and such. These are readily available either new or refurbished from any industrial machine supplier from around a grand, or if you are lucky/handy you will be able to get a used one privately for a lot less. This gives you the freedom to buy a heavier machine dedicated for tack work, which could even be something beautifully classic and clunky like an eBay special singer 45.

[leathersmyth]

 Seeing that you are in the UK....Pearson stitcher might be what you are looking for. British united shoe # 6 other name.  Yes, they are getting on in age, but can still pull a Beautiful stitch.

 They can pretty much sew anything you throw at them. I have sewn a Inch of leather on mine. They sew thinner no problem as well.  Mine is still a peddle stand but i like, because i can go as slow or fast as i want and get a good leg work out at the same time...

[Matt S]

18 hours ago, leathersmyth said:

 Seeing that you are in the UK....Pearson stitcher might be what you are looking for. British united shoe # 6 other name.  Yes, they are getting on in age, but can still pull a Beautiful stitch.

 They can pretty much sew anything you throw at them. I have sewn a Inch of leather on mine. They sew thinner no problem as well.  Mine is still a peddle stand but i like, because i can go as slow or fast as i want and get a good leg work out at the same time...

Pearson #6s are absolute beasts... mine weighs 185KG including the stand but they do some real beautiful work. They'd better considering what they cost new! They aren't hugely common even over here -- remember only 11,000 were ever made, and a lot of them were exported around the world. A #6 will sew bridles, headcollars and other tack for another century with a little care and maintenance but they aren't suitable for everyone. Needles are readily available primarily in #5 size, a lot of the setup and adjustments are different from modern machines adding to the learning curve, they don't meet modern safety regulations, spare parts and accessories are either rare or bloody expensive, they leak oil like an old Labrador leaks other fluids and there is no reverse. I love my #6 and urge anyone who sees one to give it a good home, even just to save it from the scrapper -- but they aren't for everyone.

[mikesc]

That description could ( apart from the needle number ) fit Triumph Motorcycles :)

Edited October 23, 2017 by mikesc

[Matt S]

13 hours ago, mikesc said:

That description could ( apart from the needle number ) fit Triumph Motorcycles

I think it fits a lot of British engineering! My British 7" crank splitter is about 50KG for some reason and the oil pan seems to have been designed primarily to keep the apprentice busy wiping up drips. I don't have an apprentice.

Land Rovers fit this pattern also -- a friend of mine advised that the leaks are a handy diagnostic feature: Is it dripping onto your new driveway? 1) No -- it's out of oil, better top it up. 2) Yes -- it has oil but it's about to run out, better top it up.

Lee Enfields appear to have been designed to keep idle armourers busy, tweaking the Byzantine bedding arrangements with springs, screws, cork pads, slivers of oiled cardboard...