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When it rains, it pours, right? After purchasing a very different kind of machine from a craiglist seller (see it here), said seller turned to me and offered me this machine for $10, cabinet and a few attachments included. I looked it over and saw that it looks brand new. There is a very tiny nick on a corner but it looks like a defect in the casting rather than in the paint. Were you to see this machine in person, you would swear it was right off the shelf of your local Sears store, ca. 1976.
Kenmore convertibles are great machines. Although I own 4 of them, this one differs from the others in that it has a drop-in, horizontal bobbin with a see-through window allowing the user to know how much thread remains in the bobbin. The U-shaped piece that slides off the bed is a single unit with a small leg that pops down for greater stability (not shown in the picture). All its other features are what you'd expect from a Kenmore of this vintage:
- 1.0 amp motor
- feed dog drop
- convertible, non-lidded single piece
- cam stack
- super-high shank
- reverse lever
- interlock light/power switch
- stitch modifier lever
- built-in buttonhole function on the dial
- button-style pressure control
- double-needle capable
- foot controller
- two spool pins
- bobbin winder
- designed by Kenmore and made in Japan by Jaguar/Maruzen
I hate to bore you but I'm continually amazed by how little the public values the Kenmore name. These are great machines, strong and powerful with smooth motors and beautiful stitches. The bonus of the free arm is a great feature. Although without a cam assembly, it has all the stitches one needs for clothing construction and is simpler to operate.
This is the perfect machine for a beginner as it has all the features any new sewer would need. But from my reading the blogs and articles written by the very advanced, 1960s and '70s Kenmores are among the best vintage machines one can buy.
Ever thought about taking up sewing? Do you have $10?
I agree with your assessment of Kenmores being great machines - particularly when Singer began to go plastic in the mid-60's and after. My second collected machine was a Kenmore 158.17570 ($20 @Goodwill store) similar to this one - 1.2 amp motor, cams, etc. I sewed over 25 reversible, fleece hunting caps for last Christmas with it and it never missed a beat. I am getting ready to hem a thick, cotton towel fabric shower curtain for my wife, and I know it can be best done on the 1757 vs. the vintage Singers I have.
ReplyDeleteJohn Thomas in NC
The 1757 is a very nice one. I have a 1756 and it can do a chain stitch. 1.2 amps feels great, doesn't it? Have you sewn on an industrial machine?
DeleteYeah, Kenmore continued to make all-metal machines until about 1980 -- amazing when you consider that even such revered models as the Pfaff 130 included 2 nylon gears. Singer's quality declined very quickly in the '60s although a couple of models are interesting, particularly the earliest computerized sewing machine (Touchtronic) and the 6268, which was actually quite a good design despite the constant beeping. I have a friend who owns a 6268 and he really likes it.
I don't understand why folks buy the cheap, modern, plastic machines when these all-metal vintage Kenmores can be had for a song. People are just unaware of them, I suppose. Recently I had a chance to sew on a modern Bernina made just a few years ago and while it produced beautiful stitches, it was finicky and hardly worth the $2800 price tag (and it's one of their lower end models).