I'll share my experience with the Chinese ShoePatcher sewing machine. First allow me to say for sure I don't think it is anywhere near as good as a Cobra 4 or Cowboy sewing machine, but at cost of $125 compared to $2500 to $3000 I can piddle some. For the professional where time is money and making several sheaths/week I have no doubt the Cowboy or Cobra is the way to go. BUT - for the hobbiest like myself who makes a few knives/yr and even fewer sheaths and wants to play with a sewing machine the ShoePatcher seems like it might work.... with some work on the machine. Here is the one I got:
Out of the box it would sew pretty good with #69 thread which is really too small for sheaths. That was left over from my sail patching days. I ordered some #138 and #207 thread, and got #21 needles. The ShoePatcher is designed to use home sewing machine type needles with a flat on one side to position the needle in place.
I'm currently using a #24 leather needle by Organ in size 332LL which is a tiny tad longer than a 135x17 needle. All I had to do is adjust the presser foot rod to account for longer needle. To use a needle larger than #22 I had to drill out the bobbin plate hole a good bit so there was room for needle, and for larger thread to come up thru. Also the channel in the bottom sewing arm had to be made larger for the larger needles. Now I'm sewing with #24 needle with #207 thread. The first roll of #207 thread I got didn't sew as good, but this last roll (bonded nylon) seems to be working better. Here's a test strip with 2 layers of 8 oz and a 12 oz layer in the middle to simulate a sheath with heavy welt.
Anybody wish more info just let me know.
Out of the box it would sew pretty good with #69 thread which is really too small for sheaths. That was left over from my sail patching days. I ordered some #138 and #207 thread, and got #21 needles. The ShoePatcher is designed to use home sewing machine type needles with a flat on one side to position the needle in place.
I'm currently using a #24 leather needle by Organ in size 332LL which is a tiny tad longer than a 135x17 needle. All I had to do is adjust the presser foot rod to account for longer needle. To use a needle larger than #22 I had to drill out the bobbin plate hole a good bit so there was room for needle, and for larger thread to come up thru. Also the channel in the bottom sewing arm had to be made larger for the larger needles. Now I'm sewing with #24 needle with #207 thread. The first roll of #207 thread I got didn't sew as good, but this last roll (bonded nylon) seems to be working better. Here's a test strip with 2 layers of 8 oz and a 12 oz layer in the middle to simulate a sheath with heavy welt.
Anybody wish more info just let me know.
