Leather sewing machine
- Thread starter oldknife
- Start date
Daniel Macina
Well-Known Member
Good price for that machine. As long as it runs good go for it!
Chris Railey
Well-Known Member
On a brief search I found new ones listed at $1595. For me to give $1200 for a used one it better look brand new or have some add ons or something. I do not base that opinion off of a strong knowledge of leather sewing machines but rather many years of buying and selling used tools in general.
Daniel Macina
Well-Known Member
Sorry last time I looked at them I remember them being quite a bit more. Sorry for the bad information.
Chris Railey
Well-Known Member
Sorry Daniel I should have been more clear I was not taking a shot at your information I was just giving my opinion on the percentage of full retail he would paying for no warranty and "in as is condition". I was not saying you were wrong per say just that I would, for sure, try to talk him down off of the asking price. I was not trying to contradict you brother.
We use a Cobra in our leather shop. Ours had to be tuned up to synchronize everything or the stitching would be all over the place. There are several adjustments inside of the machine. Finding someone to tune up a leather machine is going to be tough. We found a 76 year old guy a couple hours away that was in the sewing machine business all his life. Make sure and run some stitches. Once it had been tuned it works very well. Maybe the one you are looking at is perfectly fine.
Make sure and test it looking for even stitches, no thread issues and foot and feeder foot marks that don't ruin the leather. It should move up and down in speed evenly and not lurch. If you can't test it on the thickness you plan to work with, walk away. It's not that cheap compared to new with a warranty. The Cobra is basically an Artisan clone. The Cobra guy worked for Artisan and then went out on his own. He is a good guy and has a reputation for standing behind his stuff. We also have a Cobra ten ton clicker press so I'm not bashing Cobra at all.
Make sure and test it looking for even stitches, no thread issues and foot and feeder foot marks that don't ruin the leather. It should move up and down in speed evenly and not lurch. If you can't test it on the thickness you plan to work with, walk away. It's not that cheap compared to new with a warranty. The Cobra is basically an Artisan clone. The Cobra guy worked for Artisan and then went out on his own. He is a good guy and has a reputation for standing behind his stuff. We also have a Cobra ten ton clicker press so I'm not bashing Cobra at all.
Daniel Macina
Well-Known Member
I didn’t take it that way at all. I was thinking last time I looked a new machine was like $2300 and I seem to of been wrong on that. I completely agree with you that if the price is that little a difference I would go for the new one as well.