Singer 66K hand crank 1926

Recent find at Wooton-under-Edge Car Boot Sale. No fancy Lotus or Sphinx decals, just Plain Jane black handwheel, nose & back plate, with the simpler decals as found on the 99Ks of the period.

The head is in good mechanical & cosmetic order & it stitches very well. Now! 

Was solid on arrival but just needed a good clean, WD40 & oil to free it. Clearly not been used for a good while, but was well maintained in use. I put a new needle in it, checked the timing, threaded it up & it did a perfect stitch without even adjusting the upper tension: ) Two layers of thin clothing leather here.

It impressed me anyway. Not a single loose/missed stitch, even on the corners. No show-through with yellow or blue either side. That impressed me & I thought it would therefore be good to spend a little more time on the casing.

This type of handcrank was never stressed much in use, & is therefore an excellent prospect for adding a motor now: ) Knowing light leather crafters use these machines to this day.

The case/base is in need of some TLC, having had the lock forced at some point, but it works now! 

You can see where it was forced & the broken end of the key which was stuck in the lock body. Needs a new plate to neaten it up, but it does work as is.

The woodwork/veneer needs the dried out shellac removing & then wax polish will keep it in good shape for a long time to come.

Tried some thicker leather with chisel point 100 needles. Feels comfortable sewing 2 layers, which these machines are reputed to do. Recommended is nylon, upholstery thread or polyester. I'm using Polyfil here, slightly light for this job.