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Re: Curved needle

Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2005 5:41 pm
by chris trujillo
Thanks for all the information you given me PK.I am always thank full to any one who takes time to try to help me .So till we talk again have a great day Chris

Re: Curved needle

Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2005 7:40 am
by paul
De nada, Amigo.

PK

Re: Curved needle

Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2005 6:55 pm
by Harry Knipe
Am wondering if anyone knows where I might find info on the operation and maintainance of a Landis 1520L line finisher...any help would be greatly appreciated. Didn't know where else to go for help. I do also have a Landis K so I was on here getting info for that and got some really good info. Thanks, HK

Re: Curved needle

Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2005 8:25 pm
by dw
Harry,

Welcome to the Crispin Colloquy.

I don't believe I've ever seen a manual for a finisher although I'm sure they exist.

Lot of what I know about finishers comes from several decades of experience. What kind of help do you need?

Tight Stitches
DWFII--Member HCC

Re: Curved needle

Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2006 9:32 am
by erickgeer
Anyone,

Can someone tell me how to replace the wax strippers on my K? I've gone through all of my manuals, parts lists and did colloquy and net searches with no luck.

I have replacement strippers, but I can't figure out how the thread goes through. I've taken the cap off, pulled out the thread and removed the old stripper. The replacements don't seem to have a hole, and the old one seems like it would be very hard to rethread. I am wondering if the thread goes around the stripper rather than through....

Any help would be great.

Erick

Re: Curved needle

Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2006 10:11 am
by walrus
Erick
Take an old needle from the machine and push it through the hole in the stripper and hook the thread on the hook and pull the needle back out with a pair of pliers and wala you have the thread through the stripper . I hope thats what you wanted to know .
Larry waller
WWW.walrusshoe.com

Re: Curved needle

Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2006 10:27 am
by erickgeer
Larry,

Thank you so much- I'll give it a try on Monday.

Erick

Re: Curved needle

Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2006 6:42 pm
by danfreeman
Larry,
Isn't that spelled "v'wala?" Erick: The rubber strippers I've bought from Frankford Leather had holes through them, easily threaded with a needle, or, better, a wire bristle. My trouble is that they leave too much wax on the thread, though the mess can be cleaned up or avoided--yes, even on suede uppers. As soon as I tighten the adjusting nut a fraction of a turn, however, the tension becomes too tight to sew. Maybe newer ones would work better: rubber gets hard with age. You might try Frankford in Phila. I am afraid I'll hear they are no longer available next time I ask, and am thinking about black rubber lab-type stoppers, if they are made small enough.
If yours are truly without aperatures, you must make one: I'm thinking hot needles or tiny drills.

Re: Curved needle

Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2006 9:55 pm
by erickgeer
I thought it was strange that it wasn't pre-holed.

Dan,

Hearing your thoughts, I wonder if it would be worthwhile to punch a plug of neoprene, or do you think it would break down too fast?

On another note, I have been thinking about the pros and cons of using different size threads for bobbin and "upper" threads- I've heard some people swear by using same size and some a different size. Does anyone know the reasons for one way vs. the other- other than personal preference?

I'm being called away from the computer.

'night

Erick

Re: Curved needle

Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2006 5:04 pm
by danfreeman
I think neoprene is what's used to make the wax strippers; like many other resources, we may have to start making what we once could buy. That would not be so bad in some ways, but carried too far, and we'd be back in Williamsburg, no offense to Al, Peter Oakley, or others.

Sometimes it's better to use lighter thread in the bobbin, but it's never needed, and doesn't make seams stronger. Sometimes you get a tighter, better-looking topstitch this way, depending on material and needle, too. The only reason that makes even some sense is that the upper thread works so much harder than the bobbin thread, that by the time the seam is sewn and the thread in the material, the upper thread is weaker than the bobbin; therefore, weaker bobbin thread equalizes the strength of the seam. The idea is, the bobbin thread has just spooled off; the upper thread has passed through the needle many times, 20 or more, doubling through the needle and take-up lever each time, and sustaining considerable wear.

Naturally, when sewing a closed seam (inside-out, then turned), a weaker bobbin thread is an unwise choice.

Re: Curved needle

Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2006 6:20 pm
by danfreeman
I forgot the most obvious: the topstitching is exposed to the elements; the bobbin stitches are usually safely inside, next to the lining. This could allow you to use a lighter thread in the bobbin.

Re: Curved needle

Posted: Wed Jun 06, 2007 9:32 pm
by telong2001
May I get some guidance on threading my Landis K? The machine is new to me. I got it from Melanie Machine and it worked great in the warehouse of course. It was shipped a week or so ago and I'm getting the bugs worked out. Or, more accurrately the machine is working the bugs out of me.

I replaced the needle tonight. I am not sure I have installed the needle correctly. Is it supposed to be threaded through the guide or holder? You can see it in the pics. I did adjust the needle where it would drop in the needle plate, pick up the lower thread, pick up and the upper bobbin hook catches it. Then..the needle drags the thread through the little guide. Clearly I've got this all wrong.

I did go through all of the archives here and was able to benefit from some of the exchange, especially the oiling diagram/pic.

I appreciate you kind folks sharing and guiding me through this. In return I humbley offer pics of my 4th pair of boots. The top is a waxy, stretchy upholstery leather and the bottom is cognac ostrich. Getting a little better but need a few more hundred pair under my belt.

Thank you folks in advance.
Terri Courtney

Re: Curved needle

Posted: Wed Jun 06, 2007 9:44 pm
by telong2001
I'm having trouble with uploading and have asked Admin/Dw to upload the email I sent with pics that go with the post. Sorry.

Re: Curved needle

Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2007 3:56 am
by tmattimore
Assuming the machine sewed when you got it and that you did not move the needle guide then there are two choices. 1 the needle is too high 2 the thread lifter is not pulling the thread clear of the needle and it is draging the thread into the needle guide. I would check the lifter first. before you loosen it rotate by hand and see how close it is to the needle on the way up, it needs to be remarkably close, It needs to lift the thread out of the barb cleanly with out fraying and still let the shuttle hook catch the loop.
tom

Re: Curved needle

Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2007 6:02 am
by admin
This is the most critical photo of the sequence, in my opinion. It shows the cycle after the bobbin hook has failed to open the loop and lift it from the needle/hook.
5082.jpg



This is almost always due to the "needle" having been mounted too high. Tom mentions this in his post above.

Additionally, if the awl was not changed, positioning the needle is made simple by the fact that as the awl withdraws through the material, the hook (needle) must be in very close proximity. In other words there shouldn't be any more daylight between the awl and the hook than necessary to prevent a collision.

Beyond that, you just have to lower the hook a little.

Cycle the machine with no material under the presser foot. Examine the way in which the parts operate together. It will become clear what is needed very quickly. It's pretty simple really.

Emmett

Re: Curved needle

Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2007 6:57 am
by tmattimore
That pic shows it all. It is also the cleanest machine I have seen in a while. Pilgrim sells a book for landis (actually a reprint xerox) for a rule of thumb I put the needle about the thickness of my thumbnail above the awl. Also every now and then squirt a little oil behind the plate that holds the needle guide.

Re: Curved needle

Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2007 7:09 am
by dw
There is also an operator's manual for the landis Curved Needle machine on my webpage http://www.bootmaker.com/manuals.htm in pdf format that can be downloaded.

Tight Stitches
DWFII--Member HCC

Re: Curved needle

Posted: Fri Jul 06, 2007 4:19 pm
by paul
Do any of you use a bleach mixture of any sort, to clean the wax and such off of your white sole stitches during the final clean and polish?
I've done so on repairs, but I'm not so sure I want to on a new pair of boots.

TIA,
Paul

Re: Curved needle

Posted: Fri Jul 06, 2007 5:46 pm
by dw
Paul,

I can't help you if only because I've never given it a second though (maybe I should). But I will ask...what are you using for thread and what are you using for "bleach" in your repair work?


Tight Stitches
DWFII--Member HCC

Re: Curved needle

Posted: Sat Jul 07, 2007 6:02 am
by paul
I'm using Synthetic 6 1/2 cord. It was many years agon, but I think we just mixed up a diluted mixture of bleach and used an old toothbrush.

I'm thinking, with the new products on the market, there might be something a little milder to clean them with.

A few times when I was at Galco, doing holsters with veg tanned leather, I made a diluted mixture like that to clean spots. It worked, but left the leather kinda slimey. But that was usually after the holster had been oiled. We used oxalic cid the clean them when they needed it, before oiling.

I've used pure lemon juice to clean my carving leather projects. Maybe I'll try that. It's plenty mild enough.

PK

Re: Curved needle

Posted: Sat Jul 07, 2007 11:32 am
by dw
Paul,

So is it the thread you want to bleach or the welt? I wouldn't think that bleach or lemon juice would have much affect on dacron or synthetic thread. But like I said, I've never tried it and never given it much thought.

Tight Stitches
DWFII--Member HCC

Re: Curved needle

Posted: Sat Jul 07, 2007 3:57 pm
by shoestring
PK,
Have you given any though to using Oxie-all,or read the contents of a white wall(car tire) cleaner,and what about non-chlorine bleach.Just my dimes worth.

Ed

Re: Curved needle

Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 1:09 pm
by romango
I have been fooling with my acquired 12-K for a couple of months now, getting it ready to stitch. I have a question about part 'a' in the pictures below. When stitching, does this ride along the top of the sole or along the edge of the sole/welt?

if along the edge, is its function to control the distance of the stitches from the edge? I note that it moves sideways when the awl moves sideways but it has no teeth (at least mine doesn't) so it seems it would be little help moving the shoe along.

In the first picture, it is right under the presser foot 'b'. In the second, it is pulled back (presser foot raised). In this position, if the presser foot is let down, the channel knife 'c' hits the stitch table (when there is no leather there). This seems bad.

Any help in understanding the position, function or even name of this part would be appreciated.
5546.jpg

5547.jpg

Re: Curved needle

Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 1:42 pm
by romango
sorry, I meant 'does this ride along the top of the welt' (not sole) in the third sentence above.

Also, if it does ride along the top of the welt, why is it so adjustable front to back. Seems like the only position would be right below the presser foot.

Re: Curved needle

Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 1:52 pm
by paul
Rick,

I do not pretend to be a machine expert. I get by, and thankfully my machines cooperate. (He said while crossing his fingers)

But to answer your first question, "a", the fence, controls the distance of your stitch from the edge, just as you supposed. The awl and needle moving to the left are what move the material along.

However I notice something about your groover, "c". It looks to be upside down and backwards. (I thought only I could do that!)

Try taking the groover out and turn it over, end for end. The other end should be pointed and positioned with the "blade" pointing to the right. That should set the point of the groover down into the leather, and as it feeds to the left, it will cut a groove ahead of the stitch. It will also postion the end of the groover in the cut out of your needle plate, so that it't won't hit when no leather is in it. (I don't think it's properly called a needle plate on curved needle machines, but I think you get the idea of which part I'm refering to, the one with the oblong hole.) It should be no more than about 1/16" to 3/32" deep, to cut a groove in your sole to hide the stitch.

Good luck,

PK