machine question

Just for kicks Googled Bernina sewing machine oil material data sheet and nothing in the first couple pages as I suspected. I have been repairing sewing machine for 28 years and have never used anything except clear white stainless sewing machine oil, no particular brand or manufacturer. You were correct when you advised against 3-1 oil as it is a paraffin based oil and tends to gum faster than most. That is little more than 10 weight motor oil.

In fact I recommend people do not oil their own machines as few know all the correct places and many over oil, which in my opinion and experience is worse than to little oil

"Phaedrine" > Just Google. The information is widely available and easy to find. If

Since it seems like the info is a little more difficult to find, how about you provide links since you seem to know where to find the information?

Not only was I correct about not using 3-1 oil but I was also correct in stating that people should use the kind of oil recommended by their sewing machine manufacturer. And neither you nor anyone else has enumerated a single fact to discredit that.

While I won't comment about other machines, your recommendation that people not oil their own machines is incorrect with regard to Berninas. On most Berninas, the hook race must be oiled frequently by the user. While the act of sewing is far more complicated, oiling the hook race is a simple task. New machine buyers are instructed how to do that at their lessons and in the manual. Other parts of the machine are to be oiled during the annual servicing by a technician as I indicated earlier in this thread. You may have 28 years of repairing machines but your one-size-fits-all concept of sewing machine lubrication defies reason. Advising a Bernina owner not to oil her machine is a disservice that could end up damaging the machine and endangering the warranty--- though it will surely put more money in the pocket of the repair person.

Surely you know far more than I do. I digress

The information is not difficult at all to find and there are vastly too many links to enumerate. Go to Google and search on "sewing machine oil". Pretty simple really. Add "viscosity" if you wish to narrow the search. Scan the hits. You will find many different kinds of sewing machine oils as I previously indicated--- high, medium, & low viscosity (or weight). You will also see that there are different grades of oil, different standards and weights, and that Europe & the US have different methods for determining weight or viscosity. That alone may explain why European manufacturers prefer that their oils be used since their machines and oils are manufactured according to European standards (the higher standard in most cases). You will see different additives including silicon and teflon. Some are just straight mineral oil.

What others use on their own machines doesn't concern me in the least. That's their business. But to advise someone, especially a novice, against using what the manufacturer specifies is a disservice IMO.

Phae

Hmmm. I see no where that Bernina says to use only Bernina oil.

Oh, yawn. Your withholding of information is ridiculous. If you have the answers, why not just point the way? What is the big deal in withholding information? Have you ever heard of sharing? You could post your links in the the interest of user education and we'd all learn something and be grateful for it. I wouldn't tell them to go google it themselves, that's so lame. Either you have information and you ought to be willing to share it to make your point, or your are just blowing smoke.

As usual.

m...

As the saying goes, "Feed a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for life." Or in this case, feed a man (or woman) the knowledge of how to Google....

-Irene

-------------- You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.=20

--Mae West=20

--------------

On the contrary. I have withheld nothing. I have given you the exact search parameters and explained that there are far too many applicable links to enumerate them all. Just start at the top and work your way down. Open the advanced Google page and paste (you do know how to copy and paste, don't you?) "viscosity" in the 'all of the words' box. Then tab once and paste "sewing machine oil" in the 'exact phrase" box. You don't even have to open or scan more than a few to see my facts well illustrated.

But it seems as though you don't really want to see. Yes, on the contrary, you seem far more interested in being rude and petulant than actually carrying on a reasonable discussion or looking at the factual information I provided. If you cannot act reasonably, then don't expect me to reply to you.

Did that. Learned that sewing machine oil is a very low viscosity oil, and there are quite a few companies that manufacture or supply high quality sewing machine oils. Singer is the only machine brand mentioned in the first few pages of results.

I doubt Singer makes their own oil. Similarly, I doubt the other machine marketing companies or even the manufacturers make their own oil. I think it's much more likely that they buy oil and have it "badged" with their name. But I can't prove that. I think it's the same with sewing machine needles.

That could be, but I would suspect it has to meet Singer's specs.

No doubt. But what are the specs beyond high quality pure oil of low viscosity?

Well, I would speculate that the word "low" is specifically defined, and probably the exact type of oil - wouldn't want to use anything corrosive. I don't know anything about manufacturing oil - can you tell?:) I'm just thinking in terms of how grocery stores get vendors to supply their branded foods.

Non staining.

Candide

I think it's the

Yes. Rhein make the ones you see in Bernina boxes. I think they also make Elna branded needles. They are excellent needles. I buy them in boxes of 100 when I can get them: as good and slightly cheaper than Schmetze. Singer needles are made by Organ: not as good at all. I have some for my Jones, and am glad it's only a hand crank. Given how easily they break in a 1909 hand crank when they hit a pin, I'm amazed they get used in industrial machines at all! I shall order the Schmetz version next time.

Organ may make some Singer industrial needles, but the domestic Singer sewing machine and serger needles I've seen lately are made in Brazil. I don't believe they're made by Organ.

As for needles shattering, from my experience, Schmetz and Organ fare about the same when they hit a pin, or other obstruction, the right way.

gwh

These don't say where they were made. They are a size usually only used in commercial bar-tack machines these days, which is why I have to order them. The OSMG just happened to have a pack of Organ ones to hand, but when I order, I'll get the Schmetz.

I usually use Rhein, Schmetz, or Klasse, all made in Germany.

If you do the search as I described and you scan down the results page, you will see sewing machine oil described in terms of high, medium and low viscosity. It's easy to see since Google makes the search terms bold. If you open some of the links, you will also discover charts with varying standards for the different oils. You will also see that some oils have additives if you scan further. The point I was making was in contrast to the original claim that the only difference between sewing machine oils was the price. That is clearly not the case. There are conspicuous differences in sewing machine oils. I stand by that and I don't understand the unwillingness of some to accept something that obvious as fact.

Phae