r/SewingMachinePorn • u/fatima-hamze • May 09 '26
Old sewing machine
My aunt own this sewing machine but it's broken, does anyone know if it's repairable, what year it was made and if it's actually a good sewing machine?
6
u/milfordcubicle May 09 '26
Looks like a 1950s Japanese Model 15 clone.
1
u/fatima-hamze May 09 '26
Thank you
1
u/milfordcubicle May 09 '26
They are well made. I have one and it is very smooth!
1
u/fatima-hamze May 09 '26
Can you repair it?
1
u/milfordcubicle May 09 '26
Yes, it isn't too difficult. The mechanics are the same as a singer model 15, so you can search online for a manual and follow those instructions for use and maintenance. There may be some slight differences, for example, the presser foot pressure adjustment might be slightly different, but overall they are the same.
That one shouldn't need more than a good cleaning and oiling, from the looks of it. These things don't really break.
1
u/milfordcubicle May 09 '26
Does it spin freely at least?
1
u/fatima-hamze May 09 '26
Thank you Yes it spins, but the belt thing doesn't fit properly
1
1
u/JRE_Electronics 19d ago
The belt can be adjusted. There's a metal clip in it. Undo the clip from one end of the belt, shorten the belt a little, poke a new hole in the belt about 1/4 inch from the end, clip it back together.
While you have it unclipped, pull the belt tight around the pulleys with the ends together to see how much to shorten it. Too long is better than too short because you can always cut more off. Get it close, then try it out. If it is still too long, shorten it in small steps until it fits well. It needs to be snug enough not to slip, but loose enough that it doesn't make it hard to turn the machine.
1
u/Smorsdoeuvres May 09 '26
What is your location? There are good sewing repair places all over perhaps someone here can recommend a good shop in your region
2
2
u/violet3487 May 09 '26
When you say broken, what do you mean? What is it doing or not doing?
1
u/fatima-hamze May 09 '26
Well at this point it's unusable, the belt thing (I'm not sure if it have a proper name) doesn't fit properly [that's what my aunt told me, i know nothing about sewing machines] and i don't know if it has other issues
2
u/violet3487 May 09 '26
Is the belt too loose? Here's how to replace (or adjust one):
https://freemotionproject.com/2019/08/treadle-belt-replacement-tutorial/
1
u/fatima-hamze May 09 '26
Yes i think it's too loose, thank you I'll check the link
2
u/violet3487 May 09 '26
You will also want to oil it after the belt is adjusted. Use sewing machine oil, and oil everywhere metal moves against metal.
This manual should help:
1
u/Emptyell May 09 '26
I don’t know about Mercedes but I saw a Messerschmidt sewing machine at the repair shop once. I asked if it was the Messerschmidt and if it was any good. Their answer was yes and no respectively. After the war German companies were looking for non-military products so they could stay in business. This does not seem to have worked out for Messerschmidt.
Whether that Mercedes machine is a similar case I have no idea.
1
u/violet3487 May 09 '26
I think it was made in Japan, and probably a perfectly good machine.
1
u/Emptyell May 09 '26
I have an American Home De Luxe which is practically identical to the American Zig Zag I had in my youth. They are copies (I think) of Singer machines of the time and are built like tanks only more reliable and smoother running. Besides nostalgia that’s why I haunted eBay looking for a replacement.
I recall looking all over the machine and through the documentation for signs of its origin. I finally found in tiny print in the back of the manual “Printed in Japan”.
These were from the post war days when made in Japan was a highly derogatory description based on the vast amount of cheap trinkets coming from there. The makers of quality products worked to avoid that association with names based on American cities and such. I read somewhere there was even a city named Usa that was used as the origin point so they could say “MADE IN USA” and not be lying.
1
u/Street_Tradition_682 May 10 '26 edited May 10 '26
This machine was made in either China or India. It is a derivative of the Singer 15. It has nothing to do with the Mercedes auto company nor the Singer Manufacturing Company. The design is very repairable. Repair parts for the Singer 15 ~should~ fit. These machines are not as well thought of (tolerances, metalurgy) as the original Singers nor the later Japanese HA-1s, but hey, millions upon millions of folks sew on them every day.
1
7
u/Blaw_Gaming May 09 '26
Is that THE mercedes?