Jim,
This might be the Anker RZ. It probably takes the DBx1 needle. The 16x87 is basically the same, but if I remember correctly the 16x87 does not have a scarf. Needles are usually measured in mm and from the top of the shank to the top of the eye. The middle of the eye measurement will cause confusion when used with any established charts.
And you are correct that the 15x1 one is about the same. The 15x1 and the DBx1 type are all the same length (to the eye). The 15x1 has a flat and the DBx1 doesn't. The diameter of the shank can also be different. The 15x1 is usually 2.02mm and the industrial DBx1 style can have shanks the are the same or smaller.
How this helps some.
Originally Posted by
oldsewnsew
So this one got away from me while I wasn't paying close enough attention, at local Eugene ShopGoodWill
Not a very good cut and paste but it's from a scan of the Milwaukee Journal of Jan 21, 1953 for a New Royal zig-zag.
From what little I can make out, they look the same. I just read somewhere that there was a joint venture between Free and ?? in Germany to produce a zig zag machine. So other than holding a hankie for me over the one that slipped away, who can tell me some more about this. Ironically, I wound up with over 120 needles that may be for this machine,The needles have no flats, are type 16X87 are 1.5" long, .064" dia shank, and 1.36 from the top to the center of the eye. A regular 15X1 needle is pretty close to the same except with a flat and a shank about .080" except where the flat is, it's also .064" thick. Somewhere someone is trying to put a 15X1 where it might not go as well....Was this family of machines built by Pfaff?