I have no problems--lucky, I guess, but this is how I do it. I use a 14 top stitch needle, I have mineral oil in a nasal spray bottle and run the tip down the side of the spool about 3 times (being frugal--just lightly spreading), then I put my thread on a stand away from the machine , giving the thread enough length to unwind the coils out. I've not had any breakage in quite a long time--since using the mineral oil. It may be basically what "sewer's aid" is composed of--I don't know...I have both, but prefer the above. If anyone can tell me this is bad for my machines, I will toss it immediately and look for another solution!

mermaid, you probably don't need 3 beads of the oil. With Sewer's Aid, you just use one.
I don't know about the oil. I know my Bernina says to only use machine oil, not cooking oil or anything, but I don't understand the difference between the different types of oil. Surely some of the repair people who are on QB would know.

Correct ( metallic) needles and a slightly looser tension are necessary. The eyes of the metallic needle is shaped & sized for that particular thread to avoid shredding

Another thing to try is slow the machine down and that always helps me.

If I may chime in...I recently tried an adapter called the "Thread Director"...and by golly, it helped me tremendously. All my Sulky metallic threads are now actually usable, which is a shock....as long as I go slowly, keep to simple stitches, and use a really large eyed top stitch needle...I think its a 90. And I lower the tension a little too.

I have even been able to use some of the Sulky "Holoshimmer" spools that I had completely given up on. For some reason, the red Holoshimmer will still absolutely NOT work on my machine, but several other colors will.

I 've had good luck putting the difficult threads like sulky metallics, superior razzle dazzle, etc. in my bobbin rather than through the needle. For the top threading you would use either a cotton or poly thread like aurifil or isacord in the same color. Then I turn my quilt sandwich over and stitch from the back. To use this method you need to do a sample in order to get the tension properly adjusted. Give it a try with the red holoshimmer if you are still having trouble putting it through the needle. one other thing I almost forgot to mention, you may need to wind some threads on your bobbin by hand instead of using your machine's bobbin winder.

Rob

My Gammill dealer suggestion years ago to SLOW down and up size the needle to at least a 4.0

The first time I bought metallic thread the quilt shop lady recommended Sewers Aid ,90/14 needle and go slow. Works for me.

Top stich needle, one that is a little larger so that the hole is bigger or a metalic needle. I also like Vikings needles because the hole is rounded instead of oblong. Be careful of using sewers aid, alot of newer machines don't like it. My machines don't even needed to be oiled so I'm not taking a chance. I also will put my metalic thread in a cup on the table behing my machine and that helps alot.