I was told this when I got my babylock. Honestly I found it absurd, but smiled and nodded anyway.
If the foot is up and the disks are not engaged then it wouldn't matter which way I pull the thread!!
I have had my machine for 3 years, I have never cut and pulled forward.
My tension is as good as it ever was.

Follow your dealer's instructions, not what people here say. Your dealer is going to be the one honoring (or not) your warranty on the machine. Any newer computerized sewing machine owner will be told NOT to pull the thread out backwards. And I surely wouldn't tell you otherwise and risk the longevity of your machine.

I've forgotten why you need to do this, but I do remember that I had to take my machine in for repair - and that was the problem - thread pulled out incorrectly.

ditto, no issues with my 25yo machine

It seems like I read something about this a while back. The advice was to be sure to lift the presser foot as this releases the tension discs in the machine.
I always pull my thread out holding on the spool but I always have the presser foot up when I do this.

Chris

It seems like I read something about this a while back. The advice was to be sure to lift the presser foot as this releases the tension discs in the machine.
I always pull my thread out holding on the spool but I always have the presser foot up when I do this.

Chris

I've read this on several of my embroidery sites regarding my Brother embroidery machines. I clipped my thread at the spool and pull forward. Yes, it waste thread but I do it anyway. I may have been told this by my repair tech...can't remember now!

I also clean my tension discs with "unwaxed" dental floss...very hard to find but I did get it at Walgreen's.

The guy who maintains my machines told me to snip the thread at the spool and pull it out through the needle. He said if there is a little lint in the area of the tension discs it could lodge the lint in the tension assembly to where I can't get it out if I pull the thread backwards through the machine.

I snip the thread at the uptake lever and pull it through the needle. Don't want any stray fuzzies to mess up the smoothness.

It just reduces the chances of lint lodging in the tension mechanism. Thread is spun with directionality. Rubbing it against the grain will dislodge more lint than rubbing with the grain.

Actually, the same applies to bobbin thread -- long lengths should not be pulled backwards through the tensioning system. In that case, I think the bigger risk is eventually scoring the metal.

I don't find it any more difficult to snip thread first, so I just made it a habit to always pull thread through with the grain.

Hand quilters are taught to thread their needle with the grain of the thread (knot goes at spool end of the cut thread). This also is because friction is reduced if you pull thread through fabric with the grain of the thread instead of against the grain of the thread.