Cari-in-Oly

Mickey there are lots of all metal zig zag machines. Most zig zaggers before the mid 60s are all metal machines.

Cari

Mickey2

Here most 1950s zigzaggers have a few plastic gears. There are a few exceptions and Singer kept their standard a bit longer. The models that were introduced before WWII and still in production until the early 1950s are all metal, but the new cast aluminium bodied almost all have a few plastic gears; Pfaff, Phoenix, Adler, Elna, Bernina... I'm not sure when Husqvarna introduced their first plastic motor pulley, but they often have mostly metal gearing.

It's like the new brave world demaded a bit of nylon to be contemporary. Some Japanese machines I have seen have turned out to be all metal, and I have noticed an all metal Taiwanese made machine as late as the 1970s. Japanese made machines aren't as common as in the US until the 70s or 80s here, at least it seems like that from what I read on this forum.

I don't complain too much, among the newer zigzaggers are some of my favorite models. Replacement parts can be difficult, particularly German models. I wonder if the all metal standard were kept up longer in the US? I know "all steel" were a sale point for many items here, like bikes. A lot of vintage bikes turn up with aluminium rims and chain guard here, a few with aluminum hub drums, and are almost all steel at least. I'm just associating freely on the subject, the very fancy and colorful machines aren't as common here.