Kenmore/Sears and Montgomery Ward Sewing Machines
 

Did these go through cycles where some were better than others?

The early straight stitchers looks very nice, often marked "rotary" or something like that. Some are of very fancy design and look very different, but I'm guessing all of these are very reliable and should compare well to any machine. They have a motor pulley directly on the hand wheel, and it's usually easy to replace it.

The later zigzaggers with additional cam sets look very nice to, I lean towards the 50s and 60s models. By the late 60s you have too look at each model carefully to see if it's worth the time and money spent to get it up and running again. Some of the later vintage machines are well worth it even if they have a few plastic gears, but the all metal models have an advantage. I'm not sure when Kenmore introduced plastic gears, neither when they started importing Japanese machines. The quality changed over the decades, not all for the worse luckily. I'm replying very generally, I have been looking at the early straight stitchers from the 40s, and early 50s. It will be intersting what the experts will say ;)

Most of the early machines sold by Wards were made by National. Sears used quite a few different manufacturers. And often at the same time. They used Davis a lot early on and then switched over the White/Domestic. I've seen Sears catologs that show machines by several manufactures, and showing 4-5 different shuttle types for their machines.

Once we get to post ww2 - they are almost all Japanese made, and then who knows. . .

As far as I know, there was only one manufacturer that Sears used that was considered a clunker, there were only 3 models made and only for a very short time. Those were the machines made by Chrysler/New Process Gear. I really don't know much about the pre WWII machines but the post war Japanese Kenmores were all good solid, sturdy machines that don't get enough attention, probably because most of them didn't have the good looks of other Japanese machines.

Cari

I really love the old Kenmores. Except for the drop-in bobbin ones -- that hook system is a nightmare. I've had a couple old Montgomery Ward machines with 2 plastic gears broken in each one. But the case they came in was really cool.

I have a Kenmore ZZ machine bought new in 1961 that had the tension from he!!. That being said, I made many things on it that turned out well. Just had to check the tension occasionally. If it got 'off', it was hard to readjust. I haven't seen the machine since 1993. It is hiding in one of my sewing rooms.
MW - two - a 15 clone that sews a very straight, strong seam, though it does occasionally need the tension adjusted for no reason. It's very pretty with shamrocks. The second is a plastic machine - probably 70s that has cams and does a great job. It came w/o a bobbin case, but a generic one works fine. $13 for the machine, $13 for the bobbin case, so a good investment, though I don't need it.

Hey Friends!Does anyone know anything about the small Kenmore straight-stitch only sewing machine model 148.208? I have one and though it's really small, it weighs a ton! It's a great machine but has no light and straight stitches only.

Kenmore model 28 which is cat# 148.208
 

Thanks so much for your help with the manufacturer. This I didn't know. It does say, "Made in Japan" on the inside of the neck. Here are two sites I recently found. Very interesting!http://www.searsarchives.com/history.../sewing_id.pdf and http://pages.sewing-machine-manuals....922470268.html

Kenmore model 28 which is cat# 148.208
 

Thanks so much for your help with the manufacturer. This I didn't know. It does say, "Made in Japan" on the inside of the neck. Here are two sites I recently found. Very interesting!http://www.searsarchives.com/history.../sewing_id.pdf and http://pages.sewing-machine-manuals....922470268.html