Needle breaks from pin strikes among brands
 

It seems to me that my 301A breaks the needle almost every time I have a pin strike, but my Necchi Supernova Ultra Mark II rarely did. Have you noticed a difference netween brands or machines in this?

I pull the pins out before they go under the needle to avoid that.

I found a slant needle machine will break the needle from a pin strike way easier than any other machine. My Viking 990 was a slant machine and I got real good about removing pins.

My Juki is a straight stitch machine and though I've never had that happen yet, every time I accidentally sew over a pin I catch myself cringing, expecting to hear a crunch! I sewed with the 990 over 30 years, so it was really ingrained.

Not a good idea to sew over pins. Take pins out before hitting the needle plate.

On newer machines yes, but very, very rarely on a vintage machine. 99% of perceived "timing issues" on a vintage machine are actually other issues totally unrelated to timing.

Cari

The old machines can sew over pins much the same way moderns do. The old needles were ridig and stiffer, most of the newer are made to be more flexible and when hitting a neelde slides to the side of it. The newer type needle were common in the 1960s, not sure when they were first introduced. If you don't sew too fast it should work on all machines with a straight vertical needle position. If you have a model easily thrown out of timing you might not want to attempt it. My 99, 201, Bernina, and Elna have no problem with it. In addition to what's mentioned it can make the stitches slighly more uneven.

I remember back in the olden days when I took sewing in school we were taught to put the pins in horizontally and to sew over them. I can’t remember if I ever broke a needle. They were the black singers. That part I remember. Don’t know if they were 66s or 15s

I think I've broken a needle sewing over pins maybe 5 times my whole life. Bent many, many pins and broke a few. The hinged presser foot was actually invented for sewing over pins. Stitchnripper, that's how I was taught to put pins in too, though I'm left handed and put them in backwards from most people I see. I've always sewn over pins and probably always will.

Cari

I think I've broken a needle sewing over pins maybe 5 times my whole life. Bent many, many pins and broke a few. The hinged presser foot was actually invented for sewing over pins. Stitchnripper, that's how I was taught to put pins in too, though I'm left handed and put them in backwards from most people I see. I've always sewn over pins and probably always will.

Here's a few of my best ones lol.
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Cari