like this?
[ATTACH=CONFIG]475933[/ATTACH]

Steve, I don't even think they had invented leather yet...

;-)

oh no, this is a Howe Model C (long arm, heavy duty) wheel foot machine made specifically for leather sewing. Did the work too too, from it's birth til about 1925-1930 when it got barn stored.. Literally.

I sewed a Naugahyde ATV seat completely with a hand crank 127. I used it primarily for the control of the hand cranked machine, but was amazed at how efficiently it sewed through 3 or 4 layers of Naugahyde at seams. My belief is that with the correct needle, tensions and threads, almost any vintage machine will accomplish what we're discussing. The machines were not manufactured to do this, but like Steve says, they were something special back then.

gotta love those vintage sewing machines. my wife is using a very modern sewing machine that we bought for over $800 for it's fancy stitches. yes, it's made in sweden and all but it's all plastic. if i have known then what i know now i will never buy that plastic sewing machine even for $100. i could even buy a morse with fancy stitches for $50 and it sews leather. i tried using my wife's plastic machine on leather with leather needle and upholstery thread - bad idea. it will sew then will stop and you can hear the motor struggling. main reason why this vintage machines can sew on leather is because it's all metal and heavy duty and it's made to last. lucky for us who knows what good machines are.

Check out the you tube video of a 15 sewing through a tin can. Apparently, salesman used to do this as a demo of the machine. Sure couldn't do that with my new Brother machine!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJMgayFXnYw

thats so cool. Nice video. Thanks. You're totally right about the newer sewing machines. They can't even sew thicker clothes without struggling. But this vintage machines are a different breed of sewing machines.