Slant needle machines question
 

Question: Was Singer the only company to create slant needle machines? I googled it and only Singers popped up and lots of them with the slant needle. Does anyone know a website I can go to for a more in depth history on the slant needle machines? Thanks

I found this
http://www.singer301.com/about/default.html

SunflowerZZ,

Yes, Singer was the only company to use the slant needle design. Other than ISMACS I don't know of any other place to find historical information.

Joe

Thanks Joe, I did find a great place on the history of Singer slants and posted the link above. Very interesting. I was going to sell the three I have but I think I will only sell one and keep the other two for my small collection since they are so unique.:)

Right now we have a 401, two 500s, a 4622a, a T&S 778 and maybe one more slant shank machines.

I have attachments for all of them, and most of the cams I need. I have no intention of selling any of them at this time. The older ones are far far far superior to anything made today. And will never be made again.

Joe

Got it...:)

I have 2 slants that I will keep and 2 that I'm trying to sell but aren't going anywhere (our market sucks!)
Both of the slants I'm keeping are favorites - the 301A and the 411G.
I'm one cam short of the full set of 24 and it makes me a little (more) bonkers because I check all accessories kits and drawers whenever we find a machine. DH knows if I find the cam, I'll buy the machine regardless of condition, within reason of course price wise. :D

Thanks, enjoyed learning more about my 301!

HeHe! You have it bad...LOL

You are so very welcome, It is a very long article but fun reading and I had a whole new appreciation for the slant machines.
I will keep two, one for me to sew with and keep in my little collection and one that is for spare parts and the third one I have fixed up I will rehome and give hopefully a first time collector the same pleasure I have owning and using one. Got to spread the joy you know.:)

My Viking Husqvarna #1+ has a slant needle. I can sub out some of the feet with my 403a.

We had the 301, 401, and Rocketeer - all wonderful machines. My daughters permanently borrowed the Rocketeer and the 401. There is no way I will part with my 301 - I am in love with it!

I have just joined the ranks of vintage sewing machines. Bought a 301 at an estate sale for $75.00. It was in my home 5 minutes then off to be cleaned and made "new" again. It looks like it is pristine condition So glad to read about the positive remarks.

I love the slant-o-matics. I have 301, 401, 403, 411G, 500, 503 and a couple Touch & Sew. My favorite is the 403. It is simple and does the same stitches as the 401 and 500 or 600 as long as you have the disks.

I never thought I'd collect slant machines but I've been picking them up. I have 4 301's, a 401, a 403, a 503 and a Touch-Tronic 2010. I thought I'd hate that Touch-Tronic (I bought it for the walking foot) but it is a good noisy sewer.

That's quite the collection, Miriam! Why am I not surprised?

I have only (two) 301s, a 401, and a 500. I love them all and they are usually my first choice of machines. Reading your post makes me consider adding more. I envision having a much larger sewing room with a "Singer Slant Corner". All the slant attachments would be together in one place. I do love the Singer slant machines. Mine are all in top condition.

LOL they are waiting for Christmas... But I'll hang on to the 403.

What cam are you missing? The only one I'm missing is the is #15, and I have extras of a few others.

I have a spare #15 here. If you have #17, maybe we can swap? :thumbup:

I wish I did, unfortunately, no extras of 17. I did check eBay on there are a few listed right now. Some are priced real high, but two aren't bad - a buy it now $10.95, free shipping and one for $6.99 plus $2.69 shipping, but it's auction style and you to wait 6 days to see if you and the price could go higher. One is going for $22.50 plus $1.95 shipping. Didn't realize it was that popular!

Trying to get all of the cams is a fun obsession! I finally got an accessory set that filled in the 8, 9, 10 hole I had in the middle, and bought a nasty T&S 758 to get a 0. Now all I have left to find is number 18, and 22 and 23 if I come across them.

All for one lonely 403A.

I found the #22 cam but do not have the special pressure foot to use with it. Then I read that it will not work in a 401 anyway? It is a knit stitch I think. The 401 is my Mom's and when knits became popular (around 1970) she got a basic Kenmore with knit stitches and has used it ever since on top of the Singer Cabinet with the 401 in it. I was hoping this #22 cam and foot would sew knits for her but I guess not. I have an extra 0 came from somewhere too, but the 401 doesn't need it.

I think tomorrow I will check my boxes and see what cams I have/need. Like I NEED more stuff to do....LOL

I don't think it's that it's that popular, it's that it was an add on cam. I saw a chart that said that the 600/600E might have been the only machine it shipped with by default. That means there's simply fewer of them around.

I thought it was cam 23 that didn't work with the 401? And that one I have to try in the 411 only because I read somewhere that the reason it doesn't work is because of the lack of chainstitching capability. The 411g chains so I thought maybe it was worth trying. :)

Oh pfft! Think of all the trouble we're keeping you out of by giving you a new quest. ;)

Two slant machines here, a 620 Golden Touch & Sew and a 648 Touch& Sew. IIRC I gave the 620 to Olivia. I think the "Golden" meant a couple extra features over the regular machines but I'm not certain. I've got two partial sets of cams and attachments for them. My 648 is my money pit machine. Macybaby was kind enough to sell me the parts I needed for it when I first brought it home, it sewed for the next few weeks then one evening the top vertical gear in it just disintegrated. I'll buy some new gears for it after I've caught up on a few other projects. I like the machine, it sewed well when it was working and I think it's worth fixing again. I could replace it for less money and trouble (I've already passed on a couple other Touch & Sews) but there's no guarantee the gears would be any better in those.
So far those are our only slant needle machines.
I haven't sewn on any other machines besides my old black straight stitchers to really notice a significant difference in visibility between slant needle machines and vertical yet. Only one thing to do-get more later model vertical needle machines so I can do a fair comparison between them. :)
Rodney

My family has a history of Singer Slant machines. I have my maternal Grandmother’s 404, and my Mother is still using her 301A. My wife’s main machines at home now are a 301A and a 401A, and her main shop machine is a pair of 401A machines that are alternated in and out of use as they need serviced. Our daughter and daughter-in-law both have a 401A. I have a 403A portable, a 301-1 Black shortbed, and a 301-2 Black longbed in my collection.

CD in Oklahoma

Rodney, I've got a 758 sitting in my garage that I'd be happy to strip, or give to you for stripping, if it would help.