Singer 128 VS Sewing Machine & Singer 127 VS sewing machines

May 01, 2018

Singer 128 VS Sewing Machine & Singer 127 VS sewing machines

Singer 128 VS Singer's Wrinkle finish, called Godzilla, or Crinkle finish, by vintage sewing machine collectors. Blackside decor plates.

Singer 128 VS rear view shows blackside decor plates

Singer's Vibrating Shuttle (VS) sewing machines, are some of the best quality manufactured machines, ever made, and if you want to talk about "heavy duty", & "industrial strength", these machines were literally designed to be able to sew almost anything you could dream up! Cast iron and steel, these were built on a slighy smaller scale size, but the same quality materials used inmanufacturing the industrial sewing machines, of their day.

Singer 128 VS Wrinkle Godzilla finish, blackside decor plates

The 128 VS is a 3/4 size version, or "portable", if you are a weight lifter! The 127 VS is the same design, in a full size version.

Occasionally, you will come across Singer models that look just like the 127 and 128, but their bobbin winders are lower. These are the 27 VS , and 28 VS, which are older, earlier versions, before electric motors were available, so those models are harder to add a motor to, because the lower bobbin winder works well on treadle machines, but is not configured to work with the electric motor, and belt.

My 128 VS has what are called "blackside" finish, which Singer used during World War 2, when chrome, nickel, and other metals were dedicated to the war effort. Some post World War 2 models also have the blackside decorative pieces, since it took time, before metal became readily available, again. Even presser feet in blackside, are from this time.

Singer blackside finish World War 2 presser feet set
Notice some feet have the shiny metal finishes, still, factory workers used up whichever parts were in the the parts tubs, as they worked, there was no attempt to "make each attachment completely blackside". You will find many partial blackside feet, the most common blackside foot, or attachment, is the adjustable hemmer.

Notice the textured finish? Officially, Singer sold it as the "wrinkle" finish, but customers, and collectors refer to it as crinkle, or Godzilla.

There are other decorative versions of these models, as well, more common on machines made at Singer factories outside the U.S.A., that have the typical black japanned finish, with gold decals, the RAF decals are GORGEOUS! They are occasionally found in the U.S.A., but are most often found in the U.K., Canada, Australia, New Zealand. (I haven't had one of those treasures, yet, since they were never sold new, in North Carolina, in the U.S.A.)

Early sewing machines were literally designed to last, with the idea of getting as close to "perpetual motion" as possible, with the rotation of the handwheel, requiring the least amount of effort, to get the maximum number of stitches, in the least amount of time. Even in a treadle table, these early Vibrating Shuttle machines can easily stitch 900 stitches a minute, without electricity! In a treadle table, an expert can go faster, which is fun to see!

The vibrating shuttle machines are slower than a rotary machine, but not much, & their stitch quality is every bit as high as the new machines! Ironically, the straight stitch is still the most used stitch, in creating most sewn items, & clothing, although thanks to spandex, & new microfiber stretch fabrics, and the more casual sport clothes becoming the main leisure wear, sergers, & coverstitch machines are rapidly increasing in popularity, for their stretch stitches.

Singer 128 rear view, just getting started cleaning & oiling it. Wiring needed completely replaced, too.

These early sewing machine machines were manufactured with high quality materials, which also translates into them also being some of the heaviest home sewing machines, even when they were kept in the gorgeous bentwood cases, that were the early "portable" sewing machines, if you could easily carry 60 lbs. or more!

Singer 128 VS with the coverplate off, & the vibrating shuttle cover open. Notice the sturdy mechanical parts. The case has a wadded paper towel at the bottom edge of the photo, it isn't damage to the wood case.

If you recall your school history, massive amounts of coal, minerals & trees, went into manufacturing these, with a resulting toll on the environment. It seems like a crime for we later generations to throw them away, or waste those resources, as well as the lives, & talents of those who made them & worked to pay for them. I'll try to stay off my soapbox now, but it is difficult, once I realized these treasures are so much better than the plastic & electronics machines people are spending thousands of dollars for, these days, which are obsolete, before we finish paying them off!

Sadly, because human populations are easily swayed by advertising, the younger generations think that anything older than themselves, must be old junk, but when it comes to sewing machines, that could not be further from the truth!

Stitch sample showing variable sizes of stitches, achieved by turning the stitch length thumb screw. 127, 128, 27, 28 do not have reverse, so just sew 3 stitches, raise the presser foot, and scoot back 3 stitches, put the foot down, and sew over first or last 3 stitches, to secure your seam.

Vibrating Shuttle machines use the longer bobbins, but you must have the correct long bobbin & shuttle case. Vibrating Shuttle machines create a stitch by the shuttle moving forward, & back, to create the lock stitch, instead of using a rotating, or cv hook bobbin system.

Singer Puzzle box full of accessories for Singer 27, 28, 127, 128 Vibrating Shuttle machines, also VS2

*Singer Puzzlebox accessory cases were originally for the Singer 127 & 128 Vibrating Shuttle sewing machines, which were treadle & or hand crank machines

Singer Puzzlebox for Singer 127 & 128 Vibrating Shuttle sewing machines, usually have low shank presser feet attachments. The packet of needles, is usually tucked under the long bobbins, in the lower right hand corner, the ruffler has a shirring plate tucked under it. The underbraider is in the upper left hand corner, while the 2 sizes of screwdrivers, a stiletto, a bias strip cutting guide, & a seam guide, are tucked under a fan shaped holder in the upper right. A braiding foot, and the special purpose foot, which the rolled hemmer & binder parts attach to the back of, with a thumb screw, are above the ruffler. A quilting guide, is tucked under the holder for these feet, which also holds the foot of the tucker/tuck marker. All in an ingenious oak puzzlebox, which is often sold as fitting Singer Featherweight 221, 222k, as well as other straight stitch only Singer low shank sewing machines.

Singer's Vibrating Shuttle sewing machines, the Singer 127 VS, & the 3/4 sized Singer 128 VS sewing machines, were originally hand crank, & treadle only machines, but many later were updated, by the Singer technician's going to your home, to attach a modern electric motor, to either the back of the machine, or in some cases, to the table itself, then a belt powered the machine, & a pedal was either on a separate cord, or in the case of the treadle tables, sometimes the treadle pedal was adapted to stay in place, but the pitman rod on the treadle pedal, could be pressed, to work as the pedal, similar to many industrial machines. Most of the time, though, you will find the Vibrating Shuttle machines still in their original treadle or hand crank form.