Kenmore Super High Shank to Low Shank Adapter & feet
Kenmore's vintage luxury machines came with a Super High Shank (SHS) Quick Change System (QCS) presser foot system, and over time, many Kenmores have been separated from their specialty presser feet, and prices have skyrocketed, as sellers realized there is a limited supply of these feet, so many of us have turned to suppliers of Super High Shank To Low Shank Adapters, which can be used with low shank feet.
Kenmore machines with SuperHigh Shank (SHS) Quick Change System (QCS) came in 2 different needle homing positions, left homing, and center homing, which matter most, when needing to use a straight stitch only presser foot, or many 1/4" quilting feet,which are for straight stitch only. You MUST use the correct needle homing position presser feet, when buying, and using these special feet.
Kenmore 1703 with SHS adapter with a snap on low shank adapter and overlock foot with edgestitch guide. Notice the SHS release lever is in locked position.
I have purchased a couple of adapters, and both work great! Central Michigan Sewing Supply is where I bought mine. I ordered mine online.
What if your adapter get stuck? I made a video to help remove it.
While the super high shank to low shank attachment can allow the use of low shank feet, if the foot fits the feed dogs, and the needle opening matches the needle opening of the needleplate, what really is nice, is using a low shank snap on presser feet adapter, and buying a set of snap on presser feet.
3 low shank adapters for snap on presser feet that I used with the SHS adapter.
SNAP ON FEET SETS
Be aware, when buying snap on feet, not all feet fit all machines. Many large snap on feet sets include feet copied from different models, so different needle opening sizes are included in my largest sets of snap on feet.
The widest open toe embroidery foot, fits the extra wide feed dogs of Kenmore model 92, but it is too wide for the feed dogs of many other models.
TIP- Always test each snap on presser foot, by turning the handwheel slowly by hand, through the entire stitch cycle, to be sure the needle will not hit the presser foot, before attempting to sew with a new presser foot.
42 snap on presser foot set
42 piece snap on presser foot set package identification chart
The first SHS adapter I bought, I discovered I CAN use this adapter, but ONLY if I removed the screw for a quilting guide, it blocked the adapter from fitting, if left in.
The first SHS adapter I bought, I discovered I CAN use this adapter, but ONLY if I removed the screw for a quilting guide, it blocked the adapter from fitting, if left in.
My categorization of yes or no, was specific to the 1703 (or left homing needle models, with the same size and position needle opening)
Side view Kenmore 1703 with SHS to low shank adapter and a low shank snap on adapter
