Finely made machinery. Blackhawk and Singer.

Whoa, can you post some bigger pics of that sewing machine? That thing looks super cool.

Is it really from '34? I looked up that model just now, and what little I could find seemed to say they arrived in '39. Funny thing is, the whole reason I looked was because the contours of that machine look like they could be from decades before--I guess that makes sense, since the exteriors of the machines give the impression of gradual evolution from one decade to the next.

Looks like the company was bought and split up by some corporate raider in the '80s, and the sewing machine division is now owned by a private equity firm. Supposedly that's one reason German firms are so secure: they can't be bought out, since they're owned by family foundations, such as the one that owns 92% of Bosch.

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Never in a million years did I expect a thread like this on a gun forum.
We inherited a couple sewing machines, along with quite a few other antiques as well, when my mother-in-law passed away last year.

My wife wants to keep them for sentimental reasons.
I have no objections to that at all.
But...are these things actually "worth" anything?
I doubt we'll sell them, but I'm still curious just the same.

Oh yeah....
Here's my Blackhawk too....

My wife has an old treadle machine like that Singer, but it's some other brand. All it needs is a belt. She's a quilter, has a Huskvarna machine with all the digital stuff for embroidery and such, costs enough to buy a half dozen blackhawks. My Contender with .30-30 barrel is my scoped deer pistol. I have two blackhawks, no super blackhawks. Just never been in to .44 mag, prefer my .45 colt, but they're all WELL MADE MACHINES.

Nice pic. My wife got a kick out of it. She shot my .22 pistols for the first time the other day. She's getting decent with the 10/22. I really don't much care to get into quilting, though, do a little leather work from time to time, my concession to artistic endeavors. LOL She was at a quilt show last year in Houston and gave 5K (she says a bargain, I guess so) for a big table top quilting machine. She says it's a "Martelli"? Something like that, spelling not known. That's HER thing. I usually go crank up my Dillon Square Deal or other press, sometimes the lead pot, when she's sewing. A man's got ta have his priorities, ya know.

Holly says the name on her treadle machine "Minnesota" and it "still has the gilt decal on it", whatever that means. She'd like to know if any of you guys have any tips on cleaning the thing. She bought it a few years back and has never tried to use it. It's sitting in the living room as a conversation piece at the moment.

Yep.
I don't know how to sew and know even less about sewing machines other than the old ones look kinda cool.
I've never even heard of the other one we have.
I'm not even sure if it says "Delox" or "Belox?"

I'm assuming these things have numbers and stuff stamped on them someplace for info?
To be honest, I've not even gone that far as to look yet.

Don....sure.
I'll send ya a PM.
I'm doing this really as more of just a curiosity thing.
But the coincidence caught me by surprise....lol

How about a picture of someone's "Singer" manufactured 1911A1 from WWII? They didn't make many, and are valuable as hell, but somebody's got one.............

I'm not even sure if it says "Delox" or "Belox?"

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LOL. I asked Holly that very same thing and she said she didn't know. She's not a machine historian, just a danged good seamstress. She's handy to have around, patched up a riding jacket that had tears in it soon after we started going together. It's nice having a wife with skills like that. Won't have to toss good gear away, or clothing that I like. LOL I even got her to extend the pockets on a pair of jeans for concealed carry. How great is THAT?

MCgunner said:

LOL. I asked Holly that very same thing and she said she didn't know. She's not a machine historian, just a danged good seamstress. She's handy to have around, patched up a riding jacket that had tears in it soon after we started going together. It's nice having a wife with skills like that. Won't have to toss good gear away, or clothing that I like. LOL I even got her to extend the pockets on a pair of jeans for concealed carry. How great is THAT?

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That's pretty great actually!

My wife is an ill-tempered Italian girl.

Tallbald said:

Hey folks. Cleaning and restoring vintage sewing machines is a ball. Minnesota is a fine old make, as are Singer and White. There's tons of websites dedicated to restorations, NOS parts and reproductions.
My SBH has run flawlessly, and with factory rounds, has given me 3 inch groups at 100 yards on some good days.Like I say. You just can't beat a well made machine. Don

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PM sent....and thanks.

I hadn't given much thought either way to the restoration thing.
But, in all actuality, that may be a fun project.
It would certainly be "different" from anything else I've ever done before...like "ever!".....lol

My Blackhawk is brand new. Only had it a week or so.
To be honest, I'm kinda having trouble with consistency.

Part of it I blame on the fact that it's a brand new gun, and I'm just not used to it yet. That is to be expected I think.

But I've noticed that at 25 yards, I'll land 2 or 3 shots touching each other in the bulls eye ring on my targets...but then...I'll have a couple more landing 3 or 4 inches away with the very same ammo!

I'm thinking I am not getting the very same sight picture every time.
For some reason, the front sight is hard to see for me depending on lighting and the color background of the target.
I tried painting the front sight white, and it helped.
Then I put the revolver in and out of my holster a few time and poof....the white paint was rubbing off from the leather.

Oh well....I'll figure it out.

^^ Measure your cylinder throats. There might be a couple that are too small and are throwing the bullets out to the barrel slightly too small. If you most always have this problem I would think that it is the issue. Good thing is that you can get a different cylinder and solve the problem. Ruger might even warantee replace it free of any cost on a new revolver. Or handload with softer bullets, this has helped some in the past.

Use a rest to shoot some more cylinders full. Also put a piece of tape on the cylinder and always start at that point checking your target after each shot. This will tell you a lot I betcha.

yup, I shoulda' kept mom's old treadle Singer, most all our clothes were homemade growing up

"machine with all the digital stuff for embroidery and such, costs enough to buy a half dozen blackhawks."
Tell, me about it McGunner; little do these guys fully understand the connection between firearms and sewing. It ain't the gun that's hard on the bank balance it's the ammo cost, dagnabbit. Worse yet, she sews and shoots !

Five machines in what used to be my pool room, and a used-to-be pool table converted to a quilt table, surrounded by 5 fancy machines - a couple of those electronic embroidery machines, a electronic sewing machine, a plain-jane they still do something with, and a 'serger' thingy with 5 threads and two or three needles that it takes half a day just to thread up.
but.. that pricey software, that's the real killer, tough on the ammo budget it is !

worth it though...
When she catches me lookin' at yet-another-gun, I just say "the right tool for the right job, sweetie", and she understands right away. It all works out. Except I can't get her to do shootin' shirts and caps for me. Too busy doing up baby stuff for the great-grandkids.

PS
SabbathWolf, just use smaller targets on light color backdrop
2" black shoot-n-cees at 25 yards oughta' do, 1" at less than 25
a group is a group, with or without rings printed around 'em, and one ragged hole is one ragged hole
all you need is an aiming point, a visible 'shirt button' you know
(BIG bulleyes are for beginners, donchaknow !)
black on black don't get it done, but any target small e'nuff to not be obscured by front sight will do
I gave up on painting sights long ago, black is best for me

FROGO207 said:

^^ Measure your cylinder throats. There might be a couple that are too small and are throwing the bullets out to the barrel slightly too small. If you most always have this problem I would think that it is the issue. Good thing is that you can get a different cylinder and solve the problem. Ruger might even warantee replace it free of any cost on a new revolver. Or handload with softer bullets, this has helped some in the past.

Use a rest to shoot some more cylinders full. Also put a piece of tape on the cylinder and always start at that point checking your target after each shot. This will tell you a lot I betcha.

Click to expand...

I love the idea of marking a cylinder and always starting on the same one.
That's pretty smart!
I'll try it.

A better rest will help too I'm sure.
I'm hoping it's "me" and not the gun.

oldfool said:

...PS
SabbathWolf, just use smaller targets on light color backdrop
2" black shoot-n-cees at 25 yards oughta' do, 1" at less than 25
a group is a group, with or without rings printed around 'em, and one ragged hole is one ragged hole
all you need is an aiming point, a visible 'shirt button' you know
(BIG bulleyes are for beginners, donchaknow !)
black on black don't get it done, but any target small e'nuff to not be obscured by front sight will do
I gave up on painting sights long ago, black is best for me

Click to expand...

That's a good idea too.
I'll try different sizes and colors of targets too.
I appreciate the suggestions.
I just put brand new grips on this gun too, so that may help as well.
The new wood grips fit my hand a lot better.
The strange groups were shot with the thin, uncomfortable black plastic grips like in this pic:




I'll give this whole thing another try with the new grips and some good ideas from you guys.
Thanks everybody.