A sewing machine head is rated to last 20 years. This is a 63 year old machine. Good for a collector.....not so much for sewing through modern day fabrics. Old machines are often touted as sewing through leather. They can also be hand fed by turning the wheel if you have no electricity. Go look at it if you want. Try to sew on it.

I guess I'll pass. I just called White to see how old my great-grandma's machine is, it's from 1924 so if I want to sew in the dark (or flashlight) when electricity goes out I might as well use that one LOL. Has manual (except for page 1-2, wonder what that said, hope it was just frontpiece) and tons of pressure feet/attachments, just no drawers in the cabinet (no room with treadle!) and about 70 years of dust and crud.

Nicole - My mother's 1940s Singer is still going strong. She used it heavily for 30+ years and now it's at a women's shelter being used by the residents.

If they are regularly serviced and kepot clean they are hard to kill off.

In 1982....long, long ago....I wanted to sew sheepskin seat covers for my BMW's recaro seats. In order to sew through unshaved skins I figured I'd buy an antique machine for $50, then sell it when the project was done. Boy....what a nightmare! No top or bottom thread adjustments, no electricity, you turned it by hand(was modified from a treadle). I ended up waiting 7 years until I was up to the task, sold the antique machine...used my Kenmore and completed the project!!!! YEAH!!!!!

That was my personnel experience. The machine wasn't worn out....just not up to the task.

I was joking about using the treadle machine. Can't imagine that I'd ever get it clean enough to want to use it - yuck!

So after 7 years, you still had the car and sheepskins???

Yes. :0) I have a BIG cedar chest in my sewing room. Everything goes in there, out of sight, out of mind. :0) I drive cars until "they" die. That BMW had 259,000 miles on it when I sold it. :0)

I know you'd never use a treadle machine. BUT I DID! :0) Never say never until your looking @ 5 sheepskin hides. :0)

Please explain: "A sewing machine head is rated to last 20 years..."?

Scratching my head over that coz I use 3 different Singer machines - all well over 50 years old & running just fine.

I'm very confused by this post.
i still use my mother's 1940's Kenmore (White) for alot of sewing jobs, I use my 1970's Touch n sew for some projects, and I use my 1990's Bernina 1260 for some jobs. I love them all. All are cleaned before each use.
Most garment factories use older commercial machines.
Nicole if the treadle machine you purchased was a machine for home use, of course it wasn't up to the job of sewing sheepskin, even if it had been electrified. Had it been a commercial treadle machine you wouldn't have had a problem.