Found a great way to stitch the heaviest of nylon webbing for cheap

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Texasguy

Contributor
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Location
Fort Lauderdale, FL
# of dives
I just don't log dives
So, I am into a phase of making my own lightweight sidemount harnesses. And there is a certain way I like them and it requires stitching webbing together in some parts. Same goes about making my own scooter harness and etc.

I tried doing it by hand with a hand sewing awl. It is a manual heavy duty needle. Let me just say, the needle is too thick and it is hard to keep proper thread tension throughout. Basically, it comes out looking like **** and I have doubts about its holding together strength. Gluing webbing together is a horrible option, pass.

I thought, perhaps, I'll ask my dry-cleaning place that does adjustments to garments, if they could do it. But it seems outrageously expensive and the person who does it does not seem to have a good grasp of English to communicate what I want in detail, specifically at these asked prices.

So, I was left kinda hanging with my sewing needs. I looked at electric sewing machines with a heavy heart. The leather sewing machines (approximation of torque needed to go through heavy duty nylon webbing) are expensive. Starting with $1.5K and up. In addition, say, paying 2K, you get no guarantee that it will penetrate double webbing with enough force to keep sewing. Plastic webbing might be harder to sew than thin leather. From description it is almost impossible to understand how heavy duty the machine is, they seem to have no standard and one seems already needs to have an advance knowledge of how a machine will perform..

Here a guy explains the dilemma:
And, still, spending even close to $1K is simply out of the question. It is a hobby but not like I can make money on it, right? I'd rather buy more scuba gear.

So, searching for a solution I found some junky looking manual sewing machines. I seen them before but they look like crap, seriously. I have discarded them before from consideration due to their outrageously unconvincing look.

And one day I just decided to see if there would be a youtube video review to kind of gloat at its deficiencies. To my surprise there were like 50+ videos, some are long and in detail.

Here is a very simple example:
We are talking not just some surface reviews but in depth, from unboxing, assembly, general use, hints & tips, to full disassembly/assembly, point of improvements, and more. These chinese manual sewing machines seem to have quite a following. But the best thing is that this machine can penetrate anything you can fit under the stitching mechanism. And it costs like $100-$130. Another plus is that you can go as fast or as slow as you want, sewing in less than 2" strides can be challenging on a electric machine but this one can go with the pace you set. Additionally, you can set the stitch length and it has a walking foot, it moves the material for you as you sew. You can use even fishing line as a thread! There is a plenty of nylon thread in different sizes, just saying, it is very universal and will do the webbing just fine. Some people even added motors to the hand cranking part to make it electric.

One downside is that it will sew only forward, sewing in reverse is not supported, someone said it can break a needle. But the sewing foot rotates and you can reposition the material 180 degrees.

https://smile.amazon.com/s?k=cobbler+sewing+machine&i=arts-crafts&crid=C1MXFOP8858M&sprefix=cobbler,arts-crafts,168

So, on amazon or ebay you can search for "cobbler machine" adding "leather" and "shoe" to get more results. On Amazon they have some with prime delivery. It seems each seller is giving them a made up brand but they are all generic. I have not seen the evidence that those priced more are any different than those priced $30 less. They might be coming from different factories but there is no way to know which one is made with more love, so to say.

See youtube reviews, if you have time, without owing one, you can learn everything about the machine, I mean, everything.

Here are two playlists from a guy who has done a very in depth series: Mainely Acres - YouTube

There are also much, much more expensive ones out there like:
Or say: https://smile.amazon.com/YEQIN-Leather-Patcher-Industrial-Machine/dp/B07BBKR6GQ

They all seem to be made on the base of 29K Singer machine, which is like from 1860's.
The original machine:
 
my dry cleaner has a tailor who sews up my webbing for super cheap.
 
That looks cool. Have you tried it?
 
I received it yesterday, did a sample run, all good! Now need to build a base, as one it comes with is crap. For this price I am very content with the purchase. Other than its wild look, it works. I'll need to experiment with needle sizes and threads. But doing a square with an "X" in it, no problemo.

It also comes super oiled like AK-47 from a factory. Needs some serious cleaning.
 
So when can we buy your wallets on Etsy?
 
This is a revelation!
Great discovery Mr Texasguy.

I put together custom backplate harnesses for my friends and myself.
I'm pathetic at sewing, and stab myself constantly with my sailmaker's awl.
A local shoe repairman will box-stitch webbing for me, but at $25 a shot.
I hear him mutter "sucker" every time I walk in.

I will jump on Amazon and get one of these Cobbler Machines.
Mr Texasguy, I'd like to know what brand/model you purchased.

Thank You!

.
 
I ordered exactly this one due to higher number of reviews, hoping that the seller is more likely to help in case the item doesn't arrive as expected: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07427C19T/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

But, as I stated above, they are all generic and the "brands" assigned are made up by each seller. I also don't think that prices are indicative of quality. It is the same generic item from every seller. They might put their own custom stickers, but that is it.

I bought it for $119+prime shipping. Before I received it, the amazon item dropped down to $103 without prime shipping, amazon still gave me credit. So, I feel like I got it for a good price. You can check eBay too. I prefer Amazon because of ease of returning a product. Not that I return often, just enjoy to have the option.

There are some older unboxing videos that hint that prior packing was inadequate, I think nowadays it is solved with a better one, mine came ok.
 
Just take it to a cobbler...good, fast and cheap (and a nice diversion for the cobbler. Imagine sewing piles of shoes all day.)
 

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