Author: Thoughtful Knitter

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Brother KH836 tested in July 2023

Brother KH836 knitting machine is one of the many models of knitting machines with punch-card capabilities manufactured by Brother. The machine is standard gauge (which means the distance between the needles is 4.5 mm). There are 200 needles. It accepts punch cards with 24-holes (which makes it capable of knitting patterns with 24-stitch repetitions).

Unlike its younger counterparts (Like Brother KH892 and KH894), it does not have built-in intarsia. But KH836 works with KA8210 intarsia carriage.

After working on both punch-card Singer/Studio Brother machines, I can see clear differences and personal pros and cons. But both machines are still great and offer a variety of possibilities. The thing I like about Brother punch card machines compared to Singer/Studio ones is that the lace carriage comes as a standard accessory. I like that rails are included as well to put the second or lace carriage to the side while using the main carriage on a full bed. I very much like the presence of the cast-on combs since using them is my favorite (and quickest in my opinion) method to start knitting.

However, unlike Brother lace carriages, Singer/Studio lace carriage (even though it is sold separately and is quite pricey) needs only one pass when knitting lace since it transfers the stitches and knits them at the same time. To me, Singer/Studio’s patterning with drums seems a bit more straightforward and easy to follow, unlike a needle selection mechanism on Brother hidden inside the bed. But again, those are minor differences. I also don’t understand why a rod is needed on Brother to hold the punch card together: it always disappears/loses itself and honestly, I always forget to insert it and the machine knits ok with it anyways. There might be other differences but these are the ones that seem the most substantial to me. Yet, they still do not affect the usage of those machines at all and both companies made very solid hard working machines.

Now about this particular knitting machine, Brother KH836, that I serviced in July 2023.

It comes with all major and almost all minor assesories.

All accessories can be stored in a convenient built-in compartment.

The minor assesories missing are:

  • Cast-on thread: any smooth strong yarn will do (not too thick though)
  • Wax – the one that came with the machine was too old and just crumbled
  • Oil – the one that came with the machine was too old and yellow so I discarded it. A good oil for knitting machines is gun oil available on Amazon.
  • A hard copy of the manual will not be provided but an electronic copy can be found here.

The absence of these assesories absolutely does not affect the functioning and use of the machine.

The work done on this machine:

  • Inspected and cleaned all needles;
  • Cleaned the main bed and under the lid;
  • Serviced the patterning mechanism;
  • Replaced sponge in the retaining bar
  • Serviced carriage – oiled and got all buttons unstuck

The machine was tested on a full bed (to make sure all needles and needle latches are in excellent shape) using stockinet, tuck-, -sli- and fair isle stitch-patterning. All looked perfect. See the cowls/hoods below I made from the fabric knitted during tests.

The beige/greenish yarn was somewhat borderline thick for this machine to knit on all needles (not every-other needle). The slip- and tuck-stitch patterning were still perfect on a full bed (see my video of all tests). So, the fair isle with beige/green yarns was giving me some minor mispatterning. When I switch to thinner yarn (brown/camel natural colors), I did not have any troubles with fair isle.

Case is in pretty decent shape with only some minor dents and scratches. Overall the machine is in great shape and no visible rust on the main bed.

I cleaned the lace carriage and checked all the knobs and levers but I did not test any lace-patterned knitting.

This machine and other Brother punch-card machines are easy to maintain. Spare needles are still available for purchase new and on a used market. Sponge-bar needs to be replaced 1-2 times a year depending on usage. With regular cleaning (suck out by vacuum all lint and dust from the machine) and oiling will prolong the life span of this machine to almost forever. This machine is perfect for people who want to knit something quickly with predetermined patterns, who like creating their own patterns by punching holes in the cards and for those who are looking a bit more functionality than simple manual machines. There is a myriad of additional assesories available for Brother machines, which makes this machine a very desirable tool for volume knitters and for those who just like to experiment and create garments for family and friends. Now about imperfections. Some minor rust on the carriage – it is typical whiteish rust. A potential problem might be additional static, which can be handled with wax. I did not experience any static with this carriage/machine and did not need to wax my yarn (I used acrylic yarn). These rust spots are actually very minor (compared to some carriages I’ve seen and those still worked). So, besides mentioned above, I do not anticipate any problems and I did not experience any during my tests.

Hope these imperfections will not stop you from adopting this hard-working machine capable of creating a lot of beautiful garments and things.

Second brother Profile KH500

 

Brother Profile KH500 Knitting machine is a lightweight machine with manual-only needle manipulation capability. It looks very similar to 4-push button machine, like Profile KH 551. But since it has a more advanced row counter, I assumed that it was manufactured after it – maybe in the very early 1970-ies. A could not find any specific information anywhere on the web or in printed brochures. Other indications that this machine was a later but simplified version of push-button machines is KH500 still has slots for the extension rail (but does not come with the lace carriage) and slots to attach a ribber. The original cardboard box still shows the older version of the row counter….

The standard setup comes with cast-on combs but without a case lid and without a lace carriage. To the best of my knowledge, this model does not have a compatible ribber but, based on my experience with similar machines and compatible ribbers, ribber KR551 and KR560-580 might be compatible with this machine.

The absence of the lid and needle selection mechanism makes this machine very light-weight, which is excellent for people with smaller complexion or with weaker upper bodies. It also makes this machine easy to transport. I kind of even like that this machine does not have a lid – it often takes a while to close the lid (after all major parts are tucked inside it), especially, if case or a lid were bent during the long life of this machine.

Despite only manual needle manipulation capabilities, this machine can still produce patterns: you just need to push needles to the desired positions by hand. With the several needle pushers with various gauges, it is easy – just need to keep track of which needles to select next! Some might say that it is a limitation, but some will argue that needle manipulation by hand is more satisfying and is closer to hand-knitting…

About this specific machine:

I inserted a brand-new retaining bar and sponge (not remade, but purchased from a supplier). I cleaned and inspected all needles: one by one. Cleaned under the main bed. I did not see any rusty on the machine or on the carriage. Overall the machine is in great shape and works great! A video of it being fully tested is here. In that video, I showed a couple of examples of how to create patterns on this machine (by manually selecting needles) and also stockinet on a full bed. The fabric knitted on a full bed was then converted to a bag/pouch to hold a pickleball paddle. My friend needed a new pouch with pockets and I needed to test a machine and practice how to create pockets!!! My favorite thing – combining education with producing something useful and something that makes people happy!!

The machine came with minimum assesories so I had to put together a set. To you, this machine will come with all major assesories with a couple of exceptions. So, this leads us to discuss minor flaws of the machine and the whole setup.

The minor assesories not included are:

  • Cast on thread: any thin, strong thread/yarn will work instead
  • Oil bottle – none came with the machine. A good oil for knitting machines is gun oil available on Amazon for purchase.
  • The toolbox and its lid are not included.
  • The carriage lock was missing but I fastened the carriage with a 3D-printed carriage lock.
  • Paraffin will not come with this machine.

The left-hand side screw on the carriage that holds the knob to hold the sinker plate was bent really badly so I replaced it with a different, shorter, one. It is a bit wobbly while ONLY the clamp screw/knob is on top but is secure and not wobbly when is tightened on the carriage with the sinker plate attached. See a video – it shows what I mean.

The left-hand side claim on the tension mast is a bit cracked. To fold the tension mast and the yarn tension wires, loosen a screw (by just a notch) and fold it. When unfolding, secure the position by tightening the screw on the left-hand side end cap.

The fasting plate on one of the clamps comes off. In the past, I attempted to fix such a loose plate and honestly, it destroyed completely the thread making the whole clamp unusable. So, since these clamps just needed a bit of an adjustment (holding the plate while screwing the clamps to the table), I decided not to try to tighten or glue them to the threaded rod. These clamps are hard to find these days and since it worked with some adjustments, I decided not to mess with it.

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I hope you will find these minor flaws not being flaws but just small things that add character to this machine. I believe that this machine in the hands of a designer or a hand-knitter trying to accelerate their masterwork or to knit more even pieces will create wonderful knitted gifts and garments!

Brother Profile KH500

Brother Profile KH500 knitting machine is a simple metal flat-bed machine without any automatic needle selection capabilities.

I cannot find information in which year this machine was introduced to the market. It looks very similar to earlier 4-push button machines but the row-counter is a bit more modern than the more vintage row counter which typically comes with the KH551 knitting machines I refurbished. So, it might be earlier 1970-ies when this machine was manufactured (but before the punch-card machines were introduced to the market). Other indicators that this machine was introduced to the market after the standard push button machines is that 1) the toolbox has a ratchet tool place (the ratchet tool is used in push button machines), and 2) there are slots for the extension rails (present in 8-push button machines equipped with a lace carriage). I suspect that it was a lightweight alternative to the push-button machines.

Like most standard knitting machines (with the gauge, or distance between needles, of 4.5 mm), it has 200 needles. With manual needle selection, this machine can knit sli-, tuck- and fair-isle type patterns. In my video, I showed some of these patterns on couple of swatches. After the corresponding needles are selected, pushing the buttons on the carriage (two left ones for tuck and two right ones for slip) allows knitting with texture/pattern.

This machine is simple but offers tremendous potential for those who want to continue to feel the satisfaction of knitting manually. This machine is excellent for those transitioning from hand-knitting to machine knitting, for those who are not quite ready to give up control over stitch manipulations to the machine, for those who like simple knits but can’t quite get the stitches even, and for fiber artists.

The standard setup comes with cast-on combs, a tool box to store all minor assesories, a tension mast, a row counter, a carriage, and a sinker plate.

The main bed has slots for the extension rails but the rails are not included with the standard setup. Lace carriage is NOT included.

The machine is lightweight, potentially because the bed is narrower than later knitting machines and also because the KH500 setup does not include the lid. In a way, no lid is another advantage – those lids are sometimes so hard to close, especially if they are a bit bend (these machines are old and who knows what happened to them during all those years of storage and transport from place to place) or if the parts inside the lid (often it is recommended in later models with lids to fit the sinker plate, cast-on combs and tension mast inside the lid) are shifted or mounted incorrectly. The bottom line: I struggle so often with the lid closing in other machines that I was kind of relieved that this model does not have a lid.

About this particular machine:

A hard copy of the manual will not be provided. But an electronic copy can be accessed online for free.

The machine comes with all assesories. It will come with the original cardboard box (although it is somewhat beat up). The cast-on combs, brand-new looking from old stock, like never being used, will be included as well. The small claw weights are, for some reason, are not mentioned in the manual. They are pretty important – so I included them.

There are some minor rust spots on the sinker plate.

The name tag on the carriage fell off. (If I find it – I will ship it to whoever buys this machine. But I suspect the name tag was not included and simply got lost). The two left-hand side buttons are tuck, the middle button is reset/stockinet and the two right-hand side buttons are part/slip.

The yarn tension dial is a bit chipped off. The carriage worked well regardless. The chipped area does not have any cracks and the dial moves freely.

The two round pillars to screw the handle onto the carriage are a bit discolored. I decided not to polish it not to remove even more of a protective coating. The handle still crews on without problems.

All these flaws are very minor and did not affect the working of the machine. I hope you will consider purchasing it and if not, I hope you enjoyed reading this article about this wonderful machine.

Brother Profile 585 for Georgia

Brother Profile 585 is a 8 push button machine with a pattern center. Read more about this model in my previous post.

Here is a brief overview of the setup prepared for Georgia with its pros and cons.

The machine was cleaned, the pattern center was checked for all functions. All needles were inspected, cleaned and tested (when knitting on a full bed). The carriage functions were tested manually (I moved all knobs and levers) and in work while knitting hold, tuck-, slip- and stockinette stitches. Lace carriage and lace knitting were not tested. However, the lace carriage for KH585 is very simple and I do not anticipate any problems with it.

The machine comes with all major assesories. All of them are in excellent shape (especially the cast on combs). A typical setup for Brother Profile 585 usually has only one cast one comb but this machine came with two – a long and a short one. They are metal and heavy on their own – excellent for cast on without any additional weights.

The handle (that screw onto the main and lace carriages) are from another setup. So, the color mismatches a bit the main blue color of the machine and other assesories. Because I had to borrow a handle from another setup, the lace carriage will not have a separate handle. (read more on that below)

The minor assesories that are NOT included are:

  • Parafin wax
  • Assesories kit (it is simple a plastic cover for transfer tools and spare needles)
  • Oil bottle (it was yellow and old and I discarded it). A gun oil from Amazon is recommended to use
  • Cast-on thread: I typically use any silky thin yarn/thread.
  • Only a handle for the main carriage is included. The handles are interchangible with the main carriage and the lace carriage. I could only find one handle to supply with this machine. If I come across another one, I will ship it for free. However, lace carriages are used quite seldom by beginners… So, I hope by the time you decide to try lace carriage, I will find an additional handle. Regardless, the lace carriage can be moved by hand without a handle: there are less moving parts and it simply slides on the main bed while transferring the stitches. Also, lace carriage is used for 1-2 rows in a pattern and then the main carriage is used.
  • Plastic case for spare needles
  • The hard copy of the manual is also not includd but can be found online. I strongly recommend folloiwng the manual while setting up and testing and learinig how to use this machine. It is written very well. The manual has some simple patterns. For more complex and diverse patterns check out this brochure.

This machine worked great as you can see in my video. I had no major problems with it. Some minor potential problems are:

  • An auxiliary rail on the left-hand side is missing. These are needed to secure extension rails when knitting with lace carriage. So, you will simply need to keep your lace carriage on the right hand side. I am currently looking for sources where – to get the missing one. When I find it, I will ship it for free. It will only inconvenience the operator while knitting lace.


Some buttons need a bit firmer pressing than others (in the video it is sometimes button #5). But with firm pressing the button remain in their pushed-in position.

Some snags occurring during the video demo were because of some knots in the yarn – it was an old cone I inherited with one of the machine knitting machine lots.

The tension dial on the main carriage has a piece broken off. The dial still rotates well without any problems. The damage is simply cosmetic.

The lace carriage is missing the name tag: you can see the glue is still on it but there is no name.

The case has minor scratches, discoloration, and dents. None affect how the lid closes and/or stores the machine.

Overall, this machine is in great shape and should knit without problems.

Brother KR580 ribbing attachment, cleaned and tested in May 2023

Brother KR580 ribber was first introduced to the market in 1966 to knit with 8-push button machines (KH552 and above all the way to KH560-KH588). According to some charts by creationgroup.com, KR580 ribber can even fit KH800 knitting machine. Genie 710 machine (sometimes called Brother KH710) is also an 8-push button machine but I could not information anywhere whether KR580 ribber will fit it. KH710 had some innovative design features (like all-plastic end-caps) that none of the earlier 8-push button machines have (KH562, KH581, Profile 585, KH588) but the width of the bed is the same and the needles are all interchangible among all 8-push button machines.

Because it is an older model, capable to create purl stitches when coupled with older models, the main carriage knits first and then the ribbing carriage moves the needles to working position.

The ribber needles simply latch on the yarn hanging between the needles on the main bed creating purl stitches. See a full demo in my video.

I feel that this gives a knitter a better idea which carriages causes troubles (if any) and see that needles are knitting and what not. Later ribber setups (equipped with a connecting arm, that attaches main carriage and a ribber carriages) work the same way but they ensure that only one movement is needed because the main and ribber carriage move at the same time.

About this particular ribber:

It was tested on Brother Profile 585 machine.

It has a pretty white color This is the first ribber for 8-oush button machines I’ve seen in real life and worked on. So, maybe all of them come in this pretty white color but I like it. It has such a classic 60ies look, like those corvettes you see on the road that cost nothing for the car insurance companies but are so pretty and so valuable on the used market.

The retaining bar is plastic – big PLUS: no need to replace it and worry about decomposing sponge in retaining bar corroding needles.

The machine comes with ALL assesories. Hard copy of the manual will not be included but it can be found online for free.

Tested a swatch on 1×1 ribbing

and 1×1 ribbing on the full bed but when every-other-needle was selected.

Hard copy of the manual will not be included but it can be found online for free.

Photos below show how the ribber fits onto the machine. The manual describes step-by-step instructions how to attach the ribber to the main bed.


The large screw goes into a place where a rail guard normally attaches.

Singer 360 with 700 carriage for Isabella

Singer 360 knitting machine is a standard gauge knitting machine (distance between needles is 4.5 mm). The machine has a built-in knit leader. It patterns automatically using a punch-card mechanism.

Specifically about this machine cleaned for Isabella:

The carriage that came originally with this machine was acting up. I opened it up to fix and noticed that somebody already tried to fix it and assembled it incorrectly. I did not want to delay the delivery of the machine so this 360k will be equipped with a more advanced carriage from a 700mod model and a matching sinker.

The main bed, all needles, all knobs and levers on the punch-card reader and knit leader are in excellent shape. All needles were inspected and the machine has a new sponge. The machine was tested on full bed to knit stockinet, slip-stitch, tuck-stitch and 2-color fair isle patterning (see my video with these tests). All needles behaved flawlessly and the carriage was moving freely without any problems at all. I was very pleased! Below are the panels I knitted. As always, these will be converted to cowls/neck warmers for charity.

In general, all knobs and buttons on 360 and 700 carriages are the same. One major exception is the levers for the tuck-knitting. 700 carriage does not have those levers. It was actually very easy to knit a tuck-stitch pattern with this carriage. I had zero problems from the beginning. The tuck-brushes on the 700 carriage do not have to be moved and they do not get tangled in thread when knitting. All these are huge advantages.

I did not test the knit leader but all knobs and levers move freely.

The machine will come with all major assesories.

A couple of minor assesories missing are:

  • Only two yarn separators are included. These are needed to knit single-motif. So, with just two yarn separators you can still knit a single motif but only one per panel.
  • A tapestry needle is not included: any metal or plastic needle will do
  • Only two point-cams are included. These too are needed to knit single-motif. With just two point-cams you can still knit a single motif but only one per panel.
  • Only one unravel cord is included. I typically use any contrasting yarn: not very thick and preferably very silky.

I also included an extra tool – very useful for beginners: a claw-weight/cast-on comb. In this case, you can knit one row on every other needle, hang a cast-on comb, knit a couple more rows until all stitches are knit, and then knit on all needles (described better in this manual on p. 9)

Because this machine had two major parts from two different machines below is the list of resources and manuals that Isabella will need to knit usefully on this setup. These brochures are available for free and discuss how to use the machines and how to knit garments:

  • Operation manual for 360mod knitting machine. This is a resource to go to when you need to know how to setup your machine, how to assemble it, troubleshoot, etc.
  • Knitting manual describes how to swatch, calculate gauge, how to use pattern paper and a knit leader to knit garments and how to make cloth in general.
  • Pattern book shows how the patterns on punch cards will look when knitted using different techniques. Although some of the cards might be slightly different.
  • Operation manual for 700 machine. Here is learn how to setup the knobs and levers on your 700 carriage.
  • Read pros and cons of Singer 360 in my previous posts:

http://thoughtsandknits.com/2022/09/04/360-for-laura-cleaned-in-august-2022/

http://thoughtsandknits.com/2022/08/07/studio-360-k-memomatci-reported-in-august-2022/

http://thoughtsandknits.com/2021/10/13/my-first-singer-360-memomatic-360k/

Now about imperfections:

The imperfections are mostly on the top lid of the whole case. It has several minor bumps.

There is one bend in the middle but the machine still closes. I decided against beating it up with the hammer to straighten it because It creates additional microcracks and makes the metal more prone to corrosion. The lid still closes with just a small push.


The case panel that attaches to the main bed (the bottom panel) has one bend as well (not shown in here).

The end-cap of the lid has a crack. It is pretty minor so I did not replace it to keep the cost low.

I am 100% confident that you will like this machine like I did!!! Happy knitting!

KH585 profile refurbished in April 2023

Brother Profile 585 (sometimes called KH585) is an 8-push button knitting machine manufactured by Brother Company in the early 1970-ies or late 1960-ies. It is one of the last machines (besides Profile 588) to have metal end caps, which makes this machine very durable, and easy to ship and handle. Its bed is narrower than later models (with numbers above 710).

In addition to eight push buttons that control which needles will be selected, Brother Profile 585 has a pattern center. It includes the push buttons, reset button, A/B and L/R knobs. Reset button (blue on the left-hand side) unpushes all buttons currently pushed in. A/B knob determines which needles will be brought forward: those selected (the knob in position A) or Not selected (the knob in position B). L/R knob determines how much to shift the needle selection. This shift is shown on the small dial on the left-hand side. It might sound confusing but once you start working according to got the instructions in the manual, it will be more clear.

Specifically about this machine:

The machine was cleaned. A new sponge bar is inserted. All needles are inspected and cleaned manually one by one. The machine was tested on all needles to knit stockinet, tuck-stitch, and part-knitting patterning. Details of this testing are shown in my video. All tests went great and all needles knit wonderfully. Push buttons are very easy to operate. Just in some cases, they need to be pressed very firmly but it happened just once. Typically, when it happens, I just reset all the pattern center knobs.

The machine came to me without any assesories so I made a set from my own supplies. So, all major assesories will be included and some extra.

Comes with all major assesories. The assesories did not come with this machine but I made a set of all major tools. The selection rulers are not identical to those mentioned in the manual but is a good start.

Minor assesories not included are:

  • Unravel cord (any smooth thread will work)
  • Wax (the one that came with the machine was crumbled but when I tested the machine with acrylic yarn I did not feel the need for waxing)
  • The box for assesories (including its lid) is not included as it was missing from the original setup
  • The needle selection rules are somewhat different than in the manual but I included couple of extra ones
  • A hard copy of the manual is not included but can be found online (it is a generic one for 8-push button machines).
  • Oil bottle (I threw it away – was too old) but a gun oil can be purchased on Amazon

The mast that came with the original machine was causing me problems. I replaced it with the working one from my stash. So, it fits a bit funky into the lid but is still manageable.

The assesories setup comes with only a long cast-on comb. To knit swatches, I recommend purchasing a small cast-on comb like this one or this one.

The rail guards need to be a bit lose when inserting the rails. Tighten them after the rails are inserted. Also, if using a ribber, they need to be removed. Keep them in a safe place because the replacements are hard to find.

The only imperfections with this machine were on the case itself (see the pictures below).

One minor rust spot on the lid (on the end cap). The case has usual very minor pumps and discolorations.

Some minor bumps and scruffs on the case:

Other than that I don’t have any other complaints or imperfections for this machine.

Below is what I knitted on this machine while testing it: a reversible cowl/neck warmer/hood.

I hope you, a reader of this blog, will be soon a proud owner of this machine!!

Brother Profile KH552 refurbished in Mach 2023

 

Brother Profile 552 knitting machine is an 8-push button knitting machine. It is probably the first 8-push button machine and it appeared on the market around 1964. The pattern center includes eight needle selection buttons, a reverse lever, a slide dial, and a set lever. 

This is my fifth 8-pushbutton knitting machine refurbished and prepared for other knitters and I am completely falling in love with these machines!!

The role of the set lever is to bring the needles forward: you push the corresponding buttons and then rotate the set lever with a special wrench and the needles move forward.

The role of the reverse lever is that: for example, you want to select needles 2 through 8. So, you simply push button #1, turn the reverse lever to B and rotate the set lever: all but needles in position 1 will be brought forward.

The role of the slide dial is to shift the needle selection. For example, a pattern requires the selection of needles 1 and 5, then 2 and 6, then 3 and 8. Instead of pushing and unpushing the corresponding buttons, you simply push buttons 1 and 5 and then simply move the slide dial to the corresponding number of places. If you move the dial only once, needles 2 and 6 will be selected even though buttons 1 and 5 are still pushed in. If you move the slide dial two places, then (even though the buttons 1 and 5 are pushed in) needles in positions 3 and 7 will be moved forward.

The additional patterning is accomplished by moving and holding the cam lever in positions I, II, or III and by pressing pattern selector buttons.

Now about this specific machine. I refurbished, cleaned, and serviced it. A completely new sponge bar was inserted. All needles are cleaned and inspected individually. They were also checked by knitting on a full bed to make sure they form the stitches properly.

It will come with all major assesories:

  • The toolbox with a lid
  • Latch hook, crochet hook
  • Transfer tools
  • Needle selection rulers
  • Claw weights (greenish to match the color of the machine)
  • Brush to clean the carriage and the needle bed
  • Replacement needles
  • Ratchet for the set lever
  • Carriage lock
  • Handle for the mani carriage
  • Two cast-on combs – one long for the full bed and one shorter for swatches
  • Table clamps
  • I will even include
  • Yarn mast
  • Bottle with oil
  • Wax (two small wax cylinders will be included – the reason why is below).

The hard copy of the manual will not be included but it can be found here. Additionally,

All these assesories are shown in the picture below.

The assesories fit nicely into a special toolbox.

And the toolbox then sits on the bed. So, you have all you need for your knitting set up in one place.

I always like to knit on a full bed when I test my machines. First, it gives me a chance to see if I overlooked any defective needles. Even when inspecting each needle individually, it is easy to miss a latch that is not moving as freely, a slight bend in the tip of the needle, etc. So, when I knit on a full bed, I see immediately if there are needles that repeatedly mispattern or create strange stitches. If defects on the fabric occur randomly – it is very likely not a defective needle since these defects might be due to the carriage snags, some small knots, or imperfections in the yarn (yarn splits sometimes, which might also result in uneven stitches randomly appearing on the knitted fabric).

The second reason to knit on a full bed, which is especially important for push-button machines, is to see if all needle pushers inside the machine are working as they are supposed to be. The patterning mechanism on push-button machines uses long strips. They look sort of like needle selection tools (some people call them combs or rulers). Each metal strip has “teeth”, shifted by one position on each strip. There are 4 strips for 4-button machines and 8 for 8-button machines. The position of the teeth is shited by one on every strip. There are, accordingly, 4 and 8 positions on the strips for 4- and 8-button machines. So, if these “teeth” are bent, or damaged, not all needles will be pushed forward. And this is what I am checking when I knit patterns on the full bed on push-button machines.

 

 

So, on this machine, I knitted slip-stitch and tuck-stitch on the full bed. The stockinet was very easy to knit. When I knitted the pattern, I noticed that the tension was getting tighter and tighter. It was due to the static accumulation. This was the first time I experienced such static accumulation (using the same yarns on other machines) but attaching a wax to the tension mast solved the problem.

Knitting a 1×1 tuck pattern on this machine uses all needles. In the first row of the pattern, all odd needles are selected and in the second row of the pattern, all even needles are selected. So, on a full bed when knitting this tuck-stitch we test the needle selection and how needles knit the tuck-sitch. All went well as shown in my video. After such a successful test, I then knitted a pouch for my husband’s paddle (the knitting process is shown in the video, and the end result is on the picture to your right).

This brings us to the imperfections of this particular Brother Profil 552 knitting machine:

Buttons need firm pushing. Sometimes I had to press the button twice or three times. The firmer you press, the fewer times you’ll need to repeat pressing. Also, all the levers need to be in their default positions when you start pressing the buttons. Once the buttons are pressed, they are firmly sitting in their positions and do not jump back. It took me some time to get used to firmly pressing the buttons. But once I got used to the right force needed to push the buttons and reset all levers before, all went smoothly. This is one of the reasons this machine needs a patient knitter. Watch my video to see how these buttons sometimes misbehave.

The second imperfection of this machine is slight discoloration of the metal surface as well as roughness. I only see this discoloration on the carriage. However, keeping in mind that this machine is over 55 years old, this should not be surprising. And I still think that this machine has a lot to offer for another 20-30 years, especially if serviced and maintained well. However, because of this, the static accumulation on this machine is a bit more than average. But this problem is solved by using wax and regular oiling. Thus, with this setup, I am including two wax cylinders. This is the second reason this machine needs a patient and caring knitter who will ensure all the setup steps are undertaken prior to the knitting and ensure this machine is well-kept and serviced timely. One tube of oil will be included. Another good oil to use is gun oil on Amazon.

The third imperfection is the levers on the carriage. The lever on the right-hand side slides not as smoothly as on the left-hand side. The metal bracket on the left-hand side was popped out when I got this machine. I fixed it and secured it (it will NOT pop out again) but the metal grooves are not as smooth). I am a petite woman with medium-strength hands and I still move the levers without too much force. At the end of my video, I show the movements of these two side levers.

Video of tests and demo of all imperfections is here.

A couple of cosmetic flaws are shown in the photos below.

Scratches inside the lid:

Minor dents on the outside of the lid.

Scuff mark on the right-hand side of the carriage.

The machine knits wonderfully despite imperfections. In fact, push-button machines handle some unusual yarns better than punch-card machines (not sure why but maybe due to the more fragile nature of the punch-card mechanism – if lint or dirt is stuck in it, it will not pattern properly…??). This is why I like these machines so much. They are working horses!! A combination of automatic stitches selection with hand manipulation of the needles will give a knitter a lot of possibilities!! Yes, punch cards and electronic machines are more versatile and people think they are easier. But think about it: to come up with a novel design for a punch-card machine, a knitter needs to carefully punch a card and then test it. But the design is limited to a 12-24 stitch-repeat pattern. Yes, on an electronic machine one can use repeat patterns with more stitches but then the software is needed, special cables and all those machines are still expensive to buy!!

The bottom line is: there are fewer things going wrong with the mechanically-patterning push button machines and this is why I love them and highly recommend them to a beginner machine knitter or to hand-knitters who still would like to maintain the satisfactory feeling of knitting by hand but with a bit of help from the machine in speed and forming more even stitches!!

I am currently testing KR580 ribber, which fits Brother Profile KH552 machine.

 

Brother KH588 knitting machine

Brother KH588 knitting machine is a gauge (4.5 mm) knitting machine manufactured in Japan. It features 200 needles and is capable of patterning using semi-automatic needle selection performed by 8-push buttons and a pattern center. It was manufactured in the mid-seventies of the last century. I could not find more precise information on their first appearance on the market.

The machine and all associated assesories are blue in color. The end caps of the machine case and the lid are metal. The machine comes with a lace carriage, cast-on combs and extension rails to hold the lace and the main carriages. The handles on these carriages detach (screw on) and when not in use, are stored separately in the lid on the toolbox.

The pattern center features 8-push buttons, a set-lever (it engages by a special ratchet tool and moves the needles after the corresponding buttons are pushed), a reverse lever (to determine whether the operator wants to bring forward the needles that are selected or those NOT selected), slide dial (the knob helping the knitter to shift the needle selection by 1-8 positions without pushing/unpushing or selecting/unselecting the needles) and MC change lever.

The picture below shows part of the pattern center for the KH588: 8 push buttons, a reverse lever and a slide dial.

MC change lever has N and MC positions also accompanied by the open and black triangles, which helps if you get a machine with Japanese writing for all main functions on the main

bed and carriage. MC change lever is used for fair isle patterning (when moved to the MC position).

The shapes of the table clamps is typical for older models – with two wide screws, one of which is attached to the main bed.

Unlike many other machines I refurbished, Brother KH588 comes with laying-in thread feeders (two metal pieces laying next to the blue claw-weights in the picture to the left). They are used for weaving. They are inserted under the knobs between the knob and the sinker plate.

The KH588 machine I worked on had all words written in Japanese (see the picture below). Next to it is a carriage from Brother KH588 released to the English-speaking market. Unlike some other Brother machines, including some 8-push buttons ones, holding cam levers (marked on the bottom side of the carriage as I, II, and III) are moving horizontally along the low side of the carriage. On many machines, these cam levers are on the side. The carriage also has a change knob (on the top right-hand side of the carriage). This knob chooses normal, weaving, or fair-isle knitting.

Brother KH588 can knit with KR586, KR587 and KR710 ribbers according to this chart.

Replacement needles for these machines are still available on the used market. They are shaped differently than newer models of Brother knitting machines. They have an unusual concaveness next to the needle butt which makes them stand out. Sponge/retaining bars, however, can be found easier. The retaining bar is 41 x 0.5 inch and those are still sold new. Some knitters replace only the sponge and any dense sponge with the smooth fabric top should work.

Since KH588 needle selection is fully mechanical, there are only a number of things that can go wrong and they are easily fixable (unlike electronic and punch-card machines). This feature makes these machines very reliable horses. It is excellent for designers who prefer to have control and like hand-manipulations. This machine is also excellent for beginners who just start machine knitting. I also feel that Brother KH588 would be an excellent fit for somebody who is transitioning from hand-knitting to machine knitting and simply wants to accelerate their work while maintaining satisfaction from manipulating stitches and patterns by hand. This machine is compact as the bed is more narrow than newer models. Because of this, it is light-weight of this machine makes it excellent for people who are not as strong with their upper bodies or for older knitters.

I hope this information helps you to know more about Japanese knitting machines and maybe to consider getting this machine for your craft, creative and/or production needs.

This article was published using my personal observations and experience using Brother KH588 knitting machine.

If you are interested to learn about other 8-push button knitting machines, check my other articles on KH710, KH581.

Brother KH588 and Genie 710 knitting machines: same or different?

Brother KH588 and Genie 710 knitting machines are both standard gauge (4.5 mm) knitting machines manufactured in Japan. Both feature 200 needles and are capable of patterning using semi-automatic needle selection performed by 8-push buttons.

This website states that these machines are the same but my experience is somewhat different as I had a chance to work on both machines. Below is my assessment.

Brother KH588

The machine and all associated assesories are blue in color. The end-caps of the machine case and the lid are metal. The machine comes with lace carriage, cast on combs and extension rails. The handle on the carriage detaches (screws on) and when not in use, is stored separately in the lid on in the tool box.

The pattern center features 8-push buttons, set-lever (the one that moves the needles after the corresponding buttons are pushed), reverse lever (to determine whether the operator wants to bring forward the needles that are selected or those NOT selected), slide dial (the knob helping the knitter to shift the needle selection by 1-8 positions without pushing/unpushing or selectin/unselecting the needles) and MC change lever.

The shapes of the table clamps is typical for older models – with two wide screws, one of which is attached to the main bed.

Brother KH588 comes with laying-in thread feeders (two metal pieces laying next to the blue claw-weights in the picture to the left). They are used for weaving. They are inserted under the knobs between the knob and the sinker plate. See the images below.

Picture below shows part of the pattern center for the KH588: 8 push buttons , reverse lever and a slide dial.


The pictures of the MC change lever (shown below) features the N and MC positions also accompanies by the open and black triangles, which helps if you get a machine with Japanese writing for all main functions on the main bed and carriage.

The KH588 machine I worked on had all words written in Japanese (see the picture below). Next to it is a carriage from Brother KH588 released to English-speaking market. Unlike some other Brother machines, including some 8-push buttons ones, holding cam levers (marked on the bottom side of the carriage as I, II and III) are moving horizontally along the low side of the carriage. On many machines these cam levers are on the side. The carriage also has a change knob (on the top right-hand side of the carriage). This knob chooses normal, weaving or fair-isle knitting.

Brother KH588 can knit with KR586, KR587 and KR710 ribbers according to this chart.

Genie KH710

Genie KH710 is white/brown/orange in color scheme and some with all the same assesories (lace carriage, extension rails, cast-on combs). The laying-in feeders did not with the standard setup for Genie KH710. The table clamps for this machine are of newer design: they simply slide into the main bed slots and then screwed on to the table.

Genie 710 has 8-push buttons, reverse lever, slide dial and the MC lever.


Carriage for Genie 710 featuring a change knob, foldable handle, set levers moving horizontally along the length of the carriage.


Genie 710 is very similar to KH588 and I will not explain in this post the purpose of the main levers and buttons as I did for KH588. I also have a dedicated post to KH710 specifically.

So, the summary of the differences:

  • Genie 710 did not come with the laying-in yarn feeders and KH588 did
  • Genie 710 is white and brown/orange in color and KH588 is blue
  • Handles for main and lace carriages screw on in KH588 and are permanently attached in Genie 710 but can be folded
  • End-caps for the main bed case and for the lid are plastic in Genie 710 and are metal for KH588
  • Table clamps are of different shapes: KH588 has clamps that screw on to the main bed and table clamps for the Genie 710 slide into the main bed to hold it to the table
  • KH710 is a bit newer model than KH588 judging by its computability with ribbers and newer table clamp design.

If you discovered other differences I did not mention, please message me so we can update this information. I would also appreciate if you message me if you found this article useful.