Month: May 2026

Brother Profile 551 (KH551) knitting machine serviced and tested in my shop in May 2026

Brother Profile 551 knitting machine is an amazing miracle of Japanese engineering. This knitting machine has 200 needles, 4.5 mm apart, and all mechanical patterning capabilities. Read more about the pros and cons of this model in my Knitting Machine Encyclopedia. The rest of this post is dedicated to a specific Brother Profile KH551 serviced and tested in my shop in May 2016.

I performed the usual maintenance on this machine as I always do: removed all the needles, cleaned and inspected them. The bent needles were discarded and replaced with new ones. Some needles were polished until they were smooth. To further ensure that all needles formed correct stitches, I knitted on the full needlebed (see the video). I knitted stockinet, hold-, tuck-, and slip/part stitches, and all went really well! In addition, read my short article on tuck stitch if you experience problems with tuck stitch.

The needlebed, the carriage, and the sinker plate are in good shape, especially considering the age of this machine. See below some cosmetic imperfections on the carriage. The carriage runs very smoothly. Suppose you feel it does not run smoothly, oil (as shown in the manual), and reattach the sinker plate. The needle selection and the buttons work great, too. Also, at the end of my video, I show how to correctly activate the needle selection mechanism.

The machine will come with all necessary accessories. A lot of original accessories with a couple of minor exceptions. The S-shaped table clamps are original, but I had to cover them with a layer of Rustoleum. The transfer tools are original as well and are even in the original case (a better picture is below with a row counter). A set of claw weights is not part of the original setup, but I am including a pair because it is a very handy accessory to have. They are brand new (new stock).

The 1×1/0 needle selection ruler is original, but the other two are plastic replacements from new stock.

The tension mast and the cast-on combs are in great shape, especially considering their age.

The carriage lock is original.

The ratchet tool is a replacement. I used it during all the tests shown in the video. The needle picker is a 3D-printed copy and works well. The cleaning brush is a generic replacement. Not sure if the tapestry needle is the original, but it came with the machine. The wax is a bit crumbled, but if you need it, it will provide a good starting point. As a thank you for your patience and an apology for not having all other original tools in stock, I am including an adjustable needle transfer tool. I think it is original (not the new-stock generic), but the sticker is no longer attached to it.

The accessories that are missing are: the toolbox and its lid, the tool holder, and yarn hangers (easy to replace with a paper clip), and machine oil (use Hoppe’s gun oil available on Amazon).

I included a replacement needle indicator strip. The original ones that come with KH551 machines are transparent. The strip that I included is not new, but from one of the older machines to complement the vintage look of this machine.

The case and the lid are in great shape. Read below about some minor cosmetic imperfections.

About imperfections:

The tension dial on the carriage has some dents. It, however, still works well and provides reliable tension.

The carriage handle has a minor crack. It is, at the moment, the best handle I have to offer. I’ve seen handles in much worse shape, and they were still working fine. When attaching the handle onto the carriage, screw both sides at the same rate: a couple of turns on the left, then a couple of turns on the right, etc. The same with unscrewing/removing.

The raw counter is original, but the front panel had a crack. I secured it with super glue. The row counter otherwise works well (see the demo at the end of the video).

The lid and the case have some very minor stains and dents. Some of them are shown below.

Apparently, the handle has an opening in the metal cover. First, I thought it was a defect, but all other machines have the same feature. So, no alarm here.

None of these imperfections affected any functioning of the machine.

Happy knitting!

Brother KH840 for Zoie

Brother KH840 is a standard-gauge knitting machine with punchcard-based patterning capabilities. Read more about this model in my Knitting Machine Encyclopedia. The rest of the post is dedicated to a specific KH840 knitting machine serviced and tested in my shop in May 2026.

The needlebed, punchcard mechanisms, and the carriage were deep-cleaned. All needles were removed, cleaned, and inspected. Needles with sticky latches or bent needles were replaced with the new (never used) ones (new stock).

The machine will come with all major and most minor accessories. The missing accessories are:

  • hard copy of the manual. However, a decent copy of the manual is available online for free.
  • punchcard holder pin. The machine did not really come with one. At the moment, I also do not have a replacement. In the video I recorded while testing this machine, I demonstrate that it is really not needed.
  • The bottle with oil is not included. Please, order Hoppe’s gun oil from Amazon.
  • Wax will not be included as well.

The cast-on thread is in a bobbin, and it is pink. The punchcards are the original Brother set but might not match those in the manual. I am including five additional cards as well as a thank you for your business and patience.

All other accessories are in great shape.

The tension mast is new (new stock) and never used.

The punchcard knob cover is a 3D replacement. The original white one was cracked and did not sit securely.

The carriage lock is also new (new stock).

The lace carriage works great too (see the video).

The extension rails are also new. I knitted on this machine using them and they fit well.

All accessories are stored inside a built-in toolbox.

All major accessories fit inside the lid.

Well, talking about the lid: the original lid is still in rough shape, and instead of delaying the delivery of the machine, I am including a spare lid I have, but it is from KH891.

But because it is not the original lid, there is a color difference.

It is in great shape with only some minor imperfections (not all shown).

There are a couple of other imperfections that you should be aware of.

I took parts for the carriage from another carriage. Thus, there are some color differences.

Because the machine and the carriage were deep-cleaned with cleaning oils, you might see some oil bleeding onto the needlebed. Just wipe the stains with a dry absorbing cloth.

The tension mast might be a bit tight to insert, but push in gently.

The small cast-on comb has minor bents but overall is straight and hangs on the stitches well.

With regards to the tests on this machine (which are documented in this video): all (tuck, slip, fair-isle, and lace knitting) went really well. I made sure that I had consecutive 20-30 rows of patterning to avoid “hidden” issues, and there were indeed none.

The tests were done on the full bed to demonstrate even tension across the bed, that all needles form correct stitches, and that the carriage slides well across the full bed. I used card #1 because it is the easiest pattern to see any mispatterning. I also like to start with the tuck-stitch (after stockinet rows) because it reveals problems (with needles and their latches, with the carriage not passing the yarn correctly, etc.) right away. I am very pleased with the performance (even the ever problematic tuck stitch behaved really well!) and look of this machine. Hope you are too!

Issues (and solutions) with Brother lace carriages.

LC = lace carriage

… in progress. Last updated: May 06, 2026.

If the LC is not selecting needles correctly, check:

  • The sponge strip in the retaining bar. It needs to be pristine.
  • If the machine is electronic, check the magnet on the back
  • if none of the above work, take the cover off the lace carriage and inspect the internal mechanisms. There are several service manuals available online for Brother lace carriages.

Lace carriage is stuck on the bed: If your carriage LC has a release button, press it and lift the carriage. Wiggle it a bit to release the needles that are stuck during the transfer of the stitch. Do it gently so no needles break or become bent during the process. If no release button, keep on jiggling until it lets go. Actually, before even putting the LC onto the bed, make sure ALL buttons and levers on it move freely.