Category: Machine or accessory?

Brother KR230 ribber tested on Brother KH230 knitting machine

Brother KR230 ribbing attachment works with only one knitting machine: 9 mm -gauge (bulky) Brother KH230.

This post is dedicated to the KR230 ribber I refurbished in my shop.

To learn about the overall pros and cons of Brother KR230 ribbers, refer to my other blog post in my Knitting machine Encyclopedia.

The ribber came without a lot of accessories but I was able to collect most important ones.

Thus, all major accessories will be included with the ribber with the exception of:

  • yard tension stand: since the machine I tested did not have the original (to the KH230) tension rod but a generic Brother tension rod, the yarn tension stand was unnecessary. But if you are buying JUST the ribber from me, and your Brother KH230 has the original tension mast, contact me, and I might be able to source the original yarn tension stand for you. I am actually not quite sure why the ribber came with this special yarn tension stand – maybe to create a right angle for the tension mast because it is quite unique and is unlike any other Brother knitting machine tension masts.
  • cast on thread: any silky and strong yarn will work
  • case for the needles
  • Knit leader setting plates: the machine did not come with those. Typically, new knitters new to machine knitting rarely use the knit leader and as a result, these parts get misplaced. If you advance enough to use KH230/KR230 setup with knit leader, these setting plates are available online for a reasonable cost.
  • hard copy of the ribber will not be included, but it can be found online. Keep in mind that the manual is written pretty poorly with typos.

I cleaned the needle bed, and side brackets. I cleaned and inspected all needles individually. Needles in good condition but with some minor rust were polished until they are smooth to touch (however, some discoloration might still be visible but it does not affect the needle functioning). I inspected the carriage and the connecting arm thoroughly too and replaced some broken plastic parts in it.

I included a brand new retaining bar with a brand new sponge.

I am also including new table clamps for the ribber (not shown). All tests were done with these table clamps (incorrect table clamps can create an incorrect angle between the main and the ribber beds and cause misalignment and, as a result, missed/dropped stitches).

The cast on combs that came with the ribber are in great shape.

I also sourced out completely new setting plates for KR230. Notice that the setting plates are asymmetric, unlike settings plates for all other ribbers.

One feature that I like about the KR230 ribber is that there are markings on the needle bed for the working position (position B) of the needles.

I serviced and oiled the connecting arm to ensure that the wheel inside it moved freely as it is responsible for the indicator arros as well as for lifting the pressers to assist with pushing the stitches down.

To ensure all needles knit properly as well as other are no hidden problems, I knitted on 20-30 needles as well as on all neeldees using several different yarns: acrylic sport-weight yarn, double-thread worsted-thickness acrylic-wool blend yarn, and a mohair-blend with Lurex thread in it. The machine handled all the yarns like a champ!

These tests are shown in my video. Prior to the tests, I made sure the distance between the needlebeds was adjusted to the optimum to ensure no missing stitches during the cast one and further one.

Below are the finished projects made from the panels knitted on Brother KH230/KR230 setup using the two out of three yarns I mentioned above.

Let me know what you think.

The ribber does not come with its original packaging. It will very likely be shipped in two different packages – long one for the needle bed and a smaller one (in size) for all other parts.

Below are the pros and cons of the Brother KR230 ribber I serviced in my shop (to read overall pros and cons of Brother KR230 ribber, refer to my Knitting Machine Encyclopedia):

PROS:

  • easy to set up
  • takes a variety of yarns (thickness- and texture-wise)
  • comes with all major accessories

CONS:

  • some minor accessories are missing (see above); however, their absence does not affect the functioning of the ribber.
  • The part of the side bracket that gets inserted into the machine on the left-hand side was a bit bent and I straightened it. (The top surface of that section has scratches as a result of my strainitening it). The series of pictures below shows that bracket and that area from different angles. Again, it did not affect setting up the machine but the bracket needs to be pushed in with a bit more force than the other one. Just something to keep in mind when connecting the ribber to the main bed.

As you can see, I invested a lot of both time and money into this ribber to ensure it has all accessories and that it functions well before I pass it on to other knitting machine enthusiasts.

Brother KR830 ribber serviced for Tyan

This Brother KR830 ribber was prepared (cleaned, serviced, and tested) in January 2025. This post is dedicated to this specific ribber. Refer to my Knitting Machine Encyclopedia to learn the pros and cons of Brother KR830 ribbers.

The ribber did not come with a carriage. Thus, I used a carriage from my stash. However, the carriage is from Brother KR850 ribbing attachment (which is a bit more advanced – read here): you can see “lili” buttons on the carriage picture, which are specific to KR850 ribbers only.

However, as shown in my video, KR830 needle bed, KR830 sinker plate, and KR850 carriage worked well in tandem with my Brother KH940 knitting machine. In fact, the carriage slides easily even with the yarn fed through it (as also demonstrated in my video).

Despite being not for the KR830 machine, the carriage works great and is in great shape. All levers, knobs and buttons move on both sides of the carriage.

The ribber came without some other accessories. I put together a set of accessories. All major accessories will be included.

The original cardboard box will not be included. Regardless, the machine will be packed for shipping really well.

The table clamps are exactly those used during the tests. So the angle between the ribber bed and the main bed will be the same. The needle selection ruler is new stock as well.

The aluminum claw weights are new. The rack lever is new (thus, it is lighter in color than all other plastic components).

The hard copy of the manual for the Brother KR830 will be included as well.

Refer to a free manual available online to learn about the functions of the KR850 carriage.

I cleaned the ribber, thoroughly oiled it, and removed old grease. I inspected all needles (individually and then by knitting on the full bed) and replaced the bent and faulty ones with the needles from a new stock.

I dedicated a lot of time to adjusting the distance between the main bed and the ribber. It is one of the most important parameters during knitting.

Knitting on a machine attached to a ribber is often an interplay between the yarn the knitter is using, tension, and the angle between the ribber and the main bed. The distance was adjusted for the thin yarn (boucle) and slightly thicker than the sock-yarn-thickness yarn (see my video).

During the tests, while the tension was chosen too loose for my first yarn, I was losing stitches (shown in my video – see a clip starting at 2 min 30 s). But as I adjusted the tension, the knitting became flawless.

I knitted on the full bed to demonstrate that all needles form nice stitches. If the latches did not work well or if the needles were bent, it would manifest itself as tucked or missed stitches.

Typically, it is challenging to need a full ribbing on the full bed (All needles are in working positions). Thus, I chose an every-other needle ribbing pattern and knitted on two different sets of every other needle.

I would not recommend beginners to start knitting on the full bed since there are several challenges associated with it:

  • hard to insert the side hanging weights when all (or almost all) needles are in their working positions (you can see of bit of this struggle in the video);
  • the knitter needs to pay especially more attention to the carriage position on the edges of the needle bed and to the yarn tension to avoid side floaters (I experienced them – see my video)

Pattern one (see video) had three needles NOT selected on the ribbing attachment. It used slightly thicker yarn. Pattern two had two needles not selected on the left-hand side of the ribber bed. I used thinner but boucle yarn. Both yarns produced wonderful fabrics. I made two great hats out of the knitted panels.

Imperfections:

1. The main bed has two minor rust spots underneath that I covered with the rust-stopping liquid. It is not pretty but at least it prevents further corrosion.

2. The cast-on combs, both small and long, had rust spots that I also covered with Rustoleum. I know it does not look pretty after i applied to liquid but it stops further corrosion. I did not have problems with the yarn catching on the rust spots. These are mostly cosmetic defects.

One cast-on comb side has more spots than the other (on both combs).

The yarn holder looks a bit rusted too but is relatively smooth to touch:

The plastic fine knitting bar is packed inside the ribber itself:

BTW, the hats were donated to a woman, who hand-embroiders the textiles ( as a hobby) and then donated to the women who lost hair due to the alopecia.

Overall, I am very pleased with the performance of this ribbing attachment. Hoping you will be too!

Brother KR260 ribber serviced in August 2024

Brother KR260 ribbing attachment fits bulky knitting machines Brother KH260 and Brother KH270. Read more about this ribbing attachment in my Knitting Machine Encyclopedia (…coming soon).

The article below is focused on the ribber I tested in August 2024 in my shop.

The ribber bed was thoroughly cleaned, the side brackets were cleaned and oiled, and all needles were removed and inspected individually (and then tested by knitting on the full bed).

The distance between the main bed and the ribber was easy to adjust. I almost instantly got the optimum distance and was able to knit a swatch right away. See the pictures of the first cast-on row: all distances are even and there are no missed stitches.

I left the side brackets in the machine so the next owner will not have to make too many adjustments. I knitted the swatch to several rows and made a narrow scarf out of it (see pictures below).

The retaining bar is new with the new sponge. (Typically I reuse the retaining bar (the metal part of the needle pusher) and attach a new sponge strip to it. For this ribber, I used a brand-new metal retaining bar with a brand-new sponge strip.

The machine comes with all minor and major accessories. One exception is a spare needle case: it was so old, that it crumbled as I opened it. The spare needles are inside a regular plastic bag.

Some accessories (1/2 and 2/2 needle pushers) are brand new from new stock.

The 1×1 needle pusher is also a handy tool but it is included with te main bed (Knitting machine).

All other accessories came with the machine but they are still in great shape.

Watch the tests on full bed in my video. I knitted 1×1 ribbing on every other needle on the bed and on the ribber. Thus, to check all ribber needles, I knitted two combinations of those needles to ensure I knitted in all needles. All stitches formed nicely! Thus, all needles, their latches, and the retaining/sponge bar functioned well.

The connecting arm is in great shape. All brushes are intact.

The ribber carriage is also in great shape and all buttons and levers move freely.

I will include the yarns I used to test this machine with the purchase so the next owner will start familiarizing themselves with this machine with the proven threads. These turns turned out to be pretty staticky. On the small swatch (narrow scarf, olive green color), the static was so strong that I could even feel it on my legs as I was knitting the long panel. On the large piece (olive green hat) the status was even stronger but the machine handled it very well: no grinding noise and no problems with tension. I did not use wax with the olive green yarn.

An original cardboard box for the ribber will NOT be included. I will, however, put the ribber into a cardboard box and wrap the accessories in bubble wrap.

Ribber cast-on combs are in great condition. If the wire does not go inside the holes, just rotate it a bit and it will slide in.

Brother KH260 knitting machine serviced in August 2024

Brother KH260 is a bulky (9 mm gauge) knitting machine with 114 needles. Read about this model, as well as the pros and cons, in my Knitting Machine Encyclopedia. All information below is about a specific machine service in my shop in August 2024.

I cleaned and inspected the machine. I removed, cleaned, and inspected all needles. The needles and the patterning (including the punch card reader) were inspected with various cards. All of these features were also tested on all needles and with various cards. Watch the video of these tests here. This machine was also tested with a matching ribber, Brother KR260. watch the video of those tests here. The machine behaved very well during all those tests by itself and without the ribber. It was easy to adjust the proper distance between the machine and the ribber, which implies no warping of the metal beds.

The rubber wheels on the sinker plate are in great condition. The wheels for tuck-knitting move freely.

The machine will come with all major accessories: sinker plate, cast-on combs (short and long ones, attached together by the metal clip), tension mast (not shown in the picture above – forgot to include it, sorry) and a detachable row counter.

I also replaced the retaining bar: I inserted a completely new retaining bar + sponge bar (typically, I attach a new sponge to the existing retaining bar).

The machine will come with most minor accessories, including a hard copy of the manual (which is in decent condition).

The only accessories that are included are the cast-on thread (you can use any strong, silky yarn/thread) and a punchcard holder pin (all the tests in the video were done without that pin and all worked great).

Table clamps, stitch-measure scales, punchcards, and claw weights are brand new, from the new stock.

All minor accessories fit inside the toolbox.

The carriage lock is not the original (the machine did not come with one). I attached the machine with the carriage lock from the ribber (because I left the setting plates in after testing the ribber). But I am including a white plastic replacement carriage lock in case the machine is sold in the future without the ribber.

Since the machine came without the punch cards, I had to purchase them. The punchcard set included is marked with the letter P (as it is supposed to be for the KH260 models) but it is not an original set. It is brand new but the paper/plastic is a bit thinner than the original set. However, I checked and the card corresponds to those in the manual.

The machine came with the wax and oil in decent condition. Thus, those will be included as well. The mast still contains a piece of wax I used when I tested the machine (some yarn was a bit more staticky than the other but only when tested with the ribber).

The machine originally came without the carriage. I have included a substitute carriage (which was fully serviced and tested) this is why the color is a bit different from the main bed.

When selecting needles, make sure that the needle buds are as close to the marked B position as possible otherwise the carriage might have trouble. It is true for all knitting machines but bulky machines are especially “sensitive” to misaligned needles probably because the needle buds are so much bigger.

A couple of other very individual things for this machine: if the numbers in the row counter do not get triggered reliably, two things can be done. 1. Gently shift the plastic cover on which the row counter sits towards you. Even a little bit of movement will shift the row counter enough to make it more reliable. I installed it properly but the top cover can shift during the shipping/transport a little bit, enough to increase the distance between the tripper on the carriage and the row counter lever. 2. Pass the carriage slowly next to the row counter. If the carriage is moved quickly, the row counter is still triggered but the number does not increase. I thought it was the problem with the row counter, but I tried several. The best thing that works is to slow down around the row counter. The slower motion triggers it better so the number changes.

Imperfections:

  • the end caps have minor cracks. Those are super minor – I’ve seen machines in much worse conditions.
  • the lid and the case have some staining from scotch tape. I will be washing them off with soap and water but not with strong solvents (as it might severely damage the coating). Sometimes some especially sticky residues remain.
  • The case and the lid have minor scratches. Below is an example of the biggest one. Other minor scratches are not shown.

Brother KH860 knitting machine cleaned, serviced and tested in my shop in August 2024

Brother KH860 is a standard-gauge knitting machine with punchcard reading capabilities to select needles according to the pattern of the punchcard. Brother KH860 is a wonderful machine. Read more about its pros and cons in my Knitting Machine Encyclopedia. This blog entry is dedicated to a particular Brother KH860 knitting machine, cleaned, serviced, and tested in my shop in August 2024.

The machine was cleaned, all needles were removed and inspected for bends, faulty latches, and sticky latches…. The needles were cleaned, and polished where needed. The faulty ones were replaced with the new stock.

The sponge in the retaining bar was replaced. The machine was cleaned on the inside (without any major disassembling: I removed the end caps and the top plastic panel). The carriage was deep cleaned. All buttons and levers on the carriage move freely. The sinker plate was also cleaned and inspected. The tuck wheels move well. The brushes are in good shape.

Additionally, I tested the patterning (AKA needle selection) as well as the needle-in-action while knitting on the full bed. The video of these tests is here. The full bed tests included stockinet, tuck- and slip-stitches. I did not test weaving and lace.

I typically like making something when I test these machines just to be able to show something from these tests. And if it is a wearable item, I donate it to charity. So, I converted the knitted fabric into a beret and a Christmas gift bag.

The lace carriage was not tested but all buttons and levers move freely. It is a very simple carriage and extensive testing is typically not needed.

Typically, I use card #1 for patterned tests. It is the card where every other needle (EON) is selected and the position of these EON needles alternates every row. In this case, any mispatterning will be immediately visible. Check out the video: all stitches formed beautifully. Also, for fair isle tests, I use very contrasting yarns where ANY mispatterning will be immediately noticeable.

The machine handles two kinds of yarn types very nicely (one an acrylic blend and 100% acrylic) and no static formed.

Some sources claim that Brother KH860 typically does not come with built-in garter carriage rails. Well, this is already the third KH860 that I came across that had them. Built-in garter carriage rails are great for future accessorization with a Garter carriage.

The machine had all major accessories (I only had to get cast-on combs from my stash – they are shown below in a disassembled state): lace carriage, extension rails, sinker plate, tension mast and of course the main carriage. They all fit into the lid of the case.

The machine came to me with very few minor accessories but I was able to find and collect the replacements.

The claw weights, transfer tools (with 2×1, 3×1, and 2×3 pegs), table clamps, set of motif cams, and the needle indicator strip are all new from the old and new stocks (yeah, new stock is probably a knock-off but serves the purpose).

The missing accessories are wax (it was so old it crumbled), a punchcard holder (a rod that is inserted into the small hole behind the punchcard reader) a tapestry needle (any needle will work – I like plastic needles), oil (get a gun oil on Amazon), and a cast-on thread (I use a strong silky thread or a thin acrylic yarn as my cast-on three).

The absence of these accessories did not affect the functioning of the machine. For example, all the tests shown in my video were performed without them: I did not need to insert a punchcard holder rod into the slot and the punchcards advanced without problems.

The punchcard set that came with this machine is not the original set. The original cards should have been marked with the letter J. Those included with this machine will be marked with the letter S. These cards correspond to those in the manual for the KH868 knitting machine (available for free here).

The hard copy of the manual for the KH860 model will also not be included with this machine but it is available online for free here.

Now about imperfections:

  1. Crack on the plastic near the knob for the punchcard reader. Although cosmetically not pleasing, it did not affect the functioning of the machine and/or the punchcard reader.

2. Because of the garter carriage rails and the carriage stoppers on each end of the needlebed, the carriage gets a bit stuck when pulled too far to the right or to the left (see the last couple of minutes of the video). It is just something that you’ll need to get used to.

3. The lid and the case have some minor stains, scratches, and scruffs. Below are the pictures of some of them. Despite these minor cosmetic imperfections, the overall states of the case and the lid are pretty good. One of the best ones I’ve seen.

Happy Knitting!

Brother punch-card knitting machines: quick reference

All Brother punch-card knitting machines have 200 needles. Except for the Brother KH260 model, all other punch-card Brother knitting machines are standard gauge (4.5 mm distance between needles).

Below is a summary of which punchcards were released for specific machines. Keep in mind that all these cards are interchangeable.

Miscellaneous
Card Set, letter
Standard-gauge machines
Brother KH830-836D
Brother KH840G
Brother KH860,881J
Brother KH890,891M
Brother KH864/868S
KnitKingKK93/KH893R
Bulky-gauge machines
Brother KH260P
Miscalleneous
Garter CarriageB-KG
Ribbers

Needle positions for Brother and KnitKing knitting machines.

Machines/Ribbers Model numbers
Needle Positions

12-stitch punchcard machines
KH800, KH801ABCDIDIIE

24-stitch punchcard machines
Bulky: KH260
Standard: KH810, KH811, KH820, KH821, KH830, KH831, KH836, KH840, KH850, KH851, KH860, KH864, KH871, KH881, KH890, KH891, KH893, KH894

A

B

D

E

Ribbers matching the Brother and KnitKing punchcard knitting machines
KR810, KR830, KR840, KR850, KR890, KR900, RK900ABDE
A – non-working position
B – standard working position
D, DI, DII – patterning positions
E – holding position

More summary information on punchcard knitting machines is coming up.

Brother KH881 serviced and tested in July 2024

Brother KH881 is a standard-gauge knitting machine with 200 needles and a built-in knit leader. Read more about the pros and cons of the Brother KH881 knitting machine model in a separate blog post. This post is specifically about Brother KH881 serviced and fully tested in my shop in July 2024.

Brother KH881 came to me without a lot of accessories and even without a carriage. I found a replacement carriage and all minor missing accessories.

Most of the other major accessories were present with the machine and almost all accessories will be included.

The still missing minor accessories are:

  • oil: it was old and I had to toss it away (use a Gun oil available on Amazon instead)
  • cast-on thread (you can use any silky and strong yarn)
  • the wax is technically not included but there was a piece still attached to the tension mast and it worked well while I knitted. I will include the plastic case for the wax.
  • A punchcard holder pin is also not included. All the tests shown in my video for this machine were performed without this rod.

These minor accessories are stored in a special toolbox.

The toolbox sits on the needle bed when the machine is stored away.

All major accessories are included as well: lace carriage, tension mast, knit leader sheet guides, row counter, cast-on combs, and extension rails. The major accessories fit nicely into the lid. The lace carriage was not tested but it is much simpler than the main carriage, so no problems are anticipated and I checked that all buttons move freely.

For the knit leader, the only missing accessory is a felt pen (it didn’t write – too old, so I also tossed it away). I read in the online forums that washable Crayola markers work as well as whiteboard markers. To remove, machine knitters advise to use a gum eraser. Depending on the pen, rubbing alcohol on a cotton swab works well too.

The binding wire was originally missing but I included a binding wire from a set from the KL116 knit leader.

The wire I included is a bit longer than the wire that came with KH881. So I bent it to fit into the sheet case. It is very easy to unbend it. The purpose of this wire is to temporarily “seam” the knitted panels together.

So, the punchcard set is brand new – never used. It contains 20 cards, 6 of which are for lace knitting. The machine will come with the original hard copy of the knit leader manual and the hard copy of the instruction manual as well.

THE WORK DONE ON THIS MACHINE:

The machine was deeply cleaned, all needles were inspected, and faulty needles were replaced. The sponge it replaced in the retaining bar. This machine was given a lot of TLC, in particular to the punch card reader and the needle replacement mechanism to ensure they function well. I then ran tests on a full bed to again ensure needle selection on the full bed and that all needles form stitches as they are supposed to.

The knit leader was not tested but I checked and all the buttons and levers move freely and advance when triggered.

Now about the tests:

I tried 4 different yarns on this machine: one blend, and three acrylic yarns. The thicknesses varied too. The machine formed stitches wonderfully with all these yarns. I knitted on a full bed using tuck-stitch, slip-stitch, and fair isle. I used card #1 and other cards (with a 24-stitch repeat pattern) too. I like using card#1 (which has a 2-stitch repeat pattern and thus, every other needle is selected) because it immediately shows incorrectly selected needles. Additionally, any errors will be shown on the fabric (especially in Fair Isle).

Watch the full video of these tests.

There was only one hick-up during these tests. When I was knitting tuck-stitch with the 2-stitch repeat pattern (using card #1), I did not notice right away that in one place, one needle is selected incorrectly. There was a 3-needle cluster (around left-hand side needle #20) that I did not catch.

Three-needle cluster due to the faulty (and not correctly selected) needle during the tuck-stitch knitting on the full bed.

… And the knitted fabric did not show this flaw (tuck stitch hides the errors well – see the picture below).

Even though the needle was NOT selected correctly around needle #20, the error did not translate in the pattern: all stitches look the same.

So, when I started knitting fair-isle with the same punchcard and 2-stitch repeat pattern, the same needle was not being selected correctly.

… But this time, I was able to clearly see the incorrectly formed stitches (due to the color contrast of the two yarns).

The reason for mispatterning was a bent needle: the end of the needle that gets pushed by the selection plates was out of place due to this bent. After the faulty needle was replaced, I encountered no more problems with the needle selection.

The top pattern was knitted after the faulty needle was replaced: notice long floats around needle #20 are no longer present.

Below is the image showing how the incorrectly-selected needle manifested itself in the pattern.

Below are the things I made from the panels I knitted while testing this machine with various yarns.

Now about imperfections: they are mostly related to the case (minor stains, scratches, and slight bends). See the pictures below.

Additionally, there were some very minor rust spots on the case, which I covered with a special coating to inhibit the corrosion and to cover it up as well (not shown) These rusty imperfections are not visible.

I hope you will consider this machine for your knitting needs.

Happy Knitting!

Brother KH930 serviced and tested in June 2024

Brother KH930 is a wonderful knitting machine with electronic patterning and needle selection capabilities. Read more about this model in my Knitting Machine Encyclopedia. This post is about the Brother KH930 machine serviced and tested by me in June 2024.

I cleaned the machine. I removed, cleaned, and inspected all needles, and replaced faulty ones. Replaced the sponge in the retaining bar. Assembled a set of accessories (read more on that below).

I then tested the machine on a full bed. I knitted slip- (part), tuck- and fair isle patterns on all 200 needles (to ensure all needles form correct stitches). I used built-in patterns in the machine’s memory. See the video of these tests. All stitches formed wonderfully. The carriage moved very freely.

Lace carriage was not tested but all buttons move freely.

The machine came without most accessories so I put together the set from my stash. So a lot of minor accessories are brand new. All major accessories are included. Some minor accessories are missing.

The missing tools are:

  • unravel cord (any smooth and strong yarn will do; I often use thin acrylic yarn).
  • wax for the yarn (but the tension mast came with some wax already attached to it. I’ll pass it on on the mast).
  • oil (buy gun oil on Amazon instead)
  • tapestry needle (any needle will work)
  • latch opening tool (you can substitute it easily with a thin piece of plastic – cut a credit card/grocery rewards card in two triangles and use it instead).
  • hard copy of the manual (but can be downloaded for free)
  • stitch book (a pdf copy is available for free)
  • design paper (it is simply a large graph paper – any graph paper will work if you want to draw your own pattern).

None of the missing minor accessories are critical. The machine can fully function and be used without them.

A brand new set of needle transfer tools and selection ruler as well as brand new claw weights are included. The machine also came without a lid. The case lid that will come with this machine is from a KnitKing CompuKnit III model (which is the same machine). So, please, do not be confused about the name when you see it on the lid.

The other minor imperfections of the machine are:

The tension mast has very minor rust spots.

There is very minor rust on the extension rails.

The case has some minor bumps, scratches, stains and one medium-size dent. The case itself has also lots of minor scratches and some stains (too many to show).

The handle on the main carriage has a hole – probably the machine was attached to the motor by the previous owner. The tension dial has an indent between numbers 5 and 6.

None of these minor flaws affected the working of the machine. Do not wait – purchase this hard-working beauty before it is gone!

Brother KR830 refurbished in May 2024

Brother KR830 ribbing attachment is typically used with Brother Knitting machines, with model numbers KH8XX and KH9xx. To learn more about the pros and cons of the Brother KR830 ribber, refer to my Knitting Machine Encyclopedia.

This article is dedicated to a specific ribbing attachment, serviced and tested in May 2024 for Mercedes.

The machine was cleaned, all needles were inspected and then tested by knitting a 1×1 ribbing on the full bed. I did it in two different needle configurations to ensure I tested all needles. I also used two different yarns. Watch a video of all my tests.

I used my own Brother machine to test the ribber and to set up an optimum distance from the main bed.

You will need to do it on your own machine. I like this video, which explains really well how to do it.

The levers, brackets, knobs and buttons on the ribber and on the carriage move really well.

The ribber will come with all the accessories mentioned in the manual:

A hard copy of the manual (in English) will be included as well.

The ribber managed two different yarns (smooth and fuzzy) wonderfully. Again, refer to the video of all my tests. Just make sure you establish the correct distance between the ribber and the main bed as well as use the correct yarn tension. additionally do not forget to oil your machine and maybe even wax the yarn if you experience static or hear grinding sounds of your ribber.

When I tested the ribber, the last 3-5 needles sometimes were left in the non-working position. I did that so I could insert the wire hangers. You will see in my video that if I did not have any space to the side of the knitted panel, it would be hard to insert these changes. And they are absolutely needed to create neat edges and to ensure the yarn does not hang on the pegs.

The carriage slides very smoothly across the ribber. If you start knitting and the carriage is not moving smoothly, check the distance between the ribber and the machine, check if the connecting arm is attached correctly, wax your yarn, and decrease the tension of the yarn.

The ribber will be packed in the original cardboard packaging with the original Styrofoam inserts. They are in pretty rough shape (a bit dirty) but they still do a good job protecting the ribber and the parts.

Now about imperfections:

  • The hard copy of the manual shows some discoloration. But the pages are not damaged and the text is still clear.
  • Some of the barrel weights have cracks but it does not affect their functioning.
  • There might be some spots and staining on the plastic of the ribber. I typically do not rub too much on the plastic to remove the dirt spots because I do not want to damage the old brittle plastic by excessive rubbing. Some scratches are present too. None of this affects the functioning of the ribber.
  • I greased and lubed all the parts so you will see some residual freeze/lubricant remaining.
  • Cast-on combs have some minor rust spots but it does not affect their functioning.

I enjoyed working with this ribber! Hope you will too! Happy Knitting!

First steps of testing and learning a new-to-you knitting machine.

…this post is a collection of tests and tricks I use when I test knitting machines I refurbish. It is a continuous work in progress as I learn more about various knitting machines.

Preparation for the knitting:

  1. After you have fully serviced your machine (read the list of steps I follow in here – sponge bar section is especially important), place the carriage onto the need bed (while ALL needles are in non-working position A). and move it across the needle bed (without the sinker plate attached). Ensure that the carriage runs smoothly on the needle bed. Apply oil if necessary according to the instructions if you feel that your machine does NOT run smoothly. Also, check the contact points (between the carriage and the needle bed) for gunks/rust/debris since they can contribute not only to poor movement of the carriage but also to static accumulation and other problems down the road.
  2. Attach the sinker plate to the carriage according to the instructions. Run the carriage + sinker across the bed (the needles are still in non-working position A).
  3. Using a 1×1 needle selection comb (AKA ruler) move 20-30 needles to the B position (15 needles from the left of the “0” mark and 15 needles to the right). You will have every-other-needle in the B position. Run the carriage over the needles, first, without the sinker plate. You will see how the needles move while you run the carriage. If everything goes well, run the carriage with the sinker plate attached to the carriage.
  4. Move the remaining needles to B position. You will now have 30 needles next to each other, all in B position. Run the carriage and then carraige+sinker over these needles. Watch the needles move freely. If the needles move freely with only the carriage but not with the carriage+sinker, you might have a damaged sinker plate.
  5. If steps 1-4 did not give you any trouble, you are ready to knit your first swatch.

Knitting a first swatch:

  1. Review the manual which yarn is best with your machine. When choosing yarn for your first swatch, stay on the thinner side – we want to have our first knitting steps go smoothly and not go wrong because of the poor yarn choice. Once you learn to know your machine, you will know which yarns it can handle (and what to do so the machine can handle these yarns). For standard machines, I recommend sock-yarn-thickness and even thinner, for bulky and medium gauge machines – use sport-weight yarn.
  2. If your yarn came in a cone or a cake – you can skip this step. If your yarn is in a skein or a ball, you need to use a yarn winder to rewind your yarn into a cake or onto a cone. The reason is that during machine knitting you want as even yarn tension as possible.
  3. Bring 20-30 needles upfront and select every other needle (move them to the working position B). Run the carriage back and forth to even out the needles.
  4. Cast-on: I recommend using a cast-on method with a cast-on comb. Most Brother knitting machines have cast-on combs. Silver/Silver Reed/Studio cast-on combs do not typically come with cast-on combs. Cast-on combs can be purchased online. Or you can use an e-wrap cast-on method. Refer to the instruction manual of your machine for the recommended cast-on method.
  5. Once the first initial row is knit, knit several rows on every other needle. It will give you a good feel for the yarn thickness, tension and carriage behavior. Adjust tension as needed. The carriage needs to run smoothly.
  6. Bring the remaining needles to the working position. Increase the number on the tension dial. On all needles, the yarn tension needs to be looser than on every other needle. Knit several rows.

If all these tests are successful, you can now start experimenting with patterning as well as knitting on a full bed.