Category: Machine or accessory?

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A little bit about this model: Brother KH581 is an 8-push button machine. It first appeared on the market in 1969. This particular model was probably made specifically for Japan as the carriage has Japanese markings only (although this is the first and only KH581 I’ve seen so far in real life). It is similar to other eight push buttons Brother machines sold under models KH 588, KH561, KH560, KH585, although I have not tested those yet and there might be some minor differences. This model comes in pretty blue color and even some the assesories have blue tints. I find this color very attractive and unusual.

The standard setup comes with a lace carriage and rails. I think that is the first model to have both of these in its standard setup.

A big advancement of this model over its 4-push button knitting machines (like KH551) is the presence of a whole “pattern center”. It consists of familiar push buttons and a lever with a wrench but also of a slide indicator and a reverse knob. The manual is very clear about what they are but it still took me some time of playing with them to get what it does. Once I figured it out, it was almost like an EUREKA moment to me! I, once again, just was amazed how smart Japanese engineers are.

So, in regular 4-push buttons machines, we need to select the buttons (and then unpush them) every time we need to select certain needles. In 8-push button machines, we select the needles once and then the reverse knob and we simply tell the patterning center by how much the needle selection needs to be shifted. Once I got a hang of it, I was blown away by how simple it became to memorize your needle selection. In fact, you don’t memorize – you simply shift it. Also, excellent pattern charts in the manual explain it really well. Just don’t be discouraged by a learning curve and experiment with the swatch. You will see in my video that while knitting the butterfly pattern (referred to in the manual as “holding” pattern, I selected the buttons only once at the beginning. The rest of the needle selection was done by only turning the reverse and slide knobs. I also feel that this helps to reduce wear and tear on the buttons: the spring indeed will loose their strength from constant pushing and unpushing.

The manual shows how to work the most basic patterns. Additional patterns can be found in here.

The machine setup is very easy and almost intuitive. I still recommend following the instructions.

Pros and cons of KH581 in comparison to other brother knitting machines.

Pros (in no particular order):

+ Much simpler needle selection process especially for complex patterns, where different needles need to be selected during each row.

+ Lighter than more modern machines. Thus, it would be ideal for those with weaker upper bodies.

+ Relatively compact: needle bed is narrower than its younger counterparts.

+ Excellent for hand-knitters who want to transition to machine knitting. Often hand knitters are seeking for more even stitches or for less wear on their hand and finger joints when knitting every stitch manually, yet they don’t want to give up the pleasure and satisfaction of manipulating stitches. I had several customers who bought push -button machines from me for this exact reason.

+ Excellent for beginners, crocheters and knitters, as it is not overwhelming as electronic and punch card machines might seem at first.

+ Since the machine is mostly mechanical, not many things can go wrong. Just keep this machine free of dust (which can be achieved with regular vacuuming and sponge bar replacement) and free of moisture.

+ Pretty blue color which makes this machine stand out.

+ All tools are interchangible with other 4.5 mm gauge machines and can be easily purchased new or used.

+ Carriage is very easy to move. I was able to do it with just one hand (but it also depends on a correct combination of yarn and tension).

+ Matching ribbers are available and can still be found on the used market. In fact, I am testing a matching ribber (Brother KR580) right now.

Cons (in no particular order):

• I was not a big fan of the tension mast being stuck inside the tool holder…
• Replacement needles can only be found on a used market. Nobody makes them anymore. I have plenty or replacement available in my shop.
• Fair isle knitting might not be as easy as on punch-card and electronic knitting machines.
• Hand-manipulations of stitches and keeping track of which buttons to push and which levers to turn might be overwhelming for some knitters.

About this machine in particular:

It knitted very well and handled sport yarn, acrylic and wool, at different tensions really well. I did not feel that the machine was sensitive to yarn tension, which was pleasant and allowed me to relax while knitting.

I inspected every needle on this machine to make sure the bed has only good and well-functioning needles. I also inspected the stitches they make (this is why I run all my knitting demos on a full bed). I replaced a sponge bar and cleaned the machine.

Tests on a full bed confirmed that everything works great. I tested stockinet, slip-stitch, tuck-stitch and tuck with hold patterning. Check out my video to see this machine in action on a full bed. Below are pictures showing the swatches with patterns I tested.

I did not test the lace carriage but I thoroughly cleaned it and ensured that all buttons, knobs and levers moved freely.

All major assesories are included with this particular machine except for:

• A hard copy of a manual. A scanned pdf copy can be downloaded for free here or here (this particular manual is the exact copy of the hard copy I used to learn this machine).
• The lid to the storage box – it arrived to me just shuttered. It probably weakened due to its age and got cracked during transport.
• Parafin (or wax) is not included. The original one was too crumbled to include it. When I tested this machine on three different yarns, including 100% wool and 100% acrylic, I did not feel I needed it. There are two groups of knitters with regard to using wax: those who swear by it and those who care less. You decide which one you are for yourself
• A bottle with oil is also not included. The one that came with this machine was too dark to use it. I recommend Gun oil. A lot of knitters use it and I use it to clean and oil all my machines.
• Cast-on thread is also not included but any smooth yarn of the correct thickness can be used instead.

None of these missing assesories affect the functioning of the machine.

This machine was probably meant for the Japanese market. Thus, the wording on the carriage is in Japanese. But you will very quickly learn that the two button on the left-hand side are for tuck and the two buttons on the right-hand side are for “slip” patterns. The position of these buttons is standard across all Japanese knitting machines.

I also felt that the buttons on this machine needed an extra strong push to remain in their pushed position ( I had to do it with my thumb, which is stronger, than an index finger). Just keep that in mind while playing with buttons.

I always convert the fabrics I create while testing the machines into cowls/neck warmers, which I then donate to local charities. Here is what I got while testing this machine:

Overall, I was pretty impressed with this model and this machine. I so wanted to play and experiment with how many different patterns I can come up with I hope you will enjoy experimenting with it too.

This is my Brother KH551 machine tested and cleaned in October 2022.

The machine passed all my tests. I tested how needles move during their push-button selection and tested slip/part and tuck stitch patterning. I tested how this machine knits on a full bed using somewhat challenging yarns: boucle, fuzzy (mohair-like), and yarn with boucle-like specs. All knitted fabrics looked beautiful.

I installed a new sponge bar, checked ALL needles, ran several tests on them to make sure all latches are moving freely, and replaced all damaged needles with new (aka, from old stock) or with refurbished ones. After all this, I typically knit on the full bed to ensure that I did not miss anything while inspecting the needles. If needles do not knit properly (which I judge by the defects in the knitted fabric), I replace them.

I did not see any defects in the fabric – please, refer to my video for details.

The machine came to me with several accessories missing and without a hard copy manual.

• The hard copy of the manual can be found here;
• The toolbox which stores all accessories did not come with this machine. I placed all the tools in a bag and securely attached it to the bed for easier transport during shipping
• I typically discard the oil/grease that comes with these old machines because of their age. I recommend using gun oil, which can be purchased here.
• The small bag that stores the needles had to be thrown away. It is simply a container that holds them and is not critical
• The sinker plat yarn hangers did not come with this machine. See page 19 in the manual on what these are needed for. I feel that their use is pretty specific – for plating. I consider myself an intermediate machine knitter and I am yet to learn this plating technique. I also feel that these yarn hangers can be imitated by a simple paper clip.

  

All knitting machines have their own characters and this one was no exception. I felt that it is somewhat more sensitive to tension or maybe I was just testing it with a challenging yarn. So, I discovered that it liked slightly more than average tension. I had to hang the weights to the corners of the knitted panel every other 10-15 rows or so. I needed to pay A LOT OF attention to the tension in the mast and adjust the tension on the dial. In general, on all machines, all projects will require several tests and swatches to determine the best yarn/tension combination.

Because this yarn was a bit more sensitive to tension, I am including complimentary claw weights (see the picture below, they are typically NOT included with a standard KH551 set).

Let’s talk about the imperfections of this machine:

The needle selection tools also had seen their days. But they still feel smooth to the touch.

My video shows some minor bents on the case.

The most annoying imperfection to me was a twitching row counter. I tried to fix it, oil it, and replace parts – to no avail. I feel that the plastic rotating gears wore over time and make the numbers twitch a bit when transitioning from 9 to 10 and from 19 to 20. I did not notice this twitching for other transitions. The operator simply needs to nudge the row counter during these transitions to keep the correct row count.

Overall, I would definitely consider having KH551 in my machine collection. It is a sturdy and hard-working machine. I hope its new owner will think so too.

Read more about this model in my previous posts on Brother KH551.

http://thoughtsandknits.com/2021/11/01/my-first-restored-and-tested-kh551-knitting-machine/

Brother KH551 – my second one

http://thoughtsandknits.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=1644&action=edit

Preface: If I had to describe this machine with just one word – it would be FLAWLESS!!!

But, first, a little bit of history. Brother KH551 knitting machines were introduced to the market in the 1960s and were the first machine with somewhat semi-automatic patterning capabilities. In this machine, there are 4 buttons, that you push to prepare for the needle selection and then rotate the knob (using the wrench) to select the corresponding needles. It is an excellent machine for beginning knitters. I feel that it would be also great for people who are not quite yet ready to give up hand-knitting but want to have more even stitches and a bit faster progress…. Brother KH551 is also lighter than other machines mostly because its bed is narrower. The carriage is also significantly lighter and I could easily move it with just one hand.

The machine comes with heavy-duty cast-on combs that eliminate the need for any other weights. As you can see from my video, I did not attach any additional weights and had only one small problem with an uneven stitch which is amazing considering no additional weights and a rather difficult (with specs and boucle) yarn.

Not the whole machine is light, but the carriage is also light and small and is ideal for somebody with small hands and not a lot of upper body strength. Its lightweight makes it pretty portable, compared to other machines. The machine is capable of plain old knitting with hand manipulations of the needles. But also is capable of semi-automatic needle selection. The petiteness of the machine also makes it easier to store when not in use. I like the three-thread tension mast and a yarn clip in from of the tension mast rod. I love the three-horned tension section of the mast (not just a triangle) where each color of yarn can be inserted individually. However, the tension on the second and middle tension disk only has two settings (although they might depend on the very right one).

One feature of this model that I have not observed in others: There is some kind of protective lever at the end of the bed because the machine does not slide very easily from the end of the bed. One has to work really hard to “accidentally” pull it off the machine. In the video, you will see me seemingly struggling with the carriage towards the bed’s end (when knitting on a full bed only). But the knitting itself did not struggle: I believe it was just that protective mechanism in action.

The setup includes all major accessories. A couple of minor things are missing:

• Sinker plate yarn hanger. The machine came with only one. However, when or if or both you decide to knit using the plating technique (see p. 18-19 in the manual), you can just make a similarly shaped hanger out of a heavy-duty paper clip). On other machines, when I knitted multicolor slip- and tuck-patterns, I was just leaving the thread on the side of the machine to keep it out of the way…Regardless of the technique you chose, the absence of this part does not affect the machine’s functioning and you can still do a LOT of various things with it using a variety of techniques.
• I did not want to include the old container with oil because I did not want to risk putting such old oil onto this machine. I recommend getting a Hoppe’s gun oil (this is what I used to clean the needles and lightly oil the machine) and oil only lightly on the parts mentioned in the manual.

This machine comes with two brochures: a hard copy of the manual (which is in great shape) and a knitter’s guide (which contains techniques, a bunch of how-tos advice, and a couple of examples on garment knitting). I used this brochure when I knitted my sweater last year (using another KH551). The manual is also available online but the scanned copy is not of great quality.

I tested this machine and other KH551 and I was very pleasantly surprised by how well it handles potentially challenging yarns. This machine handled boucle yarn without any problems. In fact, I did not even have to restart the knitting of this shawl. Check out a pretty pathetic attempt of me modeling it below. I later added decorative edging to the shawl. I found a yarn that matched the color of the tiny yarn specs (boucle), made a cord out of it, and then attached it to the edges. I actually like how it turned out. Light yet warm garments are the most favorite types of garments for my constantly-cold petite body.

A couple of other things I liked about KH551: Love the small container for tools. I like that it is so easy to remove and position onto the bed. I also love a special container that stores all the tools when not in use. The table clips are somewhat different than the younger models. It is first screwed onto the case and then onto the table.

I removed all the needles, cleaned them and inspected them all individually. I then knitted on a full bed machine, which helps me to identify faulty needles even more: when there is a propagating error or a flaw in the knitting that appears in the same place, it is definitely due to faulty needles.

A couple of disclaimers about this machine. The case (lid and the bottom part) has several very small dents (hey – it is over 50 years old after all! It is like us having age spots and wrinkles). The table clamp attachments (on the bottom portion of the case) were rusty and I cleaned them and painted those areas with rustoleum to slow down or even prevent further rusting to extend the life of this wonderful machine. It appeared to be the only place, where I observed rust on the main bed. There is some rust on the lid – at the ends where the metal ends touch the cover panel.

I replaced the sponge bar and cleaned the machine, carriage and sinker plate from dust/lint.

The row counter is easy to operate: also shows how many rows remained and how many rows are current. The numbers do not jump uncontrollably as in a couple of other machines I tested when you are trying to re-zero the ones- or tens positions. Basically, the numbers do not slip when you turn the wrong way. This type of row counter is actually my most favorite out of all other machines I tested.

To summarize, below are the lists of pros and cons for the Brother KH551:

Pros:

+ Carriage is very light and slides very easily

+ The bed is narrower than other machines – which makes it more compact

+ …and makes the machine lighter than other similar models

+ relatively easy deep cleaning – all parts are solid and straightforward to insert/assemble/disassemble

+ The needle count is engraved on the bed – so these slippery and constantly in-the-way paper liners showing the needle count won’t annoy you by constantly sliding and getting lost.

+ Threading the yarn is a bit more intuitive and straightforward in my opinion

+ built-in capabilities for 3 different yarns

+ the hard case is a combination of fake leather and plastic, which makes it not only look neater and nicer than other machines but also made durable. The case shows absolutely no discoloration despite the age of this machine.

Cons:

• The push-button mechanism helps to select the needles but you need to change the needles selected quite often (basically turn the ratchet tool to SET and OFF). It might be tedious and you need to keep track of the correct order. When I tested this machine, I got into this zen-like rhythm that helped no prevent mistakes…
• Some might find the machine too simple – yes, it has only limited patterning capabilities. However, with manual needle selection and yarn manipulation, the possibilities are endless.
• I discovered some typos in the manual when I was testing the patterns. I vaguely remember that I’ve seen an addendum to correct the errors but I cannot find it now. Maybe it was for another machine… Just keep it in mind when you try the patterns from the manual and they are not working.

A little bit more about potential typos in the manual. I tried at least a dozen of times to knit the patterns on p. 33: a purl-like stitch on the left and another one on the right. The purl-like was either dropping stitches on the whole swatch or was tangling the yarn so bad that I had to start all over again multiple times…I do not exclude a complete operator failure….But: when I started reviewing the pattern on the right-hand side (the anonymous one on p. 33), I noticed some inconsistencies. I was still able to knit it but the pattern did not look like in the manual: see the picture below (the very top swatch) of what I got and compare it to the manual – two big differences. Well, at least the swatch did not fall off the bed like in the case of the “purl-like” pattern attempt. But that pattern (on the right-hand side in the manual) definitely had typos: Look at the schematics: it shows TUCK but the description writes PART. I vaguely remember seeing an addendum to one of the manuals of the machines I refurbished last year… Maybe the purrlike stitch pattern on the left also had typos/errors and this is why I could not figure it out… But I successfully knitted herringbone (not shown in my video – sorry), seed stitch A, seed stitch B (pics below and on a video), and diamond design (pattern I in the book on p28)….I then knitted these patterns on the whole bed and converted what I got into a hood/neck warmer/cowl…

Not much else to say about this machine left, other than it was an extremely pleasant experience working on it. Indeed, now, after failed attempts to knit a “purl-like” pattern, I want to go back and experiment with all possible knob and lever combinations to see what other UNKNOW YET patterns I will come up with.