Alex has spent a lifetime in the sewing industry and is considered one of the foremost experts of pioneering machines and their inventors. He has written extensively for trade magazines, radio, television, books and publications world wide.

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Singer model 29, 29k

Singer Bootpatcher

The Singer 29 is a large beauty. Originally made for industrial use it was sold as hand, treadle and finally when electricity was invented, electric. If you think Singer started with his patent model No1 and a new number followed with each new model you can see how early the model 29 is.

One of the first boot-patchers with 360 degree revolving foot circa 1860

Mainly manufactured in Kilbowie on the banks of the river Clyde in Scotland the model 29 was used all over the world and is still copied today by companies as close as Germany and as far as China. Its narrow arm and revolving foot could sew in any direction and was perfect with cobblers and workers of fine products such as gloves and bags. It is not particularly suitable for heavy leather or stiff leather but for tricky sewing on soft leather it is the king. The machine has a walking upper foot.

The machine works with no underneath feed but a foot that walks the work through. The small container in the middle of the arm was for pouring oil into to oil the thread as it sewed through. On very early models there was a small plate underneath this to hold a candle to melt tallow or wax.

Singer 29 boot-patcher

Here is Margaret Rutherford and Robert Morley staring in Murder at the Gallop and you can clearly see the Singer 29k ready for action in the harness room. Many thanks to T Chester for the photo (Courtesy of MGM BS Boreham Wood)

You can date your Singer by using my Singer dating guide in conjunction with the serial number on the right-hand bed of the machine.

The bobbin was very small and was wound on the winder but guided by hand as you wound the bobbin.

The Singer 29k was the perfect machine for soft leather, boots, bags and even some gloves, its 360 walking foot made easy work of tricky corners.

It is amazing to think that many Singer 29's made during the Victorian period are still sewing away in cobblers and leather-working premises all over the world. It was a true piece of brilliant engineering.

Singer 29, 29k sewing machine, it's not really bent at the end just my poor scan of the instruction manual. The small casting above the S in Singer is for thread lubricant, the really early ones had a candle holder as well to heat wax.

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The Singer model 29 was well copied around the world this is the German Adler boot-patcher.

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A day in the life of a sewing machine engineer: See Alex Askaroff on Youtube

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