Hook question for Dawn or Mark

[jimerickson]

I've noticed in at least one post, mention of a hook assembly wearing out. I was wondering exactly what wears out on the hook. The hook assembly I have is solid steel, not the more recent teflon supplemented unit, is there a difference? I understand how damaging the assembly with needle breaks might render a hook unservicable, but simply wear?

How can you tell if the hook is worn out? Is it the hook point? The bobbin case post. or the race? How do you check for wear? I appreciate any info you can give me. Thanks. Jim

[shirleyl]

Mine was the bobbin case post became loose. It really started to make a racket and poor stitches. New hook fixed it. I must be rough on it or something.

[DawnCavanaugh]

Hi Jim,

Judging the life span of a hook assembly can be tough, because it does depend on the machine's use and other factors such as needle size and even thread (not to mention how well the hook is cleaned and maintained.)

The very tip of the hook strikes the needle with every stitch. Eventually it wears down and becomes dull, like the blade of a knife. Unfortunately you can't sharpen the tip of a hook like you can a knife. Any change in the angle or profile of the hook tip will affect how it meets the back of the needle. It could end up missing the thread altogether or can snag the thread instead of grabbing the entire loop. That will cause thread shredding and snapping. Once the hook tip is worn, the best solution is to replace the hook.

Another part of the hook that develops wear over time is the joint between the bobbin basket and the rotating hook assembly. This is very obvious when the hook is off the machine but harder to detect when the hook is still in place. When the hook is off, if you grasp the inside "post" of the bobbin basket and give it a spin like a top, the bobbin basket should spin smoothly. A wobbly or grinding basket will cause problems.

A person can damage the bobbin basket with a dandy needle jam, as well as the rotating hook portion.

Signs that the hook is wearing out include inconsistent stitch quality no matter what you do with thread tension, skipping or shredding stitches even after retiming the machine (and after removing any hook shaft collar play), and/or rotational difficulty after a needle break or jam. Hooks can last several months to several years depending on use.

Teflon and steel hooks wear at very similar rates. We prefer Teflon hooks mainly due to the reduced noise they produce, not necessarily different wear. For a period of time we were unable to get Teflon hooks from our suppliers due to vendor supply shortages down the line, so we incorporated steel hooks as necessary. They function the same. We are now back to Teflon hooks on our Smart Bobbin machines.

I hope this helps, Jim!

[jimerickson]

Thanks Dawn. This lets me know what to look for. Jim

[mestuart]

OMG Dawn, that is wonderful information. I don't have an APQS but have wondered about the hook assembly. Think it's time to order a new one. Thanks and Happy New Year