Love Tools

Tools that we leather jacket craftsmen use every day.
The Meriken needle (hand sewing needle) is probably the smallest, while the largest and heaviest is the clicker (hydraulic cutting machine).

In between, there are perforations, thread trimming, stake cutting, tonkatsu, kitchen knife, scissors...
There are necessities that we use every day, and even specialized tools that only come into play once in a while.
In the past, I gave a new employee a set of used hand tools that he needed for the time being, and then told him to work hard and buy them little by little.Wouldn't he be able to make a leather jacket with just those tools? When asked, I was told that if I had a knife, thread, and a needle, I could make a leather jacket, but...
After that, he became acutely aware of the importance of work efficiency, and as his awareness of modeling grew, his tools seem to have increased little by little since then.
Sewing machines are the most frequently used electric machines. Among these machines, the vertical feed flat sewing machine for heavy-duty materials has become a companion for us.

Rotational movement, vertical movement, oil tank, point gap, shaft drive, footboard accelerator, lump of iron, da-da-da-da-da...
This tool has a lot in common with a motorcycle, and requires not only driving skills but also maintenance and adjustment, and setting up a sewing machine is definitely a craftsman's skill.
A sewing machine that has been repeatedly maintained and adjusted will become unique over time, and you will notice the difference when you try other craftsmen's sewing machines.
Of course, this is not due to poor maintenance, but rather the differences in the settings of each part, the mechanical noise, the way the presser foot is cut, the slippage of the table, the diameter and weight of the flywheel, and so on. There are individual differences that come through intuitively, but I feel the most comfortable and familiar with the machine I'm used to using.
The uniqueness of tools is not limited to sewing machines; any tool that is frequently used and maintained, whether it's scissors or Yatko, will be worn and deformed into its own shape and will fit easily in your hand. I don't often borrow tools from other craftsmen, so I guess I just don't realize the difference.
If you think about it that way, you'll become even more attached to the small tools you use without even thinking about it, and you'll be able to make leather jackets with a richer feeling.

It's been a long time since I've had a toast to these little lumps of iron that I usually take care of.
[Ichijima]