A list of what causes needle breakage and how you can prevent it

Imagine this, sewing a simple straight seam with your new sewing machine and the needle breaks. The first impulse that comes to mind is that the machine is broken and needs to be returned, however a majority of the time needle breakage is a user problem rather than a machine problem. To eliminate unnecessary repairs, I will explain common user problems and possible solutions.

One issue that commonly occurs is incorrectly replacing the needle. A lot of newer sewing machines use a needle that has a flat side and a circular side. When replacing your broken needle you need make sure that the new needle is inserted into your machine with the flat side to the back of the machine. You must also make sure the needle is as far into the machine as possible. Many people are unaware that the needle goes farther into the machine and accidentally only put the needle in half way; thus causing the machine to be un-calibrated and break a needle.

A key thing to look at to help prevent the breakage of needles is the clamp screw. Often overlooked, it is critical that a clamp screw is tight and not unfastened. An unstable needle clamp screw leads to the needle falling out of the machine, consequently causing needle breakage.

An additional dilemma, which often occurs and creates needle breakage, is faulty threading. An incorrectly threaded machine can lead to possible snares and tangles of thread, consequently this putting strain on the machine and often leads to unnecessary needle breakage. It is important to check for improper threading, as this is a common mistake that can easily be corrected.

You should also check your machine tension when threading your machine. If your machine tension is not properly set the machine could break needles, so be sure not to set your tension too high or too low.

An additional cause of needle breakage is using an inappropriate needle with a particular type of fabric. When a fabric is either too thick or too thin for a needle it can be the direct cause of needle breakage. Sewing on thick materials like leather or denim requires needles strong enough to handle the thickness of the material. Using needles strong enough to handle the thick fabric prevents needle breakage. Another thing to note is thread type because using the incorrect thread for certain fabrics can also cause needle breakage. Remember that polyester thread should be used for stretchy material while cotton thread should be used with non-stretch material. When using a good mixture or thread, needles, and fabric the result is a severe reduction of needle breakages.

When users pull on the fabric and don't allow the machine to feed the material itself, the user could accidentally force the needle to break or bend. If the needle bends, needle breakage may occur, or your machine may not sew properly, so a bent needle is another thing to look out for.

It is easy to avoid needle breakage as long as you follow the guidelines above. Pursuing the procedure above will save you time, money, and a tremendous amount of frustration.

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