Choosing the Best Sewing Machine Oil
Oiling your sewing machine also helps the machine run more quietly, and it extends the lifetime of your machine. With regular oiling and other routine maintenance, your Sailrite® sewing machine will run smoothly and last for years — possibly for the rest of your sewing career. We will discuss what to look for in a high-quality sewing machine oil and give you our top pick for the best oil for Sailrite sewing machines.
Does My Sewing Machine Need Oil?
Some sewing machines, typically home machines, do not need to be oiled. If your machine has all plastic and rubber parts, it might not require oiling. Always refer to your owner's manual to see if your sewing machine needs to be oiled. If your sewing machine has metal parts, chances are very high that it needs lubrication; however, be sure to confirm this in your manual. All Sailrite sewing machines need to be oiled regularly in order to function to their highest potential.
Each Sailrite guidebook has detailed oiling and lubrication instructions. Ultrafeed® and Leatherwork® Sewing Machines should be oiled every eight hours of use. The machine should also be oiled before it is put in storage. If working in a marine or other harsh environment, we recommend oiling all working parts prior to storage and before each use.
Although the Fabricator® is an auto-lubricating machine, it's important to regularly check the oil level to keep the machine at peak performance. You can also manually oil the Fabricator at designated lubrication points indicated in your guidebook. Occasional manual oiling of the hook and internal moving parts is recommended even for auto-lubricating sewing machines.
Sailrite recommends oiling the Professional Sewing Machine after 40 hours of continual use. You should also oil it before using the machine if it has been sitting unused for more than 30 days. The guidebook indicates which covers to remove in order to access the lubrication points. As a general rule, any component that looks like a gear, cam or slide should be oiled.
Comparing Sailrite Oil & Super Lube
There are two brands of sewing machine oil that we recommend for mechanical sewing machines: Sailrite® Sewing Machine Oil and Super Lube® Multiuse Synthetic Oil With Syncolon® (PTFE). Sailrite Oil is a highly refined, narrow cut, non-detergent mineral oil. The colorless oil minimizes fabric staining, making it safe to apply mid-project or right before sewing. Sailrite Oil is a low-viscosity oil, so we recommend using it as your regular, everyday machine maintenance oil in between projects.
Watch our short video to learn more about Sailrite Sewing Machine Oil.
Super Lube has a thicker viscosity compared to other sewing machine oils. The thicker viscosity adheres to and remains on surfaces longer. That's why we recommend using Super Lube before putting your machine away for long-term storage. If you don't plan on sewing for a few months, oil your machine with Super Lube before putting it away and it'll be ready to go the next time you use it.
To sum up, use Sailrite Sewing Machine Oil for your everyday oiling and machine lubrication needs. Before putting your machine away for long-term storage, hit all the oiling points with Super Lube to keep your machine's internal components well-lubricated while the machine is packed away.
Sailrite has all the tools and notions to make your sewing life easier! From our selection of indoor, outdoor and lifetime threads to machine accessories like swing-away binders and magnetic sewing guides, our goal is to provide the products and knowledge to make your sewing the best it can be! Explore all that Sailrite has to offers and take your sewing skills to new heights.
Footnote:
This blog was updated in July 2022 to include information on Sailrite Sewing Machine Oil.