BackgroundThe story
The 128's story starts with the VS3, which Singer introduced in 1886 as a 3/4-size version of the VS2 (singersewinginfo). The VS3 became the 28, and the 28 was later updated as the 128. The 128 kept the same small rectangular bed but added the improvements of the full-size 127: a shuttle ejector, an automatic tension release and a bobbin winder mounted higher up to run off the drive belt.
Singersewinginfo says these were mainly made as portable hand-crank machines, sold in a small wooden case. Early cases were mahogany 'coffin lid' boxes and later ones were oak bentwood. Factory electric versions followed, with add-on motors and lights, and later machines got a black wrinkle finish.
Wikipedia's production records for the 128 run from January 1912 to July 1962, which makes it one of the last vibrating-shuttle machines Singer built. It outlasted the full-size 127 by more than 20 years.
ReferenceSpecification
Specification plate
- Years made
- 128: production records run from January 1912 to July 1962 (Wikipedia). The earlier 28 ran from about 1890 to 1918 and grew out of the VS3 of 1886.
- Factories
- Elizabethport; Kilbowie made the 128K.
- Size and bed
- 3/4-size flatbed, low shank.
- Shuttle and bobbin
- Vibrating shuttle, long bobbin.
- Needle
- 15x1.
- Drive
- Mainly portable hand-crank machines; also found electrified and on treadles.
IdentificationHow to recognise a 128 (and 28)
A small machine with a long bullet bobbin is a 28 or 128. ISMACS records “Victorian” variants and a wrinkled “Godzilla” finish on the 128-8.
The bed measures 12-5/32 by 6-9/16 inches, against 14-5/8 by 7 inches on the full-size 127. Measure it if you're unsure which you have.
On the 128 and later 28Ks the winder sits high up and runs off the drive belt. Early 28Ks have a low winder driven by the wheel.
Most 128s have an ejector button and an automatic tension release. The 28 has a manual thumb-plate release instead.
You set stitch length with a knob on the pillar, above the Singer badge.
The motorised 128-8 and 128-23 have a solid handwheel instead of a spoked one.
The 128-12, 128-14 and 128-18 have no thread cutter, no shuttle ejector and no take-up lever cover.
VersionsVersions and sub-models
| Version | What sets it apart |
|---|---|
| 128-3 | The standard treadle version (originally numbered 128-1). |
| 128-4 | The standard hand-crank version (originally numbered 128-2). |
| 128-8 | Fitted with a BS add-on motor and spotlight, with a solid handwheel. |
| 128-12 and 128-14 | Simplified treadle (-12) and hand-crank (-14) versions without the thread cutter, ejector or take-up lever cover. |
| 128-13 | Fitted with a BT add-on motor and a Singerlight; one collector's example came in a dome-shaped wooden case. |
| 128-23 | Fitted with a BY or BZ motor and spotlight and a solid handwheel, for mounting in a portable case. |
Parts and accessoriesBobbins, attachments and the parts it takes
Part 54504 is sold as the shuttle for the 28 and 128. Wikipedia warns the different vibrating-shuttle designs aren't interchangeable and can cause skipped stitches.
Part 8228, about 33 mm long. These are the same bobbins as the 27 and 127.
15x1, sized to your fabric following the table in the 127/128 manual.
The 128-3 manual lists a foot hemmer, adjustable hemmer, binder, tucker and ruffler. It is a low-shank machine, so standard low-shank feet fit.
Hand-crank 128s came in a small wooden case: mahogany 'coffin lid' early on, oak bentwood later. A case also protects the machine when you carry or store it.
MaintenanceLooking after it
The manual says to oil daily with constant use and occasionally with moderate use. Remove the round plate on the back of the arm (held by a thumb screw) to reach the parts inside.
If it runs hard after standing, the manual says to put a little kerosene in the oil holes, run it fast, wipe it clean, then oil it.
Clean and oil around the shuttle race regularly. Dirt here makes the machine heavy to turn.
The 128's bobbin winder tyre has no adjustment, so replace it when it stops gripping. The motor belt on electric versions has about a quarter inch of adjustment.
Singer add-on motors take either grease or oil. Push a pin into the lubrication tube: a gap before you reach the wick means grease. Never oil a grease motor.
General advice from the sources listed below. If in doubt, follow your machine’s Singer manual.
Before you buyWhat to check on a used 128 (and 28)
In-person checks
QuestionsFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between a Singer 28 and a 128?
They have the same bed size. The 128 adds an automatic tension release, a high bobbin winder and a shuttle ejector; the 28 has a manual thumb-plate tension release.
Is the Singer 128 the same as the 127?
No. The 128 is the 3/4-size version, with a 12-5/32 by 6-9/16 inch bed against the 127's 14-5/8 by 7 inches.
Does the Singer 128 use the same bobbin as the 127?
Yes, both use the long 8228 bobbin. The shuttles differ, though, so buy the 128 shuttle (part 54504).
When was the last Singer 128 made?
Wikipedia's last production record for the 128 is July 1962.
How do I get the shuttle out of a Singer 128?
Press the ejector button by the shuttle carrier and the shuttle pops up. The 128-12, 128-14 and 128-18 have no ejector.
ReferencesSources
Where sources disagree we show each figure rather than choosing one. Spotted an error? Tell us.
- ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/singer-class-128-sewing-machine.html
- www.singersewinginfo.co.uk/28
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singer_Model_27_and_127
- www.manualslib.com/manual/153814/Singer-127-3-And-128-3.html
- possumjimandelizabeth.com/xhtml/collect_sewing_sing128.html
- www.turtlebay.org/blog/2025/8/4/singer-model-128-sewing-machine
- singernauta.com/singer-27-28-127-128
- pungolivinghome.com/2019/09/28/vintage-singer-external-motors-do-they-use-grease-or-do-they-use-oil
- www.vintagesingerparts.com/products/original-singer-vibrating-shuttle-simanco-part-54504-fits-models-28-128
- www.vintagesingerparts.com/products/singer-long-metal-bobbins-6-pack-vintage-27-127-28-128-part-8228
Last reviewed October 2026