# Compatibility: Brother Knitting Machine and Singer Ribber



## Noelle (Jan 3, 2014)

Hi All,
I bought a brother knitting machine kh830 with a singer ribber (I don't know the model) from someone who inherited it and does not know anything about it. No manuals were included and I am beginner. Can anyone tell me if these are compatible and can work together properly? Does anyone know the singer ribber model?

Thanks,
Noelle


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## ValT (Aug 15, 2012)

Singer and Studio machines were manufactured by Silver, and is now marketed under the name Silver Reed.

Brother and Singer are not known as being compatible. 

However, it is curious that you received them together.

Val


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## Noelle (Jan 3, 2014)

Thanks for your reply, Val. That's what I figured from my research and basic knowledge. How frustrating!


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## deemail (Jan 25, 2011)

http://www.aboutknittingmachines.com/BrotherAccessories.php

here is a brother KM accessory compatibility chart... look at the other areas on this site, listed on the right hand side of the screen, there is a ton of info there. Brothers, Singers and Studio machines were all manufactured by Brother at one time or another, and as another comment noted, are now made by Silver Reed... it totally depends on the year your machine was made...who made it. some parts are interchangeable and some are totally different.... the person who owned the two pieces you received probably simply owned another KM that fit her ribber.... You will have to investigate to see if they are compatible (not likely in my opinion, but you will have to read to find out) and then if they are not, decide if you want to sell one or the other in order to purchase the matching version for whichever you decide to keep... (for my money, i'd keep the brother...not because i think there is a huge difference in quality, but, there are simply so many more brothers out there that you will have a better opportunity of finding a brother ribber to match the machine) whatever you decide to do, do lots of research, following both brother machines and singer ribbers so that when a good deal comes up you will know it. Ebay sells dozens of machines and ribbers every month...it won't take long for you to be able to evaluate the deal based on how old the machine is, what kind of condition it's in (look for dents and rust...both can be present and not damage your knitted products, but it depends on the areas affected and you can be patient and wait for that little jewel). this study time will also give you a good idea what reserve to put on the half you decide to sell (if you do). KMs can be addicting, I have several, but my main machines are a brother 864, a studio 155 (exactly like singer 155s) bulky, and several brothers, singers (one with ribber) and studios along with a few antique machines that were all weird and wonderful and I couldn't help but give them a good home....


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## Maryknits513 (Feb 12, 2011)

deemail said:


> http://www.aboutknittingmachines.com/BrotherAccessories.php
> 
> here is a brother KM accessory compatibility chart... look at the other areas on this site, listed on the right hand side of the screen, there is a ton of info there. Brothers, Singers and Studio machines were all manufactured by Brother at one time or another, and as another comment noted, are now made by Silver Reed... it totally depends on the year your machine was made...who made it. some parts are interchangeable and some are totally different


Brother never manufactured the Silver Reed machines, also sold as Studio and Singer here in the U.S., and(I think) as KnitMaster in the U.K. The only parts that are interchangeable at the hand tools and the garter bars. The carriages are not interchangeable.

Newer Brother machines were also sold as Knitking. Knitking machines were originally made in Germany, and used some sort of cam system to knit.

Silver Reed is still in business, so parts are more readily available than for Brother machines.


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## Noelle (Jan 3, 2014)

Thanks for your input, Deemail and Maryknits513. I am addicted as well. I agree, I think it's incompatible, but I'm going to do as you suggested and sell them separately. I actually already have another brother kh840, so I am going to try to sell both the extra brother and the singer ribber. I just don't know if the ribber has all it's parts. Thanks much!


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## susieknitter (Jul 14, 2011)

Brother machines were made in Japan and are no longer made.
Singer (not to be confused with Singer White that were made in France) Studio, Emprisol and Knitmaster were also made in Japan by the company that is now Silver Reed.
A Brother machine can not be used with anything other than a Brother ribber.
I could be wrong, because the photos are not that clear, but the Singer carriages that you have in the photo look more like those that would be for a double bed Singer machine that was made in France....a totally different company to that which made the single bed Singer machines in Japan.
People do tend to get carried away (and I am no different) and buy/keep lots of different models of machines. From one house I bought a Brother, a knitmaster, a French made Singer (sometimes known as a Superba) double bed and a Pfaff. The lady that owned them had died and the family believed that they were all the same....just knitting machines. Parts were missing, parts were mixed up and none were/are interchangeable.


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## Noelle (Jan 3, 2014)

Thanks Sue. I have to do some research on the Singer Ribber/Machine. It's at my sister's house, so I have to wait till I pick it up. Even though I can sell these two separately, i really just want the compatible brother units.


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## susieknitter (Jul 14, 2011)

The following link is a very comprehensive list of practically all machines made. 
Having said this it doesn't list all the Singer White/Superba machines and doesn't show the Pfaffs. I can understand why Pfaffs are probably left out because these are the same as Passaps. The reason for the two different names is the Pfaff was from France and the Passap either from Germany or Switzerland. If you can find a number on the machines that you have then they should be on here......
http://www.creationgroups.com/HISTORY%20SILVER%20REED%20SINGER%20KNITMASTER%20BROTHER%20EMPISAL.htm


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## Noelle (Jan 3, 2014)

Thanks Sue!


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## Rita in Raleigh (Aug 20, 2011)

What a good reference site. Thanks Sue.



susieknitter said:


> The following link is a very comprehensive list of practically all machines made.
> Having said this it doesn't list all the Singer White/Superba machines and doesn't show the Pfaffs. I can understand why Pfaffs are probably left out because these are the same as Passaps. The reason for the two different names is the Pfaff was from France and the Passap either from Germany or Switzerland. If you can find a number on the machines that you have then they should be on here......
> http://www.creationgroups.com/HISTORY%20SILVER%20REED%20SINGER%20KNITMASTER%20BROTHER%20EMPISAL.htm


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## Peanut Tinker (Oct 10, 2012)

Noelle said:


> Hi All,
> I bought a brother knitting machine kh830 with a singer ribber (I don't know the model) from someone who inherited it and does not know anything about it. No manuals were included and I am beginner. Can anyone tell me if these are compatible and can work together properly? Does anyone know the singer ribber model?
> 
> Thanks,
> Noelle


From what little I know, in your pics, it sure looks like the singer carriage is very similar to the other one. I have 3 Singers and they don't look like that so maybe as someone else said, they were at one time manufactured by the same company and are compatible. Perhaps you should try them together carefully just in case they do work together......Before you sell them off.


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## susieknitter (Jul 14, 2011)

Peanut Tinker said:


> From what little I know, in your pics, it sure looks like the singer carriage is very similar to the other one. I have 3 Singers and they don't look like that so maybe as someone else said, they were at one time manufactured by the same company and are compatible. Perhaps you should try them together carefully just in case they do work together......Before you sell them off.


The two Singer carriages are for a Singer main bed and a Singer ribber bed. They do join/work together but only on the Singer beds made for them. They won't work on a Brother main bed/ribber bed which is what was asked.


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## euvid (Apr 2, 2011)

Mary is totally correct. Brother never made the SIngers, Studio etc. and they are not interchangeable



Maryknits513 said:


> Brother never manufactured the Silver Reed machines, also sold as Studio and Singer here in the U.S., and(I think) as KnitMaster in the U.K. The only parts that are interchangeable at the hand tools and the garter bars. The carriages are not interchangeable.
> 
> Newer Brother machines were also sold as Knitking. Knitking machines were originally made in Germany, and used some sort of cam system to knit.
> 
> Silver Reed is still in business, so parts are more readily available than for Brother machines.


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