# spare parts for Knitmaster 323



## barbkin (Aug 13, 2014)

Hi my name is Barb. I live in Plymouth UK. I have bought a used knitmaster 323 and I have serviced it and replaced a couple of discs on the sinker assembly
I notice that there are no arm levers and that might be the reason why the stitches don't form on the needles even though the carriage flows backwards and forwards without any problems. Can anyone suggest where I might purchase the arm levers. Happy knitting.


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## charmknits (Jan 26, 2014)

not sure which parts you are asking for?


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## barbkin (Aug 13, 2014)

Hi. The arm levers on the sinker assembly seem to be missing. I am new to knitting machine and am not sure if these levers are missing but in the instructions to start knitting it tells me to set these levers to a certain position and I cannot see them on the sinker unit. The carriage is moving across the needles but the yarn ends up just lying across the top of the needles and not making any loops around the needles. So sorry to sound so confused.


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## Jimmy'swife (Nov 9, 2013)

Welcome from Wisconsin


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## Azzara (Jan 23, 2014)

Welcome from Ontario Canada


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## Azzara (Jan 23, 2014)

Levers on a Knitmaster should be on the carriage body not on the sinker plate. 

In your manual there will be a labeled diagram of your carriage.


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## KathMK (Jul 18, 2014)

Here is a picture of the Knitmaster 323 carriage courtesy of ebay - the handle is lying down in the picture.

I have marked two levers on the carriage with white star shaped blobs.

There is usually a little plastic end on these levers but these sometimes come off.

You can see them each marked A on the diagram.


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## barbkin (Aug 13, 2014)

Thank you so much for welcome. 
Thanks also to Kath for response. I am looking at the 323 manual and the picture of the carriage and sinker. It shows that the levers (marked A in your picture) are called Side Levers. In my picture there is an arrow pointing to the front of the sinker unit clearly showing 2 little levers which are called Arm levers. There are also arrows pointing to another position on the sinker marked Weaving guides. I'm still confused and unable to knit. Very frustrating. At least I am now able to talk to other folks who knit. Have a super safe day me dears.


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## Hobbiknits (Jul 2, 2012)

Looks like your levers are there but in wrong position. See if they will move forward towards you.


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## effiemae (Feb 14, 2013)

You might have the WRONG MANUAL!! Is the word AUTOMATIC on knitting machine or Manual?


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## gemini_99_au (Mar 24, 2013)

Think you are missing the Sinker Arm Assembly it screws onto the front of the carriage.I can't find a clear enough picture to post to show you. In the manual it shows how the 2 pieces screw together,without the Sinker Arm Assembly you can't knit.


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## effiemae (Feb 14, 2013)

If your machine is threaded up properly, Yarn tension, mast tension, and dial tension right.
Push SIDE levers BACK, CAST ON, hang weights, then it should knit. 
I have an idea your machine doesn't have ARM levers.

A good website for beginners as well as experienced machine knitters. http://knittsings.com/free-knitting-machine-videos/


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## susieknitter (Jul 14, 2011)

First welcome from Derbyshire. 
I had a Knitmaster 323 years ago, in fact I still have a spare carriage and sinker plate in my loft, if I have time later I will have a look at it. If I remember correctly the levers you are talking about, on the sinker plate, are the ones that put the weaving brushes down for doing the automatic cast on. To be honest this cast on isn't as good as it sounds. One it doesn't always work....there is a knack to doing it...and two it's not that neat. It could be a case that, whoever own the machine before, mixed up or swopped sinker plates. I would suggest that you do a e-wrap cast on or a latch tool cast on. These ways are far better so all is not lost.

The following site has loads of info for those that own Knitmaster machines. Scroll to the bottom of the screen and you will see e-wrap cast on, click on that and you will have a video to watch..........

http://myknittingmachinesandme.wordpress.com/


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## susieknitter (Jul 14, 2011)

gemini_99_au said:


> Think you are missing the Sinker Arm Assembly it screws onto the front of the carriage.I can't find a clear enough picture to post to show you. In the manual it shows how the 2 pieces screw together,without the Sinker Arm Assembly you can't knit.


If you read the full topic you will see she has a sinker plate. That pic was put on by someone else.


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## Busylee (Dec 16, 2012)

Hi Barbkin, welcome. If you go to this site http://machineknittingetc.com/silver-reed.html you will notice quickly that a knitmaster is also known as a Silver Reed and a Singer etc.

Yes there are arm levers on the sinker plate however they are stationary. On my machine which is a Singer 360 they are simply wires with tiny red knobs on the end of them. They actually do nothing other than hold yarn while weaving.

Susieknitter knitter gave you the right information when she said "To be honest this cast on isn't as good as it sounds. One it doesn't always work....there is a knack to doing it...and two it's not that neat." I suggest you follow Susieknitter's advise.

There are many experienced knitters on this site. Most information you can adapt to your machine but you also need to know that Brother machine and Knitmasters do have differences. Get your free manuals from the site above and slowly work through learning your machine. Enjoy knitting there is a learning curve but you will master it.


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## susyranner (Nov 13, 2013)

Does the Knitmaster 323 have the weaving brushes in the sinker plate? I'm not sure but I seem to think it has seperate weaving brushes which you attach to the sinker plate, that would be why there are no levers. I could be wrong though.


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## susieknitter (Jul 14, 2011)

Barbkin and Busylee....the 323 manual is quite confusing. It does show the arm levers on the sinker plate which are white plastic covered levers. It also shows the weaving wires with the red ends.
The arm levers on a Knitmaster/Singer/Silver Reed sinker plate activate the weaving brushes. These you need to activate to do the automatic cast on. However on page 102, where it shows the weaving technique, it shows the sinker plate without the arm leavers. It also shows you how to put the weaving brushes in, which are a separate entity that should be in the tool box. 
I have got it into my head that the manual covers a earlier version of the machine as well as a newer one. Each having different sinker plates. I know that I have had Knitmasters with both types of sinker plate in the past.


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## susieknitter (Jul 14, 2011)

susyranner said:


> Does the Knitmaster 323 have the weaving brushes in the sinker plate? I'm not sure but I seem to think it has seperate weaving brushes which you attach to the sinker plate, that would be why there are no levers. I could be wrong though.


Susy, I think that you have knit the nail on the head!!!! 
As I have said in my earlier post....before I read yours......I believe there was a updated version of this machine with the built in weaving brushes and this is why there is some confusion. If the weaving brushes are in the tool box then this is why there isn't any arm levers.


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## susyranner (Nov 13, 2013)

susieknitter said:


> Susy, I think that you have knit the nail on the head!!!!
> As I have said in my earlier post....before I read yours......I believe there was a updated version of this machine with the built in weaving brushes and this is why there is some confusion. If the weaving brushes are in the tool box then this is why there isn't any arm levers.


I was just thinking back to the 321 I used to have which has seperate brushes and I always thought the 323 was more or less the same machine.


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## SteveD (Aug 14, 2012)

barbkin said:


> Thank you so much for welcome.
> Thanks also to Kath for response. I am looking at the 323 manual and the picture of the carriage and sinker. It shows that the levers (marked A in your picture) are called Side Levers. In my picture there is an arrow pointing to the front of the sinker unit clearly showing 2 little levers which are called Arm levers. There are also arrows pointing to another position on the sinker marked Weaving guides. I'm still confused and unable to knit. Very frustrating. At least I am now able to talk to other folks who knit. Have a super safe day me dears.


It sounds like they are talking about the weaving brush which needs to be in working position for me to do the cast on. My sinker plate has just in front of the two bent pins with read heads a white lever. You push it backwards to release the catch and the weaving brush will go into working position. To take it out of working position you pull it up. I have a "o" and something that looks like a figure 8 on it's side embossed on the front of the sinker plate. "o" is the off position push the lever backwards and it snaps down to the figure 8

Steve in PA


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## barbkin (Aug 13, 2014)

Thank you all for the advice. I am going away from home for a few days but am back again on Saturday so I will print out all the advice and study it when I have more time.I also have been in contact with the answerlady in the USA and she has also been helpful . Wish me luck folks because I will get this machine started at some point. All have a safe and healthy day .


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## barbkin (Aug 13, 2014)

I'm back for a few moments. I have just checked the list of parts which I should have and realised the weaving brushes are missing from the machine. I will now try to buy some online . If I am successful I will let you all know. I love this forum. Everyone has been so helpful . GB .


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## barbkin (Aug 13, 2014)

Hello. I have located a sinker plate for a knitmaster 360/260 on an auction site. Do you think this would fit me 323 please. I have the list of parts which should have come with my Knitmaster 323 and the weaving brush has not been ticked off as have all the other parts. It looks like a strip of metal with a round brush at each end. 
The sinker on the auction site looks exactly the same as mine but with the weaving brushes attached . Look forward to hearing from you.


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## barbkin (Aug 13, 2014)

Hi folks. Have now purchased the sinker plate complete with weaving brushes. Thanks again for help. I will let you know when I have actually started to use the machine.


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## leanne17 (Aug 21, 2013)

Hi Barb, I live in Cornwall UK. I had a 323 for years, it was a lovely machine. I now have a 328, which is very little different. The only things on the sinker plate, are the weaving arms, as the others have said. They are very handy for weaving, but no use for anything else. As long as you watch some videos for casting on etc. you will be fine.
Good luck with your progress.
Lesley


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## barbkin (Aug 13, 2014)

Hello Leanne. Thanks for message. Am waiting for the sinker to arrive. Hopefully I can then get started .


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## barbkin (Aug 13, 2014)

Hello again folks. I have purchased a sinker plate (used but reconditioned) and have actually knitted 200 rows on 40 stitches . Many thanks for all your help. I have also purchased a brother KH710 and a Knitmaster 321. The Knitmaster has been cleaned as is now back on Ebay. I have cleaned the brother but not started to use yet. My friend and I will both be having fun with these machines. He was very handy in helping with the breaking down of carriage etc to clean. God Bless.


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## Maryknits513 (Feb 12, 2011)

barbkin said:


> Hello again folks. I have purchased a sinker plate (used but reconditioned) and have actually knitted 200 rows on 40 stitches . Many thanks for all your help. I have also purchased a brother KH710 and a Knitmaster 321. The Knitmaster has been cleaned as is now back on Ebay. I have cleaned the brother but not started to use yet. My friend and I will both be having fun with these machines. He was very handy in helping with the breaking down of carriage etc to clean. God Bless.


It might help your knitting to watch Susy Ranner's videos. She knits on a Knitmaster/Studio/Silver Reed. http://myknittingmachinesandme.wordpress.com/


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## barbkin (Aug 13, 2014)

Hi Mary
Thanks for your response. I have seen Suzy's videos. As you can imagine I look on You Tube a lot. Am going to start knitting small things to start with and , hopefully, progress to larger garments soon. happy knitting.


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## barbkin (Aug 13, 2014)

Hello fellow knitters. Thank you all for the help you gave . I am now reporting that I have successfully knitted the back of a small child's cardigan. Whoopee!. The 323 is up to scratch and I have also now acquired a Brother KH710. My little bungalow is really cluttered now but I am having fun. I wish you all a very knittingly happy day .


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## susieknitter (Jul 14, 2011)

barbkin said:


> Hello fellow knitters. Thank you all for the help you gave . I am now reporting that I have successfully knitted the back of a small child's cardigan. Whoopee!. The 323 is up to scratch and I have also now acquired a Brother KH710. My little bungalow is really cluttered now but I am having fun. I wish you all a very knittingly happy day .


Nice to see that you have reported back. Lots of people ask for advice and then you never hear from them again so you are left wondering how they are getting on. I'm also pleased to hear that you have managed to get the machine up and running and have made the back of a cardigan. There will be no stopping you now. :lol: :lol: 
Put a pic of the cardigan on when you have finished it. I know loads of us would love to see it. :thumbup:


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## barbkin (Aug 13, 2014)

I'll put the picture on here when I have finished. I shall pop in now and then anyway to see what's going on in the wonderful world of machine knitting. Bye for Now Susie


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## barbkin (Aug 13, 2014)

Hello again folks. I have now finished the babies cardigan and have taken a picture but can't find where I can post it in here. I hand knitted the button band as I haven't yet learned to do that on the machine. I used the Knitmaster 323. The Brother 710 which I have refurbished is being naughty. I cast on and hang the comb but when I bring the carriage back over the cast on stitches they all fall off. Any thoughts on why that should happen. Would be glad of any help. Do hope you are all keeping in good health.


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## etrnlife (Jun 10, 2014)

susyranner said:


> Does the Knitmaster 323 have the weaving brushes in the sinker plate? I'm not sure but I seem to think it has seperate weaving brushes which you attach to the sinker plate, that would be why there are no levers. I could be wrong though.


I have a 321 and it has a separate attachment for the weaving brushes, which is why that manual describes casting on with ravel cord. Thankfully I knew enough from my Bond by then to just hang a rag hem and crochet cast on.


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## barbkin (Aug 13, 2014)

hi. I seem to be using my 323 with no problems now Thanks for info about weaving brushes. I have managed to attach the picture of my first attempt on the 323. As I mentioned in my last post I did knit the button bands by hand but am still quite pleased with the result.


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## etrnlife (Jun 10, 2014)

Looks nice and comfy!


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## barbkin (Aug 13, 2014)

Thanks. I'm not too good at the finishing and have just noticed the buttons are sewn on crooked. I'll adjust them before I pass the cardi over to a friend for her great granddaughter.


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## elebelle (Jan 10, 2016)

Hi Sue,
I've just joined Knitting Paradise. It came up during my search for a sinker arm for my Knitmaster 323. (My table toppled over yesterday and the sinker arm got bent. I hope that was the only damage. Everything else looks ok. I've put it all back together and the sinker arm just wouldn't fit into place. My husband and I worked on it today and it seems back to working condition, but I'd still like to replace it.
Do you still have a machine or parts? If so, let me call you. I'm in France. 
Happy New Year!
Ellen


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## susieknitter (Jul 14, 2011)

Ellen I will pm you tomorrow when I have checked all the spare parts that I have. I do have a Knitmaster carriage and sinker plate, that if I remember correctly, is for your machine. This carriage my son took completely apart and cleaned so that it was as in new condition, but it has been in my loft from the day he returned it to me.
Happy New year to you and yours also. :thumbup:


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## elebelle (Jan 10, 2016)

That'll be great, Sue.Thanks for looking.


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## Cookiecat (Jan 20, 2014)

Welcome to KP! think you'll like it!!


elebelle said:


> Hi Sue,
> I've just joined Knitting Paradise. It came up during my search for a sinker arm for my Knitmaster 323. (My table toppled over yesterday and the sinker arm got bent. I hope that was the only damage. Everything else looks ok. I've put it all back together and the sinker arm just wouldn't fit into place. My husband and I worked on it today and it seems back to working condition, but I'd still like to replace it.
> Do you still have a machine or parts? If so, let me call you. I'm in France.
> Happy New Year!
> Ellen


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## elebelle (Jan 10, 2016)

Hi all,
Just wanted to report that the sinker plate and other parts that Susieknitter found are perfect!
My sinker plate was damaged when the machine and table toppled over.Some needles were also damaged in the fall, but Ididn't realize that until I had the "new" sinker plate on and had knit a row and found the dropped stitches.
The accident happened on Saturday. I searched the Internet on Sunday and discovered this forum and Susieknitter. She looked and found the part and we spoke on Monday. On Tuesday, it was packed and she had found out the postage cost. Picked up on Wednesday by the British post and delivered on Friday morning by the French post. We couldn't have asked for faster delivery!
So, a big thank you for this forum and an extra big thank you to Susie and to her husband (he allowed us to use his paypal account).
Ellen


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## susieknitter (Jul 14, 2011)

elebelle said:


> Hi all,
> Just wanted to report that the sinker plate and other parts that Susieknitter found are perfect!
> My sinker plate was damaged when the machine and table toppled over.Some needles were also damaged in the fall, but Ididn't realize that until I had the "new" sinker plate on and had knit a row and found the dropped stitches.
> The accident happened on Saturday. I searched the Internet on Sunday and discovered this forum and Susieknitter. She looked and found the part and we spoke on Monday. On Tuesday, it was packed and she had found out the postage cost. Picked up on Wednesday by the British post and delivered on Friday morning by the French post. We couldn't have asked for faster delivery!
> ...


I'm so pleased that the parcel arrived safe and sound and that you are happy with what I sent.
Although originally you didn't want another carriage it's always nice to have a spare. If anything is going to get damaged/broken it is usually the carriage. Plus having two carriages you can use them at the same time to do stripes. :thumbup:


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## Azzara (Jan 23, 2014)

susieknitter said:


> I'm so pleased that the parcel arrived safe and sound and that you are happy with what I sent.
> Although originally you didn't want another carriage it's always nice to have a spare. If anything is going to get damaged/broken it is usually the carriage. Plus having two carriages you can use them at the same time to do stripes. :thumbup:


Happy ending, nice. :thumbup:


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## Tallie9 (Jul 24, 2012)

barbkin said:


> The Brother 710 which I have refurbished is being naughty. I cast on and hang the comb but when I bring the carriage back over the cast on stitches they all fall off. Any thoughts on why that should happen. Would be glad of any help. Do hope you are all keeping in good health.


On the Brother KH710....you have to hang the cast-on comb first ....then knit the first row....then release the comb from the gate-pegs and place claw weights on the comb....
Here you can download a copy of the 710 manual ....instructions for cast-on begin on page 12...
http://machineknittingetc.com/brother-kh710-user-guide-guide.html


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## elebelle (Jan 10, 2016)

Done! Couldn't have done it without your help! And the extra needles came in very handy, too, since a few were damaged by the old sinker plate when I tried to see if it worked anyway.


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## elebelle (Jan 10, 2016)

Done! Couldn't have done it without your help! And the extra needles came in very handy, too, since a few were damaged by the old sinker plate when I tried to see if it worked anyway.


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## susieknitter (Jul 14, 2011)

That's lovely Elebelle. I'm so pleased that I was able to help you. 
Sue.


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## elebelle (Jan 10, 2016)

It's mostly three shades of gray, but the little triangles and stripes and the geometric pattern are dark red/gray, parma/gray, and pink/gray. The colors did not come out in the photo.
All alpaca wool, very soft. Very light.


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## susieknitter (Jul 14, 2011)

elebelle said:


> It's mostly three shades of gray, but the little triangles and stripes and the geometric pattern are dark red/gray, parma/gray, and pink/gray. The colors did not come out in the photo.
> All alpaca wool, very soft. Very light.


It looks nice in the photo but now you have described it, with the different colours in it, I am betting that it looks even nicer. 
I'm useless at taking photos. The last pic that I put on here looked awful.


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## Anouchic (May 14, 2014)

Welcome to KP.


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## elebelle (Jan 10, 2016)

Hi all. Does anyone have a spare ribber for the 323?
Remember Suzieknitter coming to my rescue with the sinker plate when mine got damaged when the machine fell over? Well, the other day, I wanted to do some circular knitting, but the ribber was at an odd angle and the gap was too big. I adjusted and re-adjusted, but I still couldn't get the two carriages to fit together. So I took the ribber off. It had been damaged in that same fall. The metal "tongue" that goes into the slot of the main needle bed, on the right, is badly bent. The left one is bent a little. My husband and I are trying to figure out how to repair it, but it might be better to find a replacement. 
I live in France. I'll be in the UK in May. Do any of you have a suggestion?


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