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GEAR NOTES - SEWING GEAR

VISIT M40's WILDERNESS SURVIVAL STORE       The best wilderness survival gear on the market! Backyard campers and Rambo wannabe's... go buy a Bear Grylls kit. When you get serious about your wilderness activities... come see my gear. Hikers, mountain bikers, cross country skiers, ATV'ers, off-roaders, and others whose activities carry them far and wide... discriminating outdoorsmen opt for quality gear.

I started repairing gear with needle and thread when I was a teenager. I've modified and/or made many pieces of gear this way. However, none of that compares to a decent sewing machine. Consider it as yet another tool in my shop's arsenal. Knowing how to use a sewing machine can save you a LOT of money in gear.

What I own is nothing special. It's a fairly basic Brother machine, and was a Wal-Mart special I found about 10 years ago. It was purchased on sale for all of about $89 bucks. I have another $30 or $40 worth of various durable upholstery threads and needles. If I had to guess, this little machine has probably saved me at least $500 in gear, just based on various repairs I have done with it. Add in all the gear I've made and/or customized, and its value is priceless.

Sewing machines are NOT rocket science. They can be a little confusing at first, but once you get the hang of it, it's easy. There are plenty of videos and tutorials out there that make it easy as well. They clearly show everything from threading the machine to using various stitches and techniques, to basic maintenance.