Tips: Just because a seller says it's "heavy duty" doesn't mean it is. If "fashion" or "stylist" is in the name, it's probably for light sewing.
Just because it's all metal on the outside doesn't mean it is inside.
Just because there's some plastic outside doesn't mean it's plastic inside.
Just because it CAN sew through thick leather doesn't mean it can do it exclusively for years (vintage/antique industrials exist - get one of those if you're doing mostly leather).
Case in point: The modern "heavy duty" Singer is called that bc it has a thin aluminum shell under the plastic cover. I do not recommend regularly sewing thick denim seams.
The 1970 Singer 457 Fashion Mate I just stripped down looks all metal until you find the stripped nylon cam tucked under the horizontal rods. Someone took a machine advertised for LIGHT sewing and ran something not light through it.
Nylon gears became popular not just bc they're cheaper, but bc they're QUIETER.
@Agatha I still have my mom's 457 Stylist - had it serviced about 15 years ago, still works great. Light duty!!
I'm glad! I just stripped one down for parts. π I'd hoped to just replace the bad cam, but it has electrical issues, too. I got it for $5 (the attachments & Singer-specific thumb screws were worth that much), but it'll just cost too much for the value. It needed a new bulb, pedal/power cord, and spool pins, too. A $5 machine is suddenly going to cost $100.