In the bobbin case removal tutorial, I asked you to use a US dollar bill to see if your screwdriver blade was the appropriate width, because I figured everyone would have a dollar bill. But now I see in the blog stats there are readers overseas as well, and you guys probably don't have as much of our precious currency on hand as you'd like.
Instead of mailing you all dollar bills, I've been casting about my apartment for measuring devices indigenous to your countries, like a kangaroo, a flapjack, a chopstick, a press scandal, et cetera when I realized I should just use the machine itself. So here it is: If you have a Singer 201, don't have the little silver Singer screwdriver, and want to see if a different small screwdriver is one you can use to pop the bobbin case clip open, check it this way:
The blade should be just a smidgen smaller than this black space inside the decals.
Don't have a 201 with the "paperclip" decal style? Another way to check, if slightly harder to see, is by comparing the blade to the feed dogs.
The blade should be about the same width as the actual feed dogs (and narrower than the feed dog slots, obviously).
The reason I don't ask you to check the blade by sticking it into the actual place you'd be using it, the slot in the hook assembly, is because a) I wouldn't want novice wrenchers to wedge a too-big screwdriver in there and potentially damage the part, which would be disheartening, and b) I want to save you the trouble of taking everything apart to get down to the hook assembly, only to find you don't have the right tool to finish the job.
Having the right tool for the job is everything! Attempting a job with the wrong tool can botch it and put you off wrenching for good. Using the right tool makes the job go smoothly and will boost your wrenching confidence.
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