MK Troubleshooting tips

Problem	Cause	Remedy
Loops at the side of the knitting	Tension mast too loose/ tension wire springs back too high	Tighten the tension mast until the yarn is just gripped
	Carriage going too far past the end of the knitting	Stop when you hear the “click”
Loops at the side of the knitting with very fine yarns	Tension mast too loose (even if already at maximum)	Try wrapping the yarn around the tension mast again to increase the tension
End stitches are pulling tight or unknitting	Tension mast too tight/ tension wire pulling down towards carriage	Loosen the tension mast until the yarn is just gripped (towards the minus sign on Japanese machines)
	Taking carriage too far away from edge of knitting	Stop carriage movement immediately after hearing "click" at end of row; approximately 1-2" from the edge of the knitting
	Yarn wound too tight	Check if yarn comes up from the ball freely; if not, wind the yarn again
Stitches dropping in same places every time	Damaged needle	Replace needle
Stitches dropping in random places	Flat needle retainer bar	Replace needle retainer bar with a new one.
Stitches dropped at side	Taking carriage too far	Stop carriage movement immediately after hearing "click" at end of row
	Tension too tight or too loose	Set correct tension for yarn used
	Faulty needle	Replace needle
Stitches dropped in centre	Latch brushes worn	Replace brushes
	Faulty needle	Check latch movement and straightness of needle. Replace needle if necessary.
Stitches stripping from machine	Badly seated carriage/sinker place	Check and reseat
Stitches “tucking” in same places every time ie loops building up in needles	Damaged needle – latch not closing properly	Replace needle
Carriage jams (Japanese machines)	Yarn caught in sinker plate	Remove sinker plate, release carriage and carefully disentangle
	Random needles catching in sinker plate – too much “bounce”	Replace needle retainer bar
	Foreign body in sinker plate	Sinker plates have magnets – check for lost tools!
	Yarn not feeding in correctly	Check the path of the wool from the ball through the yarn tension unit.
	Needles or needle latches bent	Replace bent needles
	Needle butts were not all in a straight line	Take carriage back to the side and unravel row, reset needles
	Knot in yarn caught in yarn feeder	Ease knit through yarn feeder using transfer tool (knit carefully on next row, knot should knit fine, you might want to tease any ends onto the wrong side of the knitting)
	Insufficient lubrication	Oil sides of cams and nylon runners beneath carriage
	Flat sponge bar	Replace sponge bar
Lock jams (Passap)	Not enough pressure on knitting (using orange strippers)	Remove locks and strippers carefully, and then use blue strippers. Possibly could add weights
	Orange stripper – black part has damage	Use a fine sandpaper and smooth down any rough bits OR replace stripper
Squealing or screeching noise when moving carriage – sometimes worse in one direction. Carriage can also jam	Static/fluff build up	Clean underside of carriage and bed surface with a brush, apply a small amount of oil to back rail on bed and to hinges on underside of carriage. This happens more with fluffy and handknitting (not oiled/waxed) yarns. Try running them over a white non-scented candle when winding into a ball. You might also try hydrating the yarn overnight in the freezer or lightly dampening it with a spray bottle of water. Other suggestions: wipe the machine bed with a dryer sheet, earth it with a thin metal wire (I use a scourer), get a humidifier for the knitting room.
Yarn breaks	Fragile/dried yarn	Rehydrate by leaving in the freezer overnight, in a plastic bag
	Tension too tight	Loosen the tension (especially if using the ribber) ie a large number
	Poor quality yarn	Use a better quality yarn, or wax it when winding
	Knots in wool becoming untied	Use reef knot or weaver's knot
	Black stripper – black wheel has damage	Replace
	Orange stripper – metal blade is bent	Replace blade or entire stripper
	Black stripper – blade damage	Replace blade or entire stripper
Cannot get consistent tension results on a well-used machine	Build up of yarn fuzz in tension discs	Disassemble and de-fuzz tension discs
	Tension wires failure (metal fatigue)	Wires have lost their spring – replace or swap if possible
Yarn builds up on gate pegs (Japanese machines only)	Not enough weight	Add more weight
Fluffy yarn builds up on gatepegs (Japanese machines only)	Mohair and similar yarns catch on gatepegs	Pull the knitting downwards every few rows
Incorrect patterning (Japanese punchcards)	Dirt in punchcard slot	Vacuum the slot
	Faulty pattern selection drum	Requires professional repair
	Patterning over only parts of bed	New sponge bar recommended
Incorrect patterning (Japanese electronics)	Dirt in mylar sheet reader	Vacuum the slot
	Dirty mylar sheet	Clean the sheet
	Badly-marked mylar sheet	Go over the markings – these machines can be fussy!
Uneven knitting	Yarn not feeding in correctly	Check the path of yarn and check if ball is not wound too tight
	Sinker plate unit loose	Loosen the thumb screws. Push the unit all the way back towards the carriage until it locks in. Tighten both thumb screws.
	Yarn uneven or knotted	Check yarn quality