Brother KH-120
This is the approved revision of this page, as well as being the most recent.
| Brother KH-120 | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Brother |
| Model | KH-120 |
| Gauge | Fine (3.6mm) |
| Type | Domestic |
| Patterning | 8-button manual selection |
| Needles | 260 |
| Release Year | 1970s |
| Accessories | Lace carriage, sinkers, table clamps, cast-on combs, claw weights |
| Also Known As | KnitKing KH-120 |
The Brother KH-120 (also sold in North America under the Knitking brand name) is a rare, vintage fine-gauge domestic knitting machine manufactured in Japan by Brother. Spaced at a 3.6 mm pitch with 260 steel latch needles, it is one of the very few fine-gauge machines produced by Brother. It is highly prized by collectors for knitting fine lace, sock yarns, and lightweight knitwear.[1]
Patterning System[edit]
Unlike standard-gauge Brother punchcard machines, the KH-120 utilizes a manual 8-pushbutton patterning mechanism similar to the Brother KH-710 and Brother KH-588:
- Needle Selection: The knitter selects needles by depressing a combination of 8 buttons on the needle bed, which selects every 8th needle across the bed.
- Carriage Integration: The carriage reads the selected needles as it passes, pulling them into work to create textured stitches (tuck, slip, lace, Fair Isle, and plating).
- Stitch Repeat: Pattern repeats are strictly limited to an 8-stitch width.
Compatibility and Accessories[edit]
- Ribber Bed: Compatible with the specialized Brother KR-120 fine-gauge ribber, allowing for double-bed ribbing, circular knitting, and mock rib.
- Lace Carriage: Often paired with a dedicated manual lace carriage for delicate openwork lace transfers.
Manuals and Documentation[edit]
Because the KH-120 shares its mechanical patterning design with the standard-gauge Brother KH-710, the KH-710 manual is commonly used as a reference for operations and troubleshooting:
- For manuals, see the archives on Machine Knitting etc. or Needles of Steel.