Schacht Matchless Double Treadle Spinning Wheel

The Matchless is Schacht's studio flagship, the wheel built for spinners who want every technique in the craft on a single wheel. Three drive modes (Scotch tension, double drive, bobbin lead). The full whorl range from 4:1 up to 21:1. Four full-size Standard Spinning Wheel Bobbins included rather than three travel bobbins, and a Tensioned Lazy Kate included as standard. Most spinners on a Matchless never need to add an accessory to start working at full capacity.

The wheel itself is built around comfortable, light treadling and the responsiveness that long sessions demand. The 19.5 In drive wheel, 28 In orifice height, and 17 lb solid maple frame give the Matchless the steady character of a studio anchor without the bulk of a flagship Saxony. Self-aligning bearings keep the flyer system spinning true. It's the wheel you settle into and stop thinking about.

Made in Boulder, Colorado from maple plywood and solid maple with a hand-rubbed Danish oil finish. Schacht has been building spinning and weaving tools in Boulder since 1969, and the Matchless has been the studio wheel of that lineage for most of those decades.

What's Included

• Matchless Double Treadle spinning wheel
• 4 Standard Spinning Wheel Bobbins (WS6701, full-size maple, one more than other Schacht wheels)
• Medium and Fast Speed whorls (each with two ratio grooves)
• Tensioned Lazy Kate (the only Schacht wheel that includes a kate as standard)
• Orifice hook
• Cotton drive bands
• Carrying strap
• Owner's manual
• Some assembly required

Specifications

• Drive system: Scotch tension, double drive, bobbin lead
• Treadles: double
• Weight: 17 lb (7.7 kg)
• Orifice height: 28 In (71.1 cm)
• Drive wheel diameter: 19.5 In (49.5 cm)
• Materials: maple plywood and solid maple
• Finish: hand-rubbed Danish oil
• Made in Boulder, Colorado, USA

Whorl Ratios

Each whorl has two grooves giving two ratio options. Move the drive band between grooves to switch.

The Medium and Fast Speed whorls included with the Matchless cover the broad middle of handspinning, from worsted-weight singles through standard 2-ply yarns. Most spinners never need additional whorls. The optional whorls extend the wheel's range to specific projects: the Slow and Extra Slow whorls give more control for chunky and bulky art yarn singles, and the High and Super High Speed whorls add the twist range for laceweight singles, fine 3-ply yarns, and tightly-plied sock yarns. All Schacht whorls are available in maple or cherry to match wheel finish preference.

If you spin in double drive mode at High Speed or Super High Speed whorl ratios, the High Speed Bobbin (WS6703) is required. The bobbin spins actively in double drive at high ratios and the High Speed Bobbin's geometry is designed for it. In Scotch tension mode the bobbin is held by the brake band and any standard bobbin works with every whorl.

Compatible Accessories

Expand your Matchless with Schacht's range of compatible accessories.

• Matchless Bulky Plyer Flyer Package: choose Quick Release Lever (WS6513) for current-production Matchless wheels, or T Knob (WS6511) for older Matchless wheels. Cherry versions also available. 7/8 In orifice and 8 oz bobbin capacity, for bulky yarns, art yarns, and plying.
• Additional whorls: Extra Slow (WS6708), Slow (WS6704), High Speed (WS6705), and Super High Speed (WS6709). Maple and cherry available.
• WS6703 High Speed Bobbin, required for double-drive at High and Super High whorl ratios
• Additional WS6701 Standard Maple Bobbins, the same bobbins included with the wheel, for spinners who want extras for plying or staging multiple projects
• WS6711 Bulky Bobbins for use with the Bulky Plyer Flyer
• WS6908 Niddy Noddy for skein winding
• WS6801 Matchless Spinning Wheel Cart for moving the wheel between studio spaces

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick Release Lever or T Knob: which front maiden does my Matchless have?

Look at the front maiden, the upright that holds the front of the flyer. If a lever flips up to release tension, the wheel has the Quick Release Lever (current production). If a knob screws to adjust, it's the T Knob (older Matchless). Identification matters when ordering the Bulky Plyer Flyer or Bulky Maiden, since each has a separate SKU for the two front-maiden styles. Paradise Fibers and Schacht support can confirm the style from photos.

Single treadle or double treadle Matchless?

Current production is double treadle (Matchless DT, the wheel on this page). Single treadle Matchless wheels exist in legacy form. If you have an older single-treadle Matchless and want to upgrade, Schacht offers the Single Treadle to Double Treadle Conversion Kit (R-16-970001), available through Paradise Fibers as a special-order part.

What MOA does my Matchless take?

Current-production Matchless DT wheels use the new grooved Mother of All (R-16-900013). Older Matchless wheels use the legacy flat MOA (R-16-900014, shared with pre-update Ladybug wheels and all Schacht-Reeves wheels). Identification depends on wheel age, and Paradise Fibers or Schacht support can confirm from photos.