Blake later worked for McKay from 1861 until his retirement in 1874, working on improving the machine. The McKay sole-sewing machine was at the top of the market for twenty-one years in both the United States and Great Britain.
Blake's tenure at McKay from 1861 to 1874 was marked by efforts to upgrade the machine. As a result, the McKay single-needle sewing machine remained the industry leader for twenty-one years in both the United States and Great Britain.