Typewriters

[Benzadmiral]

I wrote probably millions of words, most of them less than deathless, on my first typewriter: a pre-1957 Underwood. I assume it's that date, because when I'd buy new ribbons at Woolworths, that was the model I had to use. My father brought it home one day in the summer of 1967. While I never learned to touch-type on it, I pounded out short stories, a couple of novel-length manuscripts, papers for school, you name it.

I still have it, shamefully gathering dust in a closet. The carriage no longer moves by means of the space bar, and I have no idea how or where to get it fixed.

And yes, Martin, they were unique, like fingerprints. In at least one early Ellery Queen mystery novel, a typewriter's peculiarity (a special key) provides an important clue for Ellery to solve a tricky murder case. You can't do that with laser printers!

 

[martinsantos]

I begun too by my father. He always wrote a lot - when I was a kid, at a noiseful (and wonderful) IBM 72. Then he gave me the older typewriter, a portable Remington he bought in 1959, second-hand. This was enough to make me addicted about typewriters.

I still want to get an Underwood, but are very rare here. Olivetti and Remington are the usual. Just got a Royal (from 1938) needing some parts.

And just got in hands an old book about criminal investigations... And a very large chapter about identifying a typewriter, as Ellery Quenn made in that murder case!! A theme nowadays not very important, I think...

And yes, Martin, they were unique, like fingerprints. In at least one early Ellery Queen mystery novel, a typewriter's peculiarity (a special key) provides an important clue for Ellery to solve a tricky murder case. You can't do that with laser printers!

 

[Hap]

For those of you looking for replacement ribbons for your old typewriters, I recently discovered Ames Supply Co., they stock lots of typewriter ribbon for various machines and their prices are great.
For those of you who chop keys off of typewriters, please have mercy on these beautiful machines! I guess I could understand if the machine is completely shot and beyond repair, but it just makes me sick to my stomach every time I see one of these dekeypitated typewriters that still has life in it sitting in a craft fair dumpster. If these craft people were really crafty they would come up with a way to make replica typewriter keys for their jewelry.

 

[Vornholt]

Ames Supply also does recovering of typewriter platens and feed rollers. I've had a couple done myself, a vintage Royal 10, and a KHM. Not cheap, but certainly worth doing if you want to use the machine.

 

[C Gregory Purbaugh]

I have three typewriters myself: A 1920's remington portable, a 1940s-1950s Royal portable, and a 1930s-1950s Royal Desk model. Of the three, the Remington is my favorite. My grandfather gave me the Royals years ago, and I won the Remington at an auction for $1 about five years ago. I do need a couple parts for the remington to keep it in perfect working order, such as a new ribbon and drum, but other than that it is fantastic.

Also, this is my first post. Hello everyone!

 

[lolly_loisides]

I just purchased this 1924 Remington portable (from ebay). It has the original case & instruction manual.

 

[RadioWave]

Nice machine You were lucky to get the whole package in such excellent condition.

 

[rotebander]

What would be everyone's recommendation for a typewriter model for a student, preferably 40s-era? I've always adored typewriters and I'd really like a second (or third, or twenty-seventh) opinion.
By the way, all these typewriters are gorgeous!! I envy all of you!

 

[LizzieMaine]

Get a portable -- Corona, Royal, Remington, or Underwood are the best brands. You can still get ribbons for them and they're still common enough that they won't be expensive. A late-40s vintage Smith Corona "Clipper" might be a particularly good choice -- they're very easy to use, easy to clean, and have a very pleasing style.

When buying, check the condition of the rubber parts -- be especially attentive to the small rollers that hold the paper against the base of the platen. You don't want flattened sides on these rollers because this will keep the paper from feeding smoothly, and if a typewriter has been stored in a hot attic for any length of time they *will* be flat. You can replace these rollers, if you're determined, but it's not always easy or cheap, and you might be better off looking for a machine where the rollers are still round.

Most portables tend to be reasonably clean, if they've been kept in cases, and if the rubber is good, they don't usually need much more than a spot of oil to work smoothly.

 

[Dinerman]

A friend of the family just gave me this typewriter. A spiritual replacement, if you will, for my last one, which I loaned to a friend while back in Canada and never got back.

It's a 1917 model portable folding Corona.

 

[David Conwill]

About a year ago a family friend dropped off an old Underwood desk model at my house. I'm sorry to say it sat in my basement until yesterday. I finally had the presence of mind to drag it to the office with me and run the serial number (6,632,646). Turns out it's a "Master" of 1949 vintage (sometime between July 1 and December 31, to be precise).

Haven't played with it yet, though, so i don't know how well it works. It certainly could use a good cleaning.

I still have my Smith-Corona portable, but it's at home now.

 

[Auld Edwardian]

I am the proud owner of a late 1930's English "Imperial" portable that even has the original keys for the case. It was given to me by a gentleman that had been a British Merchant Navy Commodore during WW II. His ship was a BP tanker and was bombed several times during the war. One time it almost sank and limped into Malta. He used it to write his his reports on it during the war. I felt very special when he offered it to me.

 

[Lily Powers]

This is the 1936 Royal typewriter I got from eBay. Seller had the "original case" and the business card of the Coast Guard officer who owned it. I was so happy to have the history of it that I actually researched the officer, printed his UC Berkeley photo from the 1936 yearbook and anxiously awaited the arrival of the typewriter (and yes, the word "geek" has been used to describe me). Unfortunately, it arrived damaged - shift keys were bent and jammed. From the original photos of it, I could see the damage occurred during shipping. Seller paid for repair and the guy who fixed it showed me that the bolts in the case jammed the keys because the case was made for a post-war typewriter, not this 1936 model. I was disappointed because the big appeal of the typewriter was that I had all this history on its "original owner," but I love it anyway and it works like a dream! It's in my office and I keep paper in it so I can type out a rant or random thoughts. My coworkers like to come in and type something and we had a running "story" going on (someone would type a line, someone else would add another line to the story...). I also use it for art projects and Christmas and birthday cards. I didn't realize how weak my pinkie fingers are after being spoiled on the ease of the computer keyboards, but nothing beats the sound of the keys clacking and the bell dinging on this 76-year old beauty!

 

[TraditionalFrog]

I learned to type on an old manual of my mom's as a child back in the 1980's. I used to have fun making many a homemade newspaper. Wasn't much use to me otherwise as all grade school work back then had to be handwritten (cursive, not block print or a curso-print that so many youngsters use today).

Before I was in high school my grandma gave me a manual of my own. It served me well through high school. Sadly neither of the two exisit anymore. I'm not sure what mom did with hers. I think she disposed of it in the mid 90's when my family moved. The one I had got ruined by a dorm mate (I attended a boarding school) who got the keys jammed and decided to be a "Mr. Fix It Yourself" instead of asking me. The repair costs involved were more than I could afford then as a student.

As a result of my friend's use of "the golden screwdriver", I ended up doing most of my senior year using an electronic word processor (electronic typewriter with a computer monitor and floppy drive) in the school library. I never could use the blasted things properly like the typewriter. The ones the school had were so cheap that my floppy kept getting jammed. They tried, but to no avail to get me to pay for a replacement for one because no one could get my floppy out. Not my fault the equipment was so cheap.

Computers are OK, but nothing takes the place of the feel, sound (clackety-clack), and smell of a good old manual typewriter. I'm looking to find a good pre-1950s (preferably a mid 1930s Royal portable) one but the good ones are all sooo expensive, the one's in my price range either need work, don't work, or look half rusted. :-/

 

[kiwilrdg]

BEWARE:
I have been generating replicca paperwork on my old Underwood #5 and I am having a bit of trouble typing on a modern keyboard because I am hitting the keys too hard.

 

[TraditionalFrog]

Kiwilrdg - That happens! It was one of the issues I had when using the electronic word processors. I've got used to computer keyboards now as sadly, I haven't had use of a typewriter since 1993. Hopefully, that will soon change!

 

[kiwilrdg]

My main problem is that I get used to having curled fingers with my hands over the keys when I type. I can get pretty consistent keystrokes on the typwriter but I keep having double strikes on the computer.

On the plus side, I am old enough that I can function without spellcheck on the typewriter and I stopped trying to use erasers and white-out on the computer months ago.

 

[TraditionalFrog]

I generally keep spell check features turned off for the most part, they just get in the way. I don't need them. If I am unsure of a spelling, I just pull my dictionary off my shelf. White-Out... eew! That's nasty stuff.

When I was about nine I had the privilege of using Sister Ruth's typewriter. In an attempt to correct a mistake, I ended up dumping a whole bottle of White-Out down her typewriter. Let's just say that didn't go over to well. After that I stuck to backspacing and "xxx" or using one of those typewriter erasers, the kind like a pencil that had the eraser at one end and a brush on the other. Those didn't work too well come to think of it. Just hope you never have to use carbons...

 

[WH1]

Excellent piece on CBS Sunday Morning by Bill Giest about the Typewriter renaissance. I was fortunate to pickup a WWII issue Royal with the original Army issue typewriter desk, only paid $30. It is in excellent condition.

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

Yes if was a nice piece I remeber it from last fall. Nice that they rerun the pieces in the summer.