1963, Olympia SG1 - bishop restoration<br /> by [[Alessio Vescovo]]<br /> accessed on 2026-03-11T11:05:46

reply to u/KingCollectA at https://reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1rpr1ha/got_quite_lucky_finding_a_free_olympia_sg1_had_to/

Typically the SG1 has at least 3 serial numbers. Two matching ones on the main body (one hiding deep inside), and the third on the bottom portion of the carriage, which may or may not match the other two. (The carriages were meant to be easily swappable for machines with the same CPI/escapement sizes.) Removing the carriage will usually reveal the body serial number (typically a 7-XXXXXXXXX) format which you can compare with the grid of serial number ranges to see where yours fits in at https://typewriterdatabase.com/olympia.61.typewriter-serial-number-database.

I just got mine and have finished most of its servicing, though one or two small adjustments remain for it to be where I want it to be. Beyond this, it's been spectacular. See also: https://boffosocko.com/tag/Olympia-sg1/

https://old.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1rl3u5p/olympia_sm_4_case/

Olympia SM4 case with viny cover stripped off.

Compare with https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1fkmj9d/i_refinished_my_olympia_sm3_case_a_while_agoheres/

Olympia SM7 Typewriter - How to Remove and Repair a Stuck Tab Brake<br /> by [[The Write Typer]] YouTube<br /> accessed on 2026-03-03T23:50:21

Swelling pot metal or swollen cork can cause the tab brakes on the Olympia SM7 to seize up. One can file down the cork, or even remove one of the four brake elements and still have the system work. The brake drum is held in with an e-clip.

Addressing a COMMON FLAW in the Olympia SM7 typewriter that will ruin your day. Drawband Tab System<br /> by [[HotRodTypewriter]] on YouTube<br /> accessed on 2026-03-03T23:41:58

Remedies for frozen tab brake system on Olympia SM7 typewriters:<br /> Drill a hole and lubricate<br /> Remove all together<br /> Remove and attempt to adjust swollen cork and then attempt to reinstall (patience testing)

https://www.facebook.com/groups/olympiasg1/posts/1506621080656301/

also:

Greg Riutzel:<br /> That's how I see it. I measured it once. I put the ribbon in stencil, typed a lower case "h" and marked approx where the top of the type slug was on the paper. Then repeated with an upper case "H". The marks were just a tad over 7.5 mm apart checking with a rule. No precision of course but close.

The number printed on the ring in the basket of Olympia typewriters, just above and to the left of the word "De Luxe" is the distance from the baseline of the bottom slug character to the baseline of the top slug character.

In many instances it will be 7.6. I'm curious what other typefaces show and if this thesis holds?

https://www.facebook.com/groups/olympiasg1/posts/1594417881876620/

Variety of suggestions for filling in Olympia typewriter keys.

via M. Höhne at https://typewriter.boardhost.com/viewtopic.php?pid=27528#p27528

via Tom Lucas (aka thetypewriterman), professional repair person at https://typewriter.boardhost.com/viewtopic.php?pid=32384#p32384

re: cracking house on tab sets for SG1<br />

Olympia SG-3 German Typewriter, Replaced Paper Injector Broken Handle, Remove Platen Knob<br /> by [[Phoenix Typewriter]] on YouTube<br /> accessed on 2026-03-03T02:20:00

Users of the Olympia SG3 included:<br /> - Ingeborg Bachmann<br /> - Jimmy Breslin<br /> - Paddy Chayefsky<br /> - Philip K. Dick<br /> - Harlan Ellison<br /> - Michael Ende<br /> - Howard Fast<br /> - Jim Lehrer<br /> - Elmore Leonard<br /> - William E. Leuchtenburg<br /> - Terrence McNally<br /> - James Michener<br /> - Dudley Randall<br /> - Wallace Stegner

Users of the Olympia SG1 included: - Charles Bukowski<br /> - William S. Burroughs<br /> - August Derleth<br /> - Bob Dylan<br /> - Harlan Ellison<br /> - Roger Kahn<br /> - Stan Lee<br /> - Mack McCormick<br /> - Joseph Stefano (screenwriter of Psycho)<br /> - Jacqueline Susann

Olympia SG1 1953-72 cleaning (technical restoration)

Partial/very modest teardown and cleaning of an Olympia SG1. Only beginner level. No flush of machine or real blow out.

Interestingly he uses a steel brush to get rid of the brown adhesive where the felt used to be, but doesn't replace it.

Also demonstration of cleaning corrosion off of screw heads with steel brush on a vice.

Carriage work starts at 06:17. He opens it up and then gives up after a modest wipe down. He does show some

Uses a toothpick to oil the joints, but only shows a modest portion of the process.

Olympia Typewriter, Replaced Felt On Inside of Top Lid Cover, Repair Detail<br /> by [[Phoenix Typewriter]] on YouTube<br /> accessed on 2026-02-28T23:33:24

Duane Jensen replaces the felt in the hood of an Olympia SG1. Create a paper template, trace it out onto felt and cut it. Glue it in with contact cement. Some stores felt with self-adhesive on them as well.

3-D printed rubber washers for Olympia SG1 body frame. https://www.ebay.com/itm/317432465869

These appear to be the replacements for catalog part number 34280 - 5x.6 for the spacing washer (rubber) 5mm ID, 12mm OD, 4mm thick on page 61 of the Ames Supply catalog at https://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/OlympiaSG1parts.pdf

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10162847550852775&set=p.10162847550852775&type=3

Olympia quality control sheets had sections for:<br /> - shift (Hh Hh Hh)<br /> - type specimen for all the characters<br /> - Black ribbon test in two lines of all characters<br /> - Red ribbon test in two lines of all characters<br /> - Stencil Test <br /> - Final Proof: "Olympia-Qualitaet findet in der ganzen Welt Anerkennung - sie verbuergt besseres Schreiben."<br /> - Line Spacing: the letter "m" at all settings<br /> - Back Spacer: "rrrrRRRR"

https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1qr703r/identification_help_needed/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/olympiasg1/posts/1549224696395939/

reply to u/rawbran30 at https://old.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1py74mf/internet_hype_trendeffect_and_brand_popularity/

Olympias were imported into the US from the 50s into the 70s and were manufactured at peak typewriter engineering and manufacturing methods before machines slowly got cheaper and cheaper in terms of materials and craftsmanship through the 60s and into the early 80s before typewriters were subsumed by the word processor market.

Compared to Smith-Coronas and Remingtons of the 50s and early 60s (their peaks), Olympias are slightly better manufactured in terms of fit and finish. They're also slightly more modern looking in terms of body shapes and colors compared to other machines, which also helps to drive up price amongst collectors.

Now is an Olympia SM3 or SM9 really so much better than a Smith-Corona Silent Super that they should enjoy an almost 2x jump in price for an unserviced model? Potentially not, but if this is your issue, then buy something from a professional shop that's been cleaned, oiled, and adjusted and a lot of the price differential evaporates.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/327700488548372/?multi_permalinks=1549224696395939

The Elusive Olympia SM6? The Missing Link? Or just a regular old SM2? - YouTube<br /> by [[HotRodTypewriter]]<br /> accessed on 2025-10-26T16:16:00

Another version seen here: https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1ognqwh/olympia_monica/ via u/jbhusker (who subsequently deleted his post and photos of the machine as well as the italic typeface)

UPDATED Watch Woody Allen's Interview with Bill Maher: "Sunset Boulevard" (the Movie) is "Fun Junk," "Streetcar" is "Perfect" - Showbiz411<br /> by [[Roger Friedman]]<br /> accessed on 2025-10-22T10:20:51

Wilhelmshaven: The Emperor's beloved city destroyed in the war<br /> by [[NDR.de]]<br /> accessed on 2025-09-30T15:02:51

I found a video about Wilhelmshaven in 1965 in the vintage section of a German broadcast service. The video is all German. It was made in 1965 and shows how the city developed through the decades. It is 17 minutes long, and the time from 6:30 to 8:30 is dedicated to Olympia Typewriters. You'll see a breathtaking amount of SG1s, workers correcting the letter alignment, workers taking measures on machines, and workers assembling machines in a huge workshop with a deafening typewriter rattle going on. <br /> via r/typewriters u/andrebartels1977 at https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1nun0is/olympia_nerds/

reply to u/Educational-Big-7383 at https://old.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1nkb6ga/why_olympia/

It probably doesn't hurt that Olympia was manufacturing some of the best machines at the height of typewriter manufacturing including the use of great materials (strength, durability), design, and general craftsmanship in the 20th century.

Many of these also tended to be late models which were sold in cases, so they tend to be younger, cleaner, and in much nicer condition that the majority of other typewriters out there, and condition really matters a lot when attempting to compare models. As an extreme, but illustrative comparison, a 1930s Royal portable that was pounded out and left in a barn isn't going to hold a candle to an SM3 that was lightly used and lovingly kept in a closet.

Olympia SM series (part 1, 1948-1964)<br /> by [[x over it]]<br /> accessed on 2025-09-05T17:14:33

https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1muy8n1/an_olympia_sg3_makes_an_appearance_in_mi_the/

https://typecast.munk.org/2011/04/23/1964-nomda-blue-book-olympia-font-styles/

The following were the available Olympia type sizes as listed in the 1964 NOMDA Blue Book:

• 10 pitch (2.6 m/m) pica
• 11 pitch (2.3 m/m) elite
• 12 pitch (2.1 m/m) elite
• 17 pitch (1.5 m/m, calculated)

Not in the NOMDA Blue Book, but found in the wild on a 1971 Olympia SG-3: - 6 pitch (4.2 m/m) with typeface: Basic Writing No. 67

Portable Typewriters Today - February 2015<br /> by [[Will Davis]] on 2015-02-10<br /> accessed on 2025-08-05T16:35:48

Electric Repair Tip: Drive Belt Replacements by [[Sarah Everett]] of [[Just My Typewriter]]

6 pitch would be 4.2 m/m

https://typecast.munk.org/2016/06/15/stephen-colberts-typewriter-alton-brown/

https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1kilq93/olympia_sm2_spotted_in_the11th_doctors_tardis/

Dr. Who S5E1

https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1jlg0l9/new_typewriter_first_typewriter/

The long, thin spring-loaded metal flap labeled the "paper conductor" on the SM3 and SM4 and labeled the "erasing table" on the SM2 are all the same part. They serve a few functions.

They can be used for erasing mistakes certainly and help to keep dust and debris from going into the carriage and rollers.

The "paper conductor" description sounds like a fun translation of something from German into English, but this part also prevents the paper which goes under the paper bail and forces it up and back to the paper table and the paper support. Presumably without it, a slightly curved piece of paper might be misrouted to go right back into the platen a second time as the paper advances.

This sort of paper conductor/dust shield can also be found on some later 1960s+ Smith-Corona (SCM) machines. For example, see the Galaxie II which calls that part the erasure table.

https://old.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1hotobc/upd_finally_solved/

reply to u/NoDoctor4602 at https://old.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1fjrjns/ive_spent_a_few_days_searching_for_any_concrete/

In the mid to late-1950's and after several typewriter manufacturers made limited runs of gold plated typewriters for special anniversaries or for bonuses to salespeople. They're uncommon, but not rare. I've seen at least 6 or seven pop up on auction sites in the last 6 months. If you really want one, watch the lower end of Facebook Marketplace, ShopGoodwill, Craigslist, et al. where one will assuredly pop up for a much more reasonable price. I'm not sure if it was this one or another I've seen since April, but one of these went up for sale on ShopGoodwill.com recently and sold for about $600. A week later it was listed on eBay for several thousand just like this one. Given the timeframe, I doubt they spent any time cleaning, oiling, or adjusting it in any fashion—it was a pure flip. I've also seen this recently with Royal typewriters with a less common, but highly collectible Vogue typeface: a Royal P sold for about $900 there and was listed on eBay shortly after for over $1,500 with no indication that it was cleaned or adjusted. (If you watch some of the sites carefully, you can pick up a Vogue machine for under $100 easily enough depending on the type and condition.)

In my mind, as a collector, I'd try to find one in the wild and clean it up or I'd want it in stunning restored condition for over $2k. You might be just as well off picking up a working model for $100-$150 and gold plating the pieces yourself. It would probably be cheaper in the long run and you'd have a better machine in better condition. Some sucker with money to burn will eventually buy a Gold Olympia SM3 for over $2,000.

Here's a vew posts/videos as examples of gold plated machines:<br /> - A video of another Gold Olympia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnUHgyABjw0<br /> - Royal QDL https://typespec.com/weve-got-gold-in-them-thar-hills/<br /> - https://www.huffpost.com/entry/kasbah-mod-typewriters_n_1453776

If you're looking for something great that you'll use, I recommend visiting a repair shop that has some stock to try out some machines to see if you'd like their touch/fee/aesthetics first. Visiting a type-in or two might give you some experience with a wide variety of typewriter models as well. Then try to find a rare or exceptional version that's worth putting some money into. Why put so much into an Olympia if it turns out you're an Olivetti, Royal, or Smith-Corona person? https://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/tw-repair.html (I desperately love Royals, but Smith-Coronas and Remingtons are much more forgiving of my mediocre typing technique, a fact which pains me dearly and cost a few hundred dollars and some sweat equity in cleaning and tuning machines to discover). Incidentally, I'll mention that for about $2,000 you could easily purchase a wide variety of about two dozen machines (even with shipping) and be able to get something truly exceptional in terms of condition and function.

Incidentally, the higher prices of $250-600 for repaired/refurbished/restored machines being sold by repair shops are usually what Harry Beercan is using as a pricing guide when he's selling his grandmother's musty, broken, old typewriter online not knowing that several hundred dollars in labor and parts has been calculated into the selling price.

https://old.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1f3b3gg/whats_molykote/lkckuwc/

Molykote BR2<br /> Shell grease 6430<br /> Molykote A Depot Fat Technical white oil

Mobil grease 28 (replacement for IBM No. 23 grease in IBM Selectrics) contains clay thickener which many greases don't have Mobil 1 0W-30 (or 0W-20)

See also: https://archive.org/details/olympia-sge-30-spare-parts-catalog-german/page/n23/mode/2up

Willy Wonka's Golden Typewriter - Rare Olympia SM3 & SM4 Typewriters by [[Lazy Dog Typewriters]]

The Minimal Complete Typewriter Collection by [[Joe Van Cleave]]

Joe Van Cleave's personal six categories in a (his) typewriter collection: - Standard manual - medium-sized portable (largest segment in the collector's space) - lightweight portable or ultra-portable - typebar electric - IBM Selectric - Electronic typewriter (thermal typewriter), portable, quiet, battery operation.

Joe's minimal collection based on what he's got in his collection currently and the condition that they're in: - Royal KMM (his only standard) - Hermes 3000 (boxy middle era) - Olympia Splendid 33 (he's also got a Royal Mercury & Groma Kalibri) - Olympia Reporter - Selectric I (the only one he's got) cloth, ribbon cartridge system, no lift-off correction - Canon Typestar 220

Some of Joe's most important criteria in a typewriter: he prefers an elite face, 1 1/2 spacing, and bichrome setting.

At the time of this recording Joe had 30 typewriters.

Tips for Removing and Installing Olympia SM3/SM4 spring loaded typewriter keys by [[The HotRod Typewriter Co.]]

https://www.mrmrsvintagetypewriters.com/en-us/products/olympia-typewriter-case-rubber-foot?_pos=1&_sid=f3b235259&_ss=r

https://munk.org/typecast/2011/04/23/1964-nomda-blue-book-olympia-font-styles/

https://munk.org/typecast/?s=fonts

One to get rid of<br /> by [[Richard Polt]]

Woody Allen Has Used the Same Typewriter for 50 Years! by [[Roger Friedman]] in Showbiz411

Referenced documentary is from PBS: American Masters Woody Allen: A Documentary (2011)

Woody Allen & his Typewriter

He wrote everything with his Olympia SM3 typewriter. He lost the hood "30 years ago".

He literally cuts and staples pieces of typescripts together.