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    1. Congratulations and welcome to the club! Definitely the machine of a serious writer or novelist. These were the workhorses of newspapers and magazines through the 70s and 80s. In my mind, it's the last truly great manual typewriter ever manufactured.

      Well known users of the Olympia SG3 included: Ingeborg Bachmann, Jimmy Breslin, Paddy Chayefsky, Philip K. Dick, Harlan Ellison, Michael Ende, Howard Fast, Jim Lehrer, Elmore Leonard, William E. Leuchtenburg, Terrence McNally, James Michener, Dudley Randall, and Wallace Stegner

      Robert Redford used one in the movie ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN.

      img

      If you need a manual: https://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/tw-manuals.html

      Ribbon is still easily found: https://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/tw-faq.html#q1

      The Olympia SG3 uses 1/2" wide (12.7mm) typewriter ribbon, which has been standardized as DIN2103, in combination with the Group 1 spool, designated as DIN 32755. (Doesn't need eyelets.)

      Other useful resources available at: https://boffosocko.com/research/typewriter-collection/

      reply to u/Prudent_Highway_1855 at https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1tdy2eu/my_first_typewriter/

    1. You could sew two different ribbons together and set a grommet in the seam. That's basically how the original 4-color ribbon is. Even with the original ribbon you had to wind the ribbon to the middle and undo the ribbon from the vibrator and swap the side the middle grommet is on to change the color.

      Via Ted Munk at https://typewriterdatabase.com/1969-sears-medalist-power-12.24661.typewriter

    1. reply to u/Personman444 at https://reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1tcuxxu/how_to_restore_case/

      RE: 1950s Royal typewriter case

      Typically these were fabric glued onto fiberglass, so you can do fairly well with soap and water with a scrub brush and then letting it air dry. This should help to remove the staining. You can use more aggressive cleaners as long as they don't dissolve the glue. I've used a Green Bissel wet vac on these with some reasonable success in the past.

      0000 steel wool will often help clean off/clean up the metal parts, though you should test an inconspicuous part first. Following up with metal polish can give you some shine.

      The handle is plastic and a gentle clean followed by a coat of car wax will do wonders.

    1. James, thanks for the research and advertisements. Having just picked up one of these in lovely condition, I would generally agree with your assessment on the delineation of the two models: a "Report Electric" and a "Report de Luxe (SKE)".

      Currently the TWdB has three different pages for what one might call the Olympia Report de Luxe (SKE) and which could be concatenated into a single model on one page:

      1. "Olympia Report" https://typewriterdatabase.com/Olympia.Report.61.bmys with two exemplars from '75 and '78 which are explicitly badged as "Olympia Report de Luxe" on the hood

      2. "Olympia Report deLuxe" https://typewriterdatabase.com/Olympia.Report+deLuxe.61.bmys which are all the badged the same, but somehow seem to have left the space between the "de" and "Luxe" out.

      3. "Olympia SKE Report de Luxe" https://typewriterdatabase.com/Olympia.SKE+Report+de+Luxe.61.bmys which are all badged as "Report de Luxe" on the hood, but which include the SKE in the name because of the sticker on the side.

      Personally, for ease of internet search most are likely to search for "Olympia Report de Luxe" though some may see the sticker near the power cord that reads "Typewriter Model SKE" (either on their physical machine or photos on eBay, Goodwill, etc.), so listing it in the database as "Olympia Report de Luxe (SKE)" may make the search most fruitful.

      If the renaming of these three pages, which seem to be for a single model, does occur it would be useful to do a 403 redirect from the original pages to the final page so that the search engine optimization for these pages isn't lost. Adding a note to the model on the main Olympia page will help to clear up the details for future typewriter hunters as well.

      Reply to https://typewriterdatabase.com/1973-olympia-report-electric.27118.typewriter

    1. If we're going to do history, let's get it right. The Royal HH and REs offered color in the '52-54 range, but they were the exception rather than the rule. These are very difficult to find now. The Quiet De Luxes didn't get color until into 1956 and continued until 1958 when they were replaced by the (also) colorful Royal Futuras.

      There were pockets of the late 20s and early 30s when Royal and Underwood among others experimented with color on portables as well, but these tended to be more basic reds, blues, and greens. The Corona 4s models were finished in DuPont DUCO® from 1927 to 1939. In a similar time period the Royal P also came in a small variety of colors.

      img

    1. The result is quite shiny. There is no visible yellow grain. The slightly silvery spots that I damaged are almost not visible anymore, thanks to the added yellow color of the shellac. There are a couple dust spots visible, if you look: perfection is not of this world. But the good thing about shellac is that you could sand the top again a little, and apply more shellac - or just do that without sanding. The alcohol dissolves the shellac, so you can always add new coats.

      Erik Bruchez describes how he used shellac and denatured alcohol to re-shellac his Yost 20 followed up with 600 grit sandpaper to smooth things back out as necessary.

    2. the front panel’s paint and decal were very matte, and had signs of yellowing outside the decal. Everyone who has dealt with a Royal 5 (in particular) might know a case of this illness: the paint appears dirty and uneven with some yellow, grainy stuff around the decals. You cannot clean over decals too much: the golden color will go away to reveal silver, and eventually you will destroy the decals completely.But I had heard that that yellow stuff, on some machines at least, was shellac: that the decals were originally applied and then shellacked. For some reason, on the Royal 5 in particular, the shellac had a tendency over time to dry and become apparent and grainy.
    1. Sewing machines and typewriters from this era use shellac, which is a natural ish material. If improperly cared for in the past that’s what happens. One thing to check how the shellac is, is to shine a bright light on the black area. If it has a green tint, then shellac is there, if it’s black it is not. But that yellowing is the shellac. Normally I would gently clean with water and a soft rag. Then a light car polish and then a good wax to seal it.

      via Tyler Alan Macek at https://www.facebook.com/groups/705152958470148/posts/1255908216727950/

      A black light is potentially better, but a bright light should work too.

    2. Use kerosene or mineral spirits to clean the machine. I wouod go with kerosene to be honest. Then redo the shellac finish with french polishing. This is heavy documented with old sewing machines as they use these gold decals that f becomes silvered when water or cleaning solvents touch them.

      via Luke Fuji at https://www.facebook.com/groups/705152958470148/posts/1255908216727950/

    1. Courtesy of @Pelicram ❤ : Peli's Shellac Rescue Formula aka The Cowboy's Delight. This will help bring back a deeper black color shellaced panels which have been yellowed and damaged by UV over the years. With enough elbow grease it will remove the old shellac completely but it takes a very long time and you're likely to damage any decals present on the panel. In most cases the procedure described below will be sufficient to restore the appearance to an acceptable level. The recipe: 70% Light machine oil. 30% IPA (Isopropyl Alcohol) or White/Mineral Spirits. Ideally use an oil that is dissolved into the IPA/Mineral Spirits, if they settle into separate layers make sure you shake the mixture thoroughly before applying. Mix the oil and solvent in something like a dropper bottle or similar vessel for convenient application. Clean part with Fulgentin (Or general purpose cleaner of your choice) and wipe dry.,Apply oil/ipa mix to part and rub in lightly with clean microfiber cloth or shop towel. Use plenty of the mix, it should not feel dry.,Wipe with microfiber cloth after 15 minutes to get rid of any excess.,Do not apply any kind of wax (like Renessaince Wax) afterwards, from my testing it will bring back the haziness.

      https://discord.com/channels/639936208734126107/639938269030907914/1302694827682697330

      Pelicram's Shellac Rescue Formula aka The Cowboy's Delight.

      This will help bring back a deeper black color shellaced panels which have been yellowed and damaged by UV over the years. With enough elbow grease it will remove the old shellac completely but it takes a very long time and you're likely to damage any decals present on the panel. In most cases the procedure described below will be sufficient to restore the appearance to an acceptable level.

      The recipe: - 70% Light machine oil. - 30% IPA (Isopropyl Alcohol) or White/Mineral Spirits.

      Ideally use an oil that is dissolved into the IPA/Mineral Spirits, if they settle into separate layers make sure you shake the mixture thoroughly before applying.

      Mix the oil and solvent in something like a dropper bottle or similar vessel for convenient application.

      • Clean part with Fulgentin (Or general purpose cleaner of your choice) and wipe dry.
      • Apply oil/ipa mix to part and rub in lightly with clean microfiber cloth or shop towel. Use plenty of the mix, it should not feel dry.
      • Wipe with microfiber cloth after 15 minutes to get rid of any excess.
      • Do not apply any kind of wax (like Renessaince Wax) afterwards, from my testing it will bring back the haziness.
    1. You’re correct it’s a typewriter table. The 28 inch height is called clerical height, which is 2 inches lower than desk height, which is 30 inches. The drawer is to hold typing paper, carbon paper and second sheets because copy machines have not been invented you always need a copy of whatever you typed for your own personal records. those tables were usually made out of red oak, which was adorable and not expensive. Pittsburgh Office Equipment, as I remember, was located on Carson St. in Pittsburgh.

      comment via Joe Eisaman at https://www.facebook.com/groups/TypewriterCollectors/posts/10163611818554678/

      in relation to a table of dimensions 32 x17 x28".

    1. Retired announcer Bob Carpenter is on pace to sell 2,500 of his scorebooks this year, 50% more than he moved in 2021, which was a record season for him at the time. Wisconsin-based Numbers Game launched in 2022 and has seen sales double each year since, with customers split 50/50 between men and women. More than 10,000 people now visit the Reddit page dedicated to scoring baseball games on a weekly basis.

      MLB Scorebook Sales Are Rising as Baseball Scorekeeping Has a Moment<br /> by [[Jacob Feldman]]<br /> accessed on 2026-05-12T10:27:43

    1. It turns out our friend Tom has been scoring games with a typewriter since at least 2013!

      Keeping score at a baseball game with a typewriter is not only possible but is also a much more detailed record of the match. (ORTEGA. Full count! Fouled back three in a row ... OH, THAT BALL’S LANDIN’ WHERE THE FANS ARE STANDIN’!!! Walk. Off. Home. Run. Thanks for your attendance and drive safely.) —Tom Hanks in "I Am TOM. I Like to TYPE. Hear That?" on Aug. 3, 2013 in the New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/04/opinion/sunday/i-am-tom-i-like-to-type-hear-that.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

      cc: u/lou_spirito<br /> u/Informal-Writer-1140<br /> u/oogieball<br /> u/joe_skidiachi_irl

      Other examples of his scoring efforts: - https://www.reddit.com/r/BaseballScorecards/comments/1jn2475/yes_tom_hanks_does_schlep_a_typewriter_to_ball/ - https://www.reddit.com/r/BaseballScorecards/comments/1jm0l8k/tom_hanks_keeps_score/ - https://www.reddit.com/r/BaseballScorecards/comments/1jm4pie/tom_hanks_scorecard/

      Posted at https://reddit.com/r/BaseballScorecards/comments/1tb7fbw/tom_hanks_scoring_baseball_games_via_typewriter/

    1. You can choose the typewriter to match your sound signature.Remingtons from the 1930s go THICK THICK. Midcentury Royals sound like a voice repeating the word CHALK. CHALK. CHALK CHALK. Even the typewriters made for the dawning jet age (small enough to fit on the fold-down trays of the first 707s), like the Smith Corona Skyriter and the design masterpieces by Olivetti, go FITT FITT FITT like bullets from James Bond’s silenced Walther PPK. Composing on a Groma, exported to the West from a Communist country that no longer exists, is the sound of work, hard work. Close your eyes as you touch-type and you are a blacksmith shaping sentences hot out of the forge of your mind.
    1. reply to u/LillieLogang at https://reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1tacody/light_touch_jcpenney/

      Before you go too deeply here, is the ribbon made of cloth material (nylon, silk, or cotton) or is it a plastic film/carbon type? And if the latter, is it a proprietary cartridge or typewriter spools? Cartridges with carbon can be difficult if not impossible to find.

      There's only one Penny's toy typewriter in the database currently which may give you some idea: https://typewriterdatabase.com/1970-jc-penney-j6772-toy-typewriter.11484.typewriter I don't see these pop up often, but there is a related one listed on SGW right now: https://shopgoodwill.com/item/263548866 which may have some unused "ribbon" you might cannibalize if necessary.

      It looks like it may have been a rebranded version of some of the PETITE toy typewriters. https://typewriterdatabase.com/no_info.525.typewriter-serial-number-database

      Many of these toys are difficult to adjust or fix (if at all), but they tend to be very simple in terms of the mechanics, so you might be able to puzzle out what isn't working and why by looking at it with the hood removed.

  2. May 2026
    1. I believe a case can be made–indeed a case has been made by others, by historians of Apple and hacker culture–that “Secrets of the Little Blue Box,” a story I wrote for Esquire back in 1971 about “phone phreaks” and the first computer hackers (it was only the second magazine story I’d ever had published) played a crucial role in the careers of the founders of Apple and of a legendary ur-hacker I made famous who went by the name of Captain Crunch.
    2. For the first 10 years of my life as a writer, I was a deeply agonized, chronically blocked writer, and it was not until I devised a method of writing-by-rewriting on my Olympia Report Deluxe that I was able to become a productive–if still slow and labor-intensive–writer. It’s not just superstition that kept me from switching to a computer; I suppose I could adopt my rewriting-from-the-top method to a computer if I were to print out each successive draft and rewrite the next one on the screen, then print that out and start rewriting from the top again.
    1. Oral history questions for Richard Polt on typewriter collecting:

      Over the years Joe Van Cleave has done a handful of videos on selectivity and downsizing of one's typewriter collection including: <br /> - The Minimal Complete Typewriter Collection https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Ej6kd1FsnE <br /> - Culling the Herd https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_ueHE3Whjk <br /> - Downsizing Your Typewriter Collection https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eic4lNE0l3Y

      And Sarah Everett has one "what's your deserted island typewriter?" (if I had to pick 5 typewriters....) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFqJa9kD-v0

      All this to ask Richard: what your downsizing experience has been? What were the criteria by which you chose what to keep? Did you more closely focus your collection into an area, era, style, other? Are you primarily keeping the things you tend to use more frequently? Things in better condition? You started out with how many to end up with how many? If you could start your collecting over from scratch what would you change? Are there things you wouldn't get the second time around? Things you would have spent more time focusing on? What will you continue to collect and at what rate? Naturally, collecting is a very personal thing with respect to individual's specific tastes and experiences (and frequently space!), but I suspect answers to some of these may help others, especially those who are just starting into collecting, or who have a dozen or two machines but who might find value on where and how to potentially focus their efforts. It may also help other collectors and their families who are dealing with appropriately disposing of significant collections, especially in cases where a deceased collector was very passionate and the family just wants to be rid of them quickly (i.e. ideas like Swedish death cleaning and related).

      I'm sure reflections on these would be an interesting typecast, but if it's easier to do something like an oral history interview, I'm happy to collect these and a few dozen more questions into an interview format if you've got 30-60 minutes in the coming months to devote to a remote audio/video interviews/mini-podcast or YouTube episode or something similar?

    1. reply to https://www.facebook.com/groups/TypewriterCollectors/posts/10161712887224678/

      to Steve Clancy Zach Hubbird Jean Brunet

      I'm curious what the sourcing is on your differentiation of the two models? Are there manuals, advertising, or other details to back up the differences? From what I can see, the phrase "Rhythm Touch" seems to have been an advertising tag for the Underwood SS which started a few months after production of the SS began and there wasn't any difference in them other than the advertising tag.

      Robert Messenger has some scant history on the machine and the differences, primarily due to a redesign at the time, at https://oztypewriter.blogspot.com/2012/11/on-this-day-in-typewriter-history_25.html. The primary change from the S to the SS seems to have been a move from a carriage shift to a basket shift and so it seems somewhat fitting that Underwood uses the phrase "Rhythm Touch" as an advertising gimmick much like Smith-Corona were doing with their "Floating Shift" marketing.

      Generally standards at the time were not differentiated by different trim lines as standards had all the bells and whistles for office use (potentially aside from custom use cases like decimal tabulators or extra wide carriage). Meanwhile all the trim variations were generally seen in the portable market geared toward home use rather than office. This would seem to support the idea that there's only the SS and "Rhythm Touch" is only an advertising tag line as the SS was newly introduced in January of '46 and "Rhythm Touch" appears around July '46.

      There's also some discussion on the TWdB in the commentary at https://typewriterdatabase.com/1950-underwood-ss.23202.typewriter which may add to the question.

      I'm curious to hear everyone's thoughts on the idea/thesis that the only model is the Underwood SS which is being marketed as the "Rhythm Touch" or evidence to the contrary to refute the claim.

    1. The standard collection of Berkeley's work is the nine volume The Works of George Berkeley, Bishop of Cloyne edited by Jessup and Luce, and the standard collection of Hume's work is the eight volume Clarendon Hume Edition Series under Beauchamp, Norton, and Stewart as general editors. For the Berkeley, your professor probably has in mind the collection Philosophical Works; Including the Works on Vision edited by Ayers. For the Hume, the Selby-Bigge/Nidditch editions were standard until recently and remain widely used. For the Kant, the standard edition is The Cambridge Edition of the Works of Immanuel Kant series which is under the general editorship of Guyer and Wood but which includes work by other translators as well. And the Pluhar translation of Kant's Critique of Pure Reason, which was the previous standard, remains widely used.

      via u/wokeupabug at https://www.reddit.com/r/askphilosophy/comments/1i9c0ni/the_definitive_edition_of_george_berkeleys_work/

    1. Differentiating between an Underwood SS and the Underwood Rhythm Touch:

      comment to James Grooms at https://typewriterdatabase.com/show.23202.typewriter

      James, perhaps it's hiding somewhere else in the comments on the database, but I'm curious if you've come across definitive differences between the Underwood SS and the Underwood Rhythm Touch models which have separate pages within the database:<br /> - SS https://typewriterdatabase.com/Underwood.SS.4.bmys - Rhythm Touch https://typewriterdatabase.com/Underwood.Rhythm+Touch.4.bmys

      Most of my Google searches don't return anything definitive or with actual sourcing of any sort.

      The main page has the SS starting in May 1946 and the Rhythm Touch beginning in July of that year, but doesn't seem to specify between the two in any substantive way. Neither of the two models seems to have had a name printed on it.

      Your description here uses both designators, but knowing your penchant for newspaper and magazine advertisements, I would suspect you may have seen specific differentiators.

      This Facebook post has some handwaving differentiators: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TypewriterCollectors/posts/10161712887224678/ but none seem definitive or sourced. It also uses the phrase carriage shift, though presumably with these models Underwood had moved to a segment/basket shift on their standards.

      Other than the chrome side detailing moving from 3 strips to 5 as you've noted, one of the few differentiators I can see in this era is the shift from the shorter carriage return lever to the longer armed version around 1948 which Robert Messenger notes in https://oztypewriter.blogspot.com/2012/11/on-this-day-in-typewriter-history_25.html. However that same page also has an advertisement on it with the words Rhythm Touch featuring a short armed (older style) carriage return.

      Is there really a difference between the SS and the Rhythm Touch or are they the same model with the phrase "Rhythm Touch" used as a marketing tag to compete potentially with Smith-Corona's "Floating Shift"?

      Thanks!

    1. SIMPLEX MACHINE RESTORATION CHECKLISTQuick guide for inspection, cleaning, and maintenance 1. MODEL IDENTIFICATIONCheck what applies:• ☐ Baby Simplex• ☐ Simplex Toy Typewriter• ☐ Practical Simplex (100 / 160 / 240 / 400)• ☐ Simplex Model A• ☐ Simplex Model B• ☐ Simplex Model C• ☐ Simplex Model D• ☐ Simplex Model E• ☐ Simplex Model 300• ☐ Simplex Model 2 ½• ☐ Simplex Model 3 (Large Size)• ☐ Simplex No. 2• ☐ Simplex No. 3• ☐ Improved Simplex Typewriter• ☐ Practical Typewriter No. 2• ☐ Practical Typewriter No. 3• ☐ Simplex Typewriter – 36 characters• ☐ Simplex Typewriter – 72 characters• ☐ Simplex Typewriter – Uppercase (Note Size)• ☐ Simplex Typewriter – Upper + Lowercase (Note Size)• ☐ Simplex Portable Typewriter• ☐ Simplex No. 8other model________________________________________ 2. INITIAL DIAGNOSISGeneral condition:• ☐ Complete• ☐ Missing parts• ☐ Visible damage• ☐ Rust• ☐ Dry wood• ☐ Dial blocked• ☐ Carriage stuck________________________________________ 3. DIAL / CHARACTER WHEEL• ☐ Turns freely• ☐ Turns with resistance• ☐ Blocked• ☐ Letters readable• ☐ Letters worn• ☐ Visible dirt• ☐ Shaft lubricated________________________________________ 4. CARRIAGE AND ROLLER• ☐ Carriage advances• ☐ Carriage does not advance• ☐ Soft roller• ☐ Hardened roller• ☐ Clean guides• ☐ Dirty guides• ☐ Functional spring• ☐ Loose spring________________________________________ 5. CLEANINGSurfaces:• ☐ Dust removed• ☐ Gentle damp cleaning• ☐ Fully driedDial:• ☐ Cleaned with cotton swab• ☐ Avoided touching letters• ☐ Shaft lubricatedCarriage:• ☐ Roller cleaned• ☐ Guides lubricatedMetal base:• ☐ Surface rust treated• ☐ Deep rust stabilizedWood base:• ☐ Hydrated• ☐ Waxed________________________________________ 6. LUBRICATION• ☐ Dial shaft• ☐ Carriage guides• ☐ Advance mechanism• ☐ No excess oil________________________________________ 7. INKING SYSTEM• ☐ Soft pads• ☐ Hardened pads• ☐ Replacement needed• ☐ Re-inking done• ☐ Proper ink (oil-based)________________________________________ 8. REPAIRS PERFORMED• ☐ Dial unblocked• ☐ Carriage adjusted• ☐ Spring tightened• ☐ Gears cleaned• ☐ Screws replaced• ☐ Base stabilized________________________________________ 9. FINAL TESTS• ☐ Dial rotates 360° without sticking• ☐ Carriage advances several lines• ☐ Clear printing• ☐ No metallic noises• ☐ No excess lubricant• ☐ Paper feeds correctly________________________________________ 10. STORAGE• ☐ Stored in breathable box or cover• ☐ Moisture-absorbing packet included• ☐ Away from direct light• ☐ In a dry, stable environment________________________________________ FINAL RESULT• ☐ Full restoration• ☐ Partial restoration• ☐ Pending parts• ☐ Preventive conservation only• ☐ Full restoration• ☐ Partial restoration• ☐ Pending parts• ☐ Preventive conservation only

      https://www.facebook.com/Breogan51/posts/pfbid02KK2N5eB2iBtsJuCfkbS9buv57HYdax8fxemtHjDgLLd3vb9Pc49QocwVAw2emEaql

    1. Welcome to the typewriter club, and congratulations on your Royal HH.

      Preceded by the Royal KMM and the Royal KMG, the Royal HH was manufactured from 1952 to 1957 when it was replaced by the Royal FP, though it continued to sell well, even on the used market with newspaper advertising until the early 1980s.

      Here's a copy of the original manual from 1952: https://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/royalhh.pdf

      The Royal HH was offered in Charcoal Grey smooth, Nile Green smooth, Horizon Blue smooth, Coral Rose, Gray Frieze, Royaltone Dark Gray wrinkle, Royaltone Light Gray wrinkle but far and away, the standard brown with green plastic keys was the most ubiquitous.

      Well known users of the Royal HH typewriter included: William F. Buckley, Jr., Charles Bukowski, George Burns, Herb Caen, Truman Capote, Bruce Catton, Patty Chayefsky, Don DeLillo, Alice Denham, James T. Farrell, Paul Fussell, Hugh Hefner, Elia Kazan, Sterling North, Robert B. Parker, Sylvia Plath, Mario Puzo, Robert Penn Warren, Eudora Welty, and William Zinsser. You can find photos of most of these writers with their machines at https://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/typers.html.

      The Royal HH has appeared in movies including:

      These typewriters were especially appreciated by journalists:

      Newsroom at The Masters featuring dozens of Royal HH typewriters.

      img

      Spools and Ribbon:<br /> The spools for the standard Royal typewriters (Ten, H, KH, KHM, KMM, KMG, RP, HH, FP, Empress, 440, 660, etc.) have a custom metal mechanism for their auto-reverse. The spools are known as the T1 (which is the same as General Ribbon part # T1-77B , T1-77BR, and Nu-Kote B64.) If winding on universal ribbon onto them, remove the eyelette which isn't needed and may interfere with the auto reverse.

      If you're missing the original spools, Ribbons Unlimited carries them: https://www.ribbonsunlimited.com/6N064-Royal-Standard-Electric-Ribbon-64-p/6n064.htm or you might source an original metal pair from a local repair shop.

      Duane of Phoenix Typewriter has a video about how to change and spool up your Royal standard.

      Collector Sarah Everett can show you most of the functions on her YouTube Channel for Just My Typewriter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0Zvc1m-8aI.

      Some additional history can be found here: https://oztypewriter.blogspot.com/2012/11/on-this-day-in-typewriter-history_9.html.

      For additional resources on typewriters, collecting, repairing, and using them see: https://boffosocko.com/research/typewriter-collection/.

      Happy typing!

      Reply to u/MertwithYert at https://old.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1swf5pn/ive_got_two_type_writers_id_greatly_appreciate/

    1. Verlon H. Pridgen Obituary It is with profound sadness and heartbreak that our family announces the passing of Verlon “Bill” Huey Pridgen on October 28th, 2024, at the age of 87 while surrounded by loved ones. Bill was born on February 1, 1937, to Morgan and Annie Pridgen in Samson, Alabama. He moved to Florida when he was young, where he lived out the rest of his life. While in high school in South Florida, Bill met the love of his life, Barbara Pridgen. Bill and Barbara married in 1957 and completed their family with their two children, Marc and Lesli. From 1959 to 1961, Bill proudly served in the United States Army. He was stationed at Fort Lewis in Washington and spent time serving in Germany. After retiring from the Army, Bill continued his lifelong career of working on typewriters. He eventually became the owner of McDavid Typewriter Service from 1970 to 2024. His love for all typewriters and his passion for repairing and restoring the machines earned him the endearing title of “Typewriter Genius”. As a devoted follower of Christ, Bill raised his family wrapped up in the love of God. He was an amazing role model and continually showed the love of God to those he encountered through his actions and words. He gave glory to God in all things. Bill was exceptionally committed to his church family at Trinity Baptist Church where he served in the choir and Cubbies. He also volunteered as a coach for their youth sports program. Exemplifying God always, Bill made the world a brighter place for 87 years. Bill is survived by a son, Marc (Donna) Pridgen; a daughter, Lesli (Greg) Wheeler; grandchildren, Ashley (John Robert) Pridgen-Blake, Gregory Wheeler Jr., Samantha (Curtis) Burkhardt, Alison (Garrett) Pridgen, Cindy Pridgen, Hannah Wheeler, Luke Wheeler, and Simon Wheeler; great-grandchildren, Skarlette Blake, Jackson Blake, and Lena Wheeler; and brothers, Donald (Sheila) Pridgen and Jerry (Marion) Pridgen. Bill was a cherished husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and friend. He was preceded in death by his wife of 67 years, Barbara Pridgen; father, Morgan Pridgen; his mother, Annie Pridgen; and brothers, Gary Pridgen, and Robert Pridgen.Visitation will be held at 10am on Saturday, November 2nd, 2024, followed by the funeral service at 11am at Trinity Baptist Church at 3716 State Rd 21, Keystone Heights, FL, 32656. Interment will follow at Eliam Cemetery at 821 State Rd 21, Melrose, FL, 32666.In lieu of flowers, we ask that you donate to Haven Hospice to help their mission of honoring life by providing comfort, care, and compassion to individuals and families they serve. You can donate online at https://beyourhaven.org/donate or by mail to 4200 NW 90th Blvd, Gainesville, FL 32606. Cemetery Eliam Cemetery 821 State Road 21 Melrose FL 32666

      https://www.forestmeadowsfh.com/obituaries/Verlon-H-Pridgen?obId=42124630

    1. Both have the same serial again. Resellers like this are not doing any favours for the community. Brooksaw: https://www.ebay.com/itm/318227695061 Kyle’sLost&Found: https://www.ebay.com/itm/157839087546

      https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1t0569c/brooksaw_at_it_again_another_service_worth_2800/

      The typewriter community not appreciating Brooksaw Antiques buying a typewriter for $200 and then, upon receipt, posting it for $2,800 as "near mint" without any servicing beyond cleaning the slugs.

    1. The collector in me says you ought to get a Royal 10 as your 10th machine. But what do I know? I bought a Remington 17 as my 17th and I'm looking forward to the days I'll buy the milestone Remington Ten Forty or the eventual Hermes 3000! 😁

      If it helps, at Virtual Hermans 2022, Richard Polt recommended someone justify their continued typewriter collecting to their skeptical wife as an "investment" because typewriters are holding their value well.

      I personally don't have a typewriter collecting problem, I have a typewriter ribbon collecting problem that's compounded by need to both store and use them in their original historical context.

  3. Apr 2026
    1. So, I fear the answer is that there is nothing practical to be done, but if anyone has any ideas of how to lighten the dark keytops, I'm all ears. My only thought is the risky move of printing new papers, but I just know I'd get the size and font wrong.But after years of neglect, I think she deserves to feel beautiful again. She's royalty, after all.

      reply to Zachary Thede at https://www.facebook.com/groups/721704878218903/posts/3075801049475929

      It's definitely doable! The only way to do this is to remove the keyrings (preferably with a keyring pliers, otherwise it's incredibly tedious) and to physically replace the key legends with new ones. Richard Polt has some of the process described here as well as as high resolution scans that you can use to print out keys. https://writingball.blogspot.com/2016/10/legendary.html

      Ames Supply Company used to sell keycards for doing this. Some of them had colors including green, so keep this in mind if you try something like creating rainbows across your keyboard or other visual fun. https://typewriterdatabase.com/1960-Ames_Gen_Cat_10-March.misc-supplies.manual

      Our friend Lucas Dul of Chicago Typewriter has a great YouTube video of the tool and some of the process: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYHrBjfQxpM

      As a fun example, Heiko Stolten recently did this on a Remington using custom made legends that use the font from the Netflix series Wednesday: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TypewriterCollectors/posts/10163537426144678/ If you ask nicely, they've got the original files if you need them for printing out .

      Good luck!

    1. reply to u/coffeetoffee92 at https://reddit.com/r/ClassicalEducation/comments/1sxcw5m/well_trained_mind_ancient_history_facts_for/<br /> RE: rote memorization of historical dates

      I've not read Bauer, but I'll suspect that she doesn't teach "serious" rhetoric, much less the fourth canon: memory. She's likely relying on the post-Ramus (15th Century) method of rote memorization rather than the methods used from ancient Greece through Augustine, Aquinas, and Llull.

      I'd start with some mnemonic methods like the method of loci or the Major System to make it much easier for the kid to begin scaffolding memory techniques and make it easier for them to memorize those facts you're talking about.

      For the memory piece, I'd start first with one of the most wide-ranging:

      Kelly, Lynne. 2019. Memory Craft: Improve Your Memory Using the Most Powerful Methods from around the World. Pegasus Books.

      Many of the older classics on memory also include long lists of historically important dates to use. Grey is a good example:

      Grey, Richard (1694-1771). 1799. Memoria Technica, or, A New Method of Artificial Memory. W. Lowndes. https://archive.org/details/memoriatechnica03greygoog/page/n2/mode/2up.

    1. Some will suggest color coding, but I've never understood it as it limits you to about a dozen topics and it presupposes that you'll be interested in those same topics for decades to the exclusion of others. It wholly lacks flexibility.

      I use a card index much like H. Ross Ashby. Start with index cards labeled A-Z, then add topics as you encounter them and add a volume number and page number.

      Thus:

      C<br /> commonplace books: 1-3, 1-88, 4-67 (see also 'Locke, John')<br /> crickets: 2-45<br /> caviar: 3-22, 3-25 (see also 'eggs')

      When you've got a handful of cards for each letter it can be useful to separate things out (a la John Locke) as "CA", "CE", "CI", "CO", "CU" and re-alphabetize to make finding things easier and quicker. At this point it can also be helpful to add tabbed dividers to find the "C" section more quickly. Eventually you may have a single card (or three) with an individual heading for topics you write about frequently. (Naturally you could do a single card for each topic as you start, but it often makes the search process take longer and you'll probably have a lot of lonely, unused cards. It also tends to stifle serendipity and creativity because you're not scanning through your topics as thoroughly or frequently.)

      I tend to write index words either in the margins of my commonplace or underline them with a red pencil within the text to make finding things on the page easier upon later search.

      You can start small with a recipe card box and eventually move your way up to something more industrial as you need it. There are also lots of options in between.

      Indexing can be an art and was also a great science (before Google made everyone lazy), so there are some useful handbooks on the topic below:

      Other related ideas: https://boffosocko.com/research/zettelkasten-commonplace-books-and-note-taking-collection

      reply to u/commonbankpen at https://reddit.com/r/commonplacebook/comments/1syayru/how_do_you_index/

    1. Refreshing dry ribbons:Take a little bottle, fill it with refreshing solution.The violet little thing is a piece of sponge covered by a tissue of textile.So the refreshing solution flows gently through the mouthing of the bottle onto the ribbon.Refreshing solution:- 3 parts pure rubbing alcohol - 1 part castor oil- when needed add oil based stamp ink to darken the ribbon

      via Nils Behr at https://www.facebook.com/groups/TypewriterCollectors/posts/10163547121184678/

      Small bottle used as applicator with a sponge inserted on the top covered by a small square of cloth which is rubberbanded on. This is then applied slowly to the typewriter ribbon on a winder.

    1. Current offerings/pricing (subject to change): 660 yards (full reel) of nylon ribbon in black or black/red for $65 330 yards (half reel) of nylon ribbon in black or black/red for $45 550 yards of silk ribbon in black or black/red for $220 295 yards of cotton in black or black/red for $75

      Silk vs Nylon vs Cotton typewriter ribbon:<br /> Nylon is 0.10 per yard<br /> Silk is 0.40 per yard Cotton is 0.25 per yard

    1. How do you do your numbering system? I had seven categories that I put 1000 to 7000 and split down from there. But now, in my electronic version I'm not worrying about numbering. I actually thought about writing a script that would have a number and then front and back of the cards and then the typing would be just like on a replica of an index card.

      reply to u/Low_Mushroom_810 at https://reddit.com/r/Zettelkasten/comments/1svb99e/bye_bye_physical_zettelkasten/

      People think the numbering system was the "key" to it, but really it's mostly having a consistent filing method so that when you need something you know roughly where to look. Thus filing by a keyword is just as useful.

      Though for those who use numbers, I find that mathematically any numbering system that provides mathematical density and some semblance of order will get you what you need. Because of their ease-of-use and ubiquity, real numbers are sufficient. See also: https://boffosocko.com/2022/10/27/thoughts-on-zettelkasten-numbering-systems/

      Needing to put a number on a note and being forced to file it near something else helps to provide some links and structure which creates "neighborhoods" of ideas such that when you need something, pulling out a tranche of notes will give you "something" (hopefully) useful.

      Within the digital realm, one can often get away without numbering as long as there is some tagging, linking, or other method of strong search so that you can actually find anything. That being said, the usefulness of numbering in analog still carries over to the digital.

      If you're curious about the science of filing, I recommend some of the older texts like:<br /> - Duffield, David Walter, and various other unattributed authors. 1951. Progressive Indexing and Filing. 5th ed. New York, NY: Remington Rand Inc. http://archive.org/details/progressiveindex0000varo (September 27, 2023). - Kahn, Gilbert, and C. Theo Yerian. 1955. Progressive Filing. New York: Gregg Pub. Division, McGraw-Hill. http://archive.org/details/progressivefilin00kahn (September 27, 2023).

    2. I find when I'm with a client, or even a doctor seeing me for one of my medical issues, or just asking somebody for advice, they never flinch if I pull out an index card or two. But if I pull out a notebook it puts up a wall. Sometimes getting off the phone is okay, but most people keep their defenses down with just index cards. And I'm not writing down anything to put them on the spot, but sometimes I just need to jot some things down. And the index card doesn't make it look like this big open thing that I'm going to write down everything they say if there's a beginning middle and end to it.

      via u/Low_Mushroom_810 at https://old.reddit.com/r/Zettelkasten/comments/1svb99e/bye_bye_physical_zettelkasten/