Typewriter Video Series - Episode 121: SCM Skyriter by [[Joe Van Cleave]]

Joe likes this better than the Hermes Rocket. Solid ultra portable.

Typewriter Video Series Episode 407: Remington Ten Forty by [[Joe Van Cleave]]

Joe Van Cleave has used an index card with his typewriter to hold up the back of his typewriter paper on machines (the Ten Forty, for example) which lack a metal support on the back of the paper table.

The Remington Ten Forty typewriter is a half-space machine. This means that when one presses a key, for example the spacebar, the carriage advances a half space and then advances the other half space when released.

Typewriter Video Series - Episode 100: Loosen Up, Brother! by [[Joe Van Cleave]]

Aligning a Montgomery Ward (Brother) Signature 511 by Bill M.

Congratulations on that beautiful machine!

Don't listen to the nay-sayers who likely have very different priorities and esthetics. If this is your machine, and you love it, then "own it".

It does look like a standard (as opposed to portable) typewriter. (Standards are often better and more robust typers due to their size and design.) Likely a Model 1 or Model 2, but I don't have specific knowledge beyond a cursory glance at the typewriter database. You can start by looking at examples of machine types and bodies at https://typewriterdatabase.com/smithcorona.86.typewriter-serial-number-database.

From there, the Model 1 says "Electric Serial Numbers Concurrent with Standard", so scroll down the page and see if you can identify a year based on a serial number you should be able to find underneath the hood. You can try https://typewriterdatabase.com/Smith+Corona.Standard.86.bmys, but I don't see any later models there, so perhaps no one has documented one before and you could be the first.

Then start with Richard Polt's site https://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/ where you may likely find a manual and if you're lucky a repair manual. Surely there will be a few manuals for similar 50s standard S-C manual typewriters which should at least get you started. His site has a wealth of other information to give you pointers. His book The Typewriter Revolution (2015) has good intro chapters on cleaning, basic repair, and restoration. YouTube may have some useful videos as well. The typewriter database will have some later model S-C electric machines which you might try searching for on YouTube as well and it's highly likely that the design changes weren't so drastic that those may help you significantly.

For basic cleaning, try https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjumGF9NFE8 which has some solid advice. Obviously take care with respect to getting the electrical portion of your machine wet.

I've not done any electric machines before, but if I recall, I seem to have read/heard (maybe from Tom Hanks who I know has a 50s electric Smith-Corona) that the early electrics only went as far as doing power for the keys, so it should be reasonably repairable if it doesn't work out of the box.

I'm sure you'll love it. With any luck, you'll also get some serious enjoyment and sense of accomplishment out of cleaning it up. If nothing else, it'll give you a wealth of experience in making the attempt and you can apply that to other machines if you continue collecting and typing. Some of my first machines weren't immediate "successes" until after I'd been able to tinker with others and was able to come back to them with a more experienced hand.

Have fun with it!

reply to https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1cuzy04/please_can_someone_identify_this/

http://www.totallyyourtype.com/2014/01/new-handles-on-cheap.html

I've looked and looked for such a template and printer method to no avail myself. Your best bet here is probably either Avery Multi-use labels (maybe 5418 or 5428 depending on your card tabs) which have templates you can print a sheet at a time, or buying a labeler like the Brother P-touch which has a variety of different colored labels available. A third method is to line up multiple tabbed cards in your typewriter and do 3-4 at a time.

Tabbed cards are significantly more expensive than standard index cards, so if you're all in on this, I'd recommend contacting one of the manufacturers directly and buying in bulk to drive the price down. Alibaba can also be your friend here for a bulk order too. Last year I got a bulk order of 15,000 4x6" index cards for well under $0.005 per card, while the current going rate on Amazon or most office supply stores is $0.02 - $0.03/card.

Let me know if you find someone manufacturing inexpensive tabbed dividers in 1/5, 1/6, 1/7, or even 1/8 cut tabs. I'd love to buy a couple thousand of these in bulk as well.

Knowing the extra work involved in this method, I HIGHLY recommend you try it out by hand for a bit to see if it's something you'll do for more than a few months before going all-in. I've read some of Joseph Voros' work, which I understood to be theoretical only. Did he ever fully implement it himself? Before you try, you might want to read up on others' earlier work like that of Paul Otlet, Mortimer J. Adler, et al. Many here will lionize Luhmann's method, but recall that S. D. Goitein managed to take a 1/3 of the notes that Luhmann did while creating a published output a 1/3 larger than Luhmann all while using a method similar to that of Adler and company which is also very close to the method recommended by almost all academics from Jacques Barzun to Umberto Eco.

Definitely think about what you're hoping to accomplish before going straight down the rabbit hole too far.

If you do go all-in, then buying a big storage box upfront can save you a lot of time and expense, try https://boffosocko.com/2022/12/26/the-ultimate-guide-to-zettelkasten-index-card-storage/ for some ideas. My daily driver now is a 60,000+ card index from Steelcase that I picked up on the used market for $125.

LIFE. “The 102 Great Ideas: Scholars Complete a Monumental Catalog.” January 26, 1948.

Eco, Umberto. How to Write a Thesis. Translated by Caterina Mongiat Farina and Geoff Farina. 1977. Reprint, Cambridge, MA, USA: MIT Press, 2015.

Barzun, Jacques, and Henry F. Graff. The Modern Researcher. 6th ed. Belmont, CA: Thomson/Wadsworth, 2004.

Reply to u/SpacePatrician at https://www.reddit.com/r/Zettelkasten/comments/1ctsu78/blank_tabbed_4x6_cards/

It's a great thing to waste time. The secret of life is to waste time in ways that you like. —Jerry Seinfeld 6:18

Typewriter 101: THE CLEANING GUIDE! by [[Just My Typewriter]]

A solid primer for cleaning typewriters

https://typewriterfeet.com/

You can cross check the data in the typewriter database for most of the big US and European brands to see the slow merging and dying out of the typewriter through the late 60s and early 70s onward. See, for example, Royal: https://typewriterdatabase.com/royal.72.typewriter-serial-number-database which has buyouts and mergers listed at the top. The database also has a huge volume of references for how it was compiled which will give you additional history.

The early 70s saw a lot of plastic entering the space where more durable steel used to be. Most major US firms were shifting to electric after IBM in roughly 1961. Post war manufacture of machines picked up significantly in Italy, Spain, Holland, and even Wales which displaced some of the manufacturing in the US, where solid machines of the prior generation still worked and only needed servicing rather than outright replacement. (Planned obsolescence wasn't as much of a thing during the 30s and 40s, and in fact, [maintenance was heavily highlighted during the war](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocdxgkxKAKo) when most US manufacturers ceased production of most models.) Eventually Japan displaced the business followed by India (which ceased in 2009) and China. Wrexham, Wales ceased manufacture of electronic Brother typewriters in 2012.

Ever decreasing costs of materials and manufacturing, improved manufacturing technology, increased competition in the space, combined with containerized shipping, competition from computers, etc. all contributed to the cheapening of the typewriter and hastened the death of manufacturing (though not the use) of manual typewriters.

Richard Polt's The Typewriter Revolution (2015) has a "microhistory" of typewriters in chapter 2 with references to some addition histories if you're interested.

Your question about Olympia manufacture dates (and more) can be found via: https://typewriterdatabase.com/olympia.61.typewriter-serial-number-database

x over it has a good two part series about the evolution of Olympias at:

https://xoverit.blogspot.com/2015/02/olympia-sm-series-part-1-1948-1964.html

https://xoverit.blogspot.com/2015/04/olympia-sm-series-part-2-1964-1980s.html

Toaster-Typewriter – An investigation of humor in design by [[CreativeApplications.Net]]

A cross between a typewriter and a toaster that writes by toasting bread.

The toaster-typewriter is the work of [Ritika Kedia], and it forms part of her thesis in product design at the Parsons School of Design, New York. It’s written up very much from an artistic rather than a tech perspective, but it’s no less ingenious for that in the way it uses letters formed from hot wire on a clay substrate, mounted on the end of the typewriter arms in front of a toaster.<br /> —This Typewriter Types Toast by Jenny List

Bruder, Jessica. “Click, Clack, Ding! Sigh ...” The New York Times, March 30, 2011, sec. Fashion. https://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/31/fashion/31Typewriter.html.

J.J. Short Associates, Inc for Typewriter Platens, Feed Rollers, Bail Rollers, Finger Rollers, and Power Rollers https://www.jjshort.com/typewriter-platen-repair.php

https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1csni4d/neat_find_on_clients_kmg/

I was in a vintage shop about 30 minutes from downtown Los Angeles earlier in the week and the proprietor had a mostly functioning 1950 Smith-Corona Sterling for sale for a roughly equivalent US $150. (One key was disconnected, but fixable, and some keys were sticky, the ribbon was disintegrating, it was incredibly dirty, with a case in very poor condition.) The Sterling was similar to the Silent, but without some of the extra bells and whistles. She wouldn't accept an offer of $40 for it, which I thought was a reach for the dreadful condition it was in. Her reasoning was that she was sure that someone (read: a sucker) would pay the $150 for it. At a yard sale it might be worth $5. Cleaned up a bit maybe $30. In online platforms they're going for a bit more, but you're also saving yourself some level of "shoe leather" in the work of searching for the exact model you want.

I've been specifically watching this model and a few related ones for a few months, and machines of indeterminate condition (though in my experience they're usually reasonably functionable or easily fixable), like this go for about $50 on ShopGoodWill.com (as auction items). There are usually about 4-5 per week which come up as this was a popular model in the 50s. You can probably find similar prices on eBay, though sellers there usually have a little more information about the working condition. They're definitely common enough that you could easily wait for the exact color options and typeface (pica or elite) that you're looking for, and could also probably purchase two for the price he's asking (including shipping.) I've been watching for a similar mid-50s Smith-Corona Clipper with similar colors and elite type for a while and just bought one online last week for $35. Patience definitely pays off.

I would only go as high as $150 on that machine if I knew it was well functioning and had a brand new platen in the last several years. You can tell him that most of the expensive machines in the range he's asking for are all fully functioning, have been well maintained and/or recently serviced, and often have new platens, rubber rollers, and feet replaced. He'll know that this isn't the case with his and may come down in price. They're likely pricing it based on other listings they see and not pricing it based on actual sales. If it's their only machine, wait things out until they see that there aren't any takers. If it's a vintage shop, simply move on.

The Smith-Corona Silents from this time period are really spectacular and solid machines, so good luck in your search for the perfect one.

via 1949 April 06, Naugatuck Daily News, Walter Winchell In New York, Page 4, Column 5, Naugatuck, Connecticut. (NewspaperArchive)

https://quoteinvestigator.com/2011/09/14/writing-bleed/

Vale Paul Auster (1947-2024) by [[Robert Messenger]]

https://3dtypewriterparts.com/

Update on the Urban Legend Institute by [[Richard Polt]]

https://typewriterdatabase.com/sears.615.typewriter-serial-number-database

Polt, Richard. The Typewriter Revolution: A Typist’s Companion for the 21st Century. 1st ed. Woodstock, VT: Countryman Press, 2015.

annotation URL: urn:x-pdf:65fe580cf845ed035c4e57ad02a987cf

alternate annotation URL

Most Smith-Coronas in the 40s and 50s have similar ribbon set ups. Hopefully this photo and description will help:

(Alt Text) Smith-Corona typewriter ribbon thread sample. A view into the type basket with the hood of the typewriter raised showing the ribbon coming out of a spool on the left, through a black ribbon guide (which actuates the autoswitch when the eyelet at the end of a spool gets stuck between it and the spool) next to the spool cup, and then into the two metal guides of the ribbon vibrator on either side of the the typing point. A silver pen's tip is pointing to the ribbon guide next to the spool cup at about the point where an eyelet clipped onto the middle of the end of a length of a ribbon would trip the ribbon auto switch.

If your ribbon auto-switch isn't working one can usually switch the direction manually with the ribbon reverse lever usually found on the front left side of most machines.

To speed up changing the ribbon on many machines, it can often help to switch the color selector to the red setting and then simultaneously press the G and H keys gently so that they're stuck together almost at the typing point which will raise the ribbon vibrator and make accessing the slots for threading the ribbon easier. Once the ribbon is installed, release the G and H typebars and select the correct color setting for the portion of the ribbon you want to use.

Want to run a typewriter shop? by [[Richard Polt]]

http://www.cambridgetypewriter.com/

CAMBRIDGE TYPEWRITER<br /> 102 Massachusetts Avenue<br /> Arlington, MA 02474<br /> 781-643-7010

Shop owner Tom Furrier hoping to retire sometime in 2024

reply to u/rocklover7 at https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1cnljgm/where_do_i_start/

The best thing you could do is to take a moment at the library or bookshop and pick up a copy of Polt, Richard. The Typewriter Revolution: A Typist’s Companion for the 21st Century. 1st ed. Woodstock, VT: Countryman Press, 2015.

He looks at typewriters from a writers' writer perspective which I'm sure you'll appreciate. He's got experience with a wide variety of machines as well as a large collection himself. He goes over all of the common/popular (and solid machines) in a variety of sizes and formats to help you figure out which one you might like to start out with. He also covers some of the common problems and repairs that regularly pop up. The book is really a "best of" list of typewriter material from the past 15+ years of this reddit forum and material from the "typosphere" of which he's been not only an active member, but literal ring-leader. The vast majority of the questions which appear on a weekly basis here are discussed and addressed in his book, along with some emphasis on writerly concerns and practice which most beginners here wouldn't be asking. Even reading 3 or 4 of the 8 chapters which are rife with images will give you a solid crash course for exactly the sorts of typewriter (and writing) advice you're searching for.

Definitely DO NOT pick up a new machine off of Amazon. They're even worse than some of the late 70s/early 80s machines. Instead, for beginners (and for the value) I'd recommend looking at Remingtons (Quiet-Riter), Royals (Quiet De Luxe), or Smith-Coronas (Clipper, Silent, Super) from roughly 1948-1958 which is generally the peak of U.S. typewriter manufacturing as well as for features. These were all built like tanks and are usually still in very good condition, even when they're in bad condition. I've provided links to some of these models in the typewriter database, so you have an idea visually of what to look out for.

If desperate, and you live in an area where machines are priced starting over $50 or you're more price sensitive (making eBay, Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist less appealing), you can find some of these every day listed at shopgoodwill.com starting at $10. Even with heaving bidding on auctions, these usually don't go over $35 (except for some of the Smith-Coronas). I've even seen them (sadly) not move at all for $10. This would give you an incredibly solid and inexpensive machine to tinker on, and will most likely work for you out of the box (as long as it's got a ribbon.) You'll end up with a solid machine to start off on while you search for your dream machine. It'll also give you some experience cleaning up and maintaining one. Of the seven machines I've gotten this way and paid an average of about $30-35 each (all in with shipping, tax, etc.) All but one were all immediately usable and only needed moderate cleaning that one could do at home with a cloth, dish soap, a toothbrush and maybe some canned air. Two of the seven were in near mint condition and didn't need any work at all. Tag/garage sales are also inexpensive options that usually allow you test out a machine, but it requires some shoe leather and lots of patience. If you've got a favorite author you love and trust, you might try searching out their machines: https://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/typers.html

If there are any type-ins in your local area, try to go so you can not only meet others, but it might give you a chance to see and try out the machines of others to see what might suit you best.

Happiness and best wishes on your search!

Repairing a 1961 Olympia SF

Wiping dirty plastic typewriter keys with a soft cloth and then waxing/buffing them can bring them back to life.

Cleans them but probably doesn't repair them.

https://www.classictypewriter.com/typewriter-shop

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.

How to Make Your Own Typewriter Ribbon: Rainbow Effect

Glycerine mixed with ink may help keep typewriter ribbons from drying out.

Maintenance Of Office Machines. 16 mm. Vol. MN-1513. United States Navy Training Film, 1943. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocdxgkxKAKo.

https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/g69bmw/stationery_size_suppliers_for_modern_typists/?context=3

https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1ci0c86/paper/

Remington Quiet-Riter carriage lock help by [[Typewriter Justice]]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTFM54VKKc4<br /> How To: Replace a Ribbon on Remington Quiet-Riter Typewriter by Typewriter Minutes

Read Repairing a 1957 Remington Quiet-Riter typewriter from 2018-06-16

Royal Typewriter Platen Variable Repair, Roller Removal by [[Phoenix Typewriter]]

I'm seeing this issue on my 1949 Royal QDL. I figured it'd be an easy fix.

Turns out, it was exactly my issue and the pieces had "frozen up". A quick clean out and we're back in business in under 20 minutes.

digging the words into the page sounds adjacent to Seamus Heaney's "Digging" which analogizes writing to digging: https://hypothes.is/a/J-z8OgfQEe-0adtJyXyb3g

There's something here which suggests pens, typewriters, keyboards, etc. as direct extended mind objects as tools for thought. A sense of rumination and expulsion simultaneously.

Cop-E-Eez Metal Typists Copy Holder by [[Analogue Papa]]

TWVS Episode 20 - Adjusting Upper and Lower Case Positions by [[Joe Van Cleave]]

Why I’m excited about Richard Polt’s book. by [[Scott K]]

via u/Pelicram at https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1cg6e3t/platens/

https://shopgoodwill.com/item/196946239 <br /> Royal Quiet De Luxe <br /> Won in auction 2024-04-24

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1151228549580675

This is a version of a typewriter I had in my youth around 1983/84.

Replacing the key cap [as a means of switching from QWERTZ to QWERTY] isn't going to help at all, it's just a label. You'd have to swap out internal parts too. Depending on the model, you'd either have to remove and swap typebars or remove the head off the typebar and resolder it onto the appropriate alternate (and ensure that it's properly aligned, not an easy task). Then you'd have to swap the key caps (labels). It's definitely a mechanically doable process, but it's probably almost never done in practice. Doing it as a newbie probably isn't recommendable; you're better off having a repair shop do it for you if you decide to go this route. Depending on the keyboard/model, you'd also have to deal with accents, umlauts, etc.

Given the difficulty (or cost) of the process and the potential end results, you're assuredly better off locating a QWERTY machine and paying a bit more for shipping to your area if necessary.

Your mileage may vary depending on model.

reply to u/imprisoningmymemory at https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1cg1avp/replacing_keys/

reply regarding painting typewriters at https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1cflyf2/help_identifying/

It's been a while since I've done it, but I've sent vintage metal filing cabinets out to have them powder coated with stunning results. If you have someone local who does this, they'll be able to handle the details and give you color options. It may be best to give them the individual parts of the frame you want done and not the whole machine (especially so they don't lose or destroy anything vital). You can get some interesting colors and still have the older vintage look.

I've also been contemplating doing a brushed steel finish and several layers of shiny clear coat. I've done it to a few desks before (here's an example of a table with a brushed/enameled top though it's got a slab of glass on top too), but haven't done it with a typewriter (yet).

Depending on your area, you might find an auto repair artist who could strip the case down (sand blast/bead blast) and give you some real artwork including ombre paint, sparkle, racing stripes, etc. Just for fun, how cool would it be to have a matching "Jerry Orbach typewriter" if you had a Jerry Orbach car? If you're a Star Wars fan, it could be cool to have a typewriter done to look like either R2-D2 or C-3PO, for example. Or maybe cover a 1977 Smith-Corona Galaxie 12 with brown faux-Wookie fur and a bandolier Chewbacca-style!!! If you're going in, you may as well go all-in, right? (But definitely stop before you end up restoring one of the old black batwing-style Oliver's to fit it with a Darth Vader helmet dust cover...)

If you go with straight paint, your local paint shop can recommend the best combination of primer and paint formulation for painting onto metal. (The small sample pint sizes of paint may be more than enough to do a single typewriter.) They'll give you more color options than you could possibly want. You'll want a high quality paint brush and some paint thinner so that when you apply, the finish comes out buttery smooth as it dries. Various spray paints may be options as well, though here you may not have as many color options.

A 'typewriter rebellion' is underway. Here's what that means and why it's attracting kids from 2024-04-15 from Joe Dana / 12 News / Phoenix, AZ

Top 10 Typewriters for Writers by [[Daniel Marleau]] (created One Typed Page)

Hermes Rocket feet repair advice.

Hermes 3000

https://www.instagram.com/onetypedquote/

An Instagram account that aggregates photos of typed quotes, usually including a part of the typewriter it was written on. It amounts to a group manufactured commonplace book.

Found via https://onetypedpage.com/otq/

Royal Quiet De Luxe Typewriter Sticky Keys Segment Flush Clean by [[Phoenix Typewriter]]

Royal Quiet De Luxe Typewriter Shift Repaired by [[Phoenix Typewriter]]

If you go the white out fluid route, there are some bottles that use mini-sponges versus the old brush-types which are easier to apply. If you're worried about dripping on/in your machine with fluid, there's now also a variety of small handheld dispensers of white out tape which allow some incredibly precise use at the level of individual letters. Scroll the paper up a line or two, white it out, scroll back down and be on your way. (I only do this for things approaching mission critical applications; generally I just x things out or overtype and continue.)

My typing technique has gotten better using a typewriter versus computer keyboard.

reply to u/AlexInRV at https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1cc6oci/typewriter_correction/

https://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/typers.html

Patti Smith used a late 60s or early 70s Smith-Corona (SCM) portable typewriter.

Source: https://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/typers.html

link to: https://hypothes.is/a/e-zWRgHOEe-cIEt7dzry5A

Anne Sexton used a Royal Quiet De Luxe (beige)

Solan, Matthew. “Tracking Down Typewriters: Those Trusty Tools of Days Gone By.” Poets & Writers Magazine, August 19, 2009. p 31-33.

Typewriters provide a tangible sense of accomplishment when a writer finishes a page.

Analogizing typewriters with musical instruments.

reply to u/EquivalentHead3589 at https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1cbzx1n/how_do_you_price_typewriters/

The primary difference is that listing prices don't indicate actual value. That is only determined by actual sales price. Things are worse for the listings which don't indicate much about condition as you're probably more likely to need to have the machine serviced and/or replace or recondition parts. This can often add a few hundred dollars (or significant research and time, tools, and elbow grease) to the bottom line to be able to use a machine.

I do recall a burgundy Olympia SM3 which sold in the last 4 months for right at $300 which was regularly used (loved) and serviced and in excellent condition with some fantastic photos. If you compare it to this Burgundy/Gray machine (https://www.ebay.com/itm/404901285037) for $299, but which has a missing key cap, and a damaged case, and may likely have other hiding issues. If you consider that you'll likely need to put a minimum of another $100 into this to get it up to the fighting shape that the first was in and it's still got damage, you'll start seeing the stark difference. The people with listings at $550-800 know they're not selling and they're just sitting there, so why not email them and ask more specific questions about condition and get a typed typeface sample of all the keys. Then make an offer for $200 +/- with some wiggle room for service costs once you've gotten it to see if they'll sell?

As an example, look at https://www.ebay.com/itm/226016437104 which is a Gray SM3 originally listed for $549 and now on sale for $428. The seller knows it's not moving. They state that they got it at an estate sale (probably for around $25) and they definitely did no work other than quick check of the keys. If you demonstrate that you've savvy enough to know the specific machine (what shape are the rubber washers on the frame next to the feet to prevent the carriage from rubbing against the frame? how what is the durometer measurement on (how hard is) the platen?), the market (in top shape maybe $300), and what servicing/repair costs are, they'd probably accept an offer of $150-200 and you're off to the races and they've made a solid profit.

The biggest issue in the typewriter market at present is the broad lack of information and knowledge about them on both the buyer and seller side. If you can demonstrate you've got more knowledge than the other side, you'll be in a far better position to negotiate, otherwise a seller can sit and wait an undetermined amount of time waiting for a sucker who will likely never show up.

Q&A with Typewriter Collector Steve Soboroff by [[American Writers Museum]]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Soboroff

https://laviegraphite.blogspot.com/2012/07/good-companion.html

Dylan Thomas used a black Imperial Good Companion typewriter.

Link to: https://hypothes.is/a/e-zWRgHOEe-cIEt7dzry5A

https://www.inquirer.com/news/nation-world/philly-typewriter-taylor-swift-tortured-poets-department-lyrics-easter-eggs-20240422.html

Swifties thought that the lack of a "1" key on her typewriter was an Easter egg hiding in the video... ha!

https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1caofcz/how_to_get_my_silentsuper_to_not_rotate_to_the/

Because of aging, the rubber feet of many typewriters can harden thereby reducing their friction against the table on which they sit. As a result, this can cause one's typewriter to "walk" across the table as they type for extended periods necessitating their recentering from time to time. To remedy this, one could use custom made typewriter mats with rubber bottoms to prevent this walking as well as to protect the table underneath. Other options which may also work are either wool or felt pads from fabric stores or from Chinese/Japanese calligraphy stationers. In Japanese these mats are called shitajiki.

reply to u/bastugubbar at https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1ca8nwk/i_for_one_welcome_our_new_taylor_swift_overlords/

Let's be honest here, the most recent typewriter reference (presumably to that of an ex-boyfriend) is certainly not her first. I'm a modest Swiftie at best (from a trivia perspective), preferring to think of her work as poetry rather than musical pop-culture, so I imagine her more as a quill pen sort of writer, though my notes indicate she does take some of her notes for composition using her cell phone.

This being said, a few years back she did feature a red Sears Cutlass in All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor's Version) at the 8:28 mark, which hasn't driven the cost of these through the roof, though I have seen one listed for $1,000 (it unsurprisingly didn't sell for that.) For more here see Robert Messenger at OzTypewriter and Ryan Schocket for Buzzfeed. It's not listed anymore, but this past Christmas, she also had a red typewriter Christmas tree ornament in her online store.

Those who were privileged to attend the recent Eras Tour (or see it on Disney+) saw groups of typewriters in the background during several songs.

She's been featuring typewriters for a bit now and it hasn't driven prices through the roof any more than the typewriter renaissance that's been going on for the last few years or so. I suspect that this new round of references isn't going to shift things significantly.

If she does go full-typewriter, which model(s) do you suspect she'd be using amidst the pantheon of other writers? I'd suggest she may be romantic enough to do a late 40's Smith-Corona Clipper... or perhaps while jet-setting a Skyriter?

Type on!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/375385572993

Sold, presumably for $600 on 2024-04-20 with free shipping. This had previously been listed and relisted for 1000 reducing 100 every few weeks until now.

Taylor Swift effect with her new album drop perhaps?

via https://genius.com/Taylor-swift-the-tortured-poets-department-lyrics

https://shopgoodwill.com/item/196139225

https://typewriterdatabase.com/royal.72.typewriter-serial-number-database

Henry Dreyfuss, Noted Designer, Is Found Dead With His Wife by The New York Times

https://typewriters.com/categories/typewriter-supplies.html

https://www.typewriterconnection.com/

An interview with Mary Ruefle by [[Austin Kleon]]

Kleon's wife Meg, with a master's in architecture, has aphantasia.

[[Joe Van Cleave]] in Typewriter Video Series - Episode 46: Escapements, Their Care & Feeding

My quick typewriter purchasing crash course: <br /> Most typewriters are solid beasts and can take a serious beating and still work really well. I've got 5 now that I bought for $10-50 and mostly really only needed small tweaks to work perfectly. One has an issue that will require some more heavy work, but having gotten it for $10, it's not really much of an issue. Several of them worked incredibly well right out of the box with no work at all. Occasionally kids will pound on the keys which can cause the linkages to come undone, but a pair of needle nose pliers and some patience to look at the mechanics of what's not working underneath can usually get them repaired without any real work. Beyond this there's a wealth of online videos and help that can get you pretty far without paying for a repair shop. Some are just old and dusty and need a quick cleaning with compressed air and/or a toothbrush.

Ebay can tend to have heavily overinflated prices because a lot of folks think that all typewriters are rare. A very small percentage of some of the oldest are, but generally as a group they're not. If you don't want to fool around with repair issues you can purchase machines from repair shops serviced in full working condition from $75-200, but at least you can expect that they're nearly perfect beyond some small blemishes due to age. Sadly, a lot of places will list broken machines in questionable shape for this much because they see others listing (great machines) for the same amount. Don't fall prey to this. Some of the best places to look for functional machines are donation shops (Goodwill, Salvation Army, etc.) as well as yard sales or estate sales. Online sites like Facebook marketplace, https://shopgoodwill.com, or https://offerup.com can have inexpensive listings, but most are listed as untested because most folks don't know how to test them fully and are scared of them, but this is usually where you can find some great deals. You can also ask for typewriters on https://buynothingproject.org/ or a Facebook group for your particular area.

If you're able to test things in person, it can help to have some blank paper or index cards and even a universal ribbon ($5-15, in case the old ribbon is missing or too old and dry to work) with you. Then you can put in paper, try out each key (with/without shift), and all the other buttons, knobs, and switches as well as the margin stops, and the bell. Most folks listing them are well aware they're not actually selling for prices over $50 and will be open for 10-25% discounts off of what they're listing them for. I will mention that I bought one machine as dirt cheap because someone had it on the stencil setting (rather than the usual black or red ribbon settings) and they didn't know that this meant it wouldn't type anything visible. A quick flip of the switch after purchase and I was on my way.

r/typewriters is a wealth of information as are https://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/index.html and https://typewriterdatabase.com/. Usually, you can't go too far wrong with one of the most popular models which are generally ranked at https://typewriterdatabase.com/popular.0.typewriter-models.

Good luck!

[[Shawn Gilmore]] in On the Page: Paul Sheldon's Typewriter in Misery (1987) — The Vault of Culture<br /> on 2022-06-15

https://www.ribbonsunlimited.com/Inked-Nylon-Typewriter-Ribbon-Color-Swatches-s/12742.htm

Read DIY Coloured Ribbon

[[Mark Lawrence Schrad]] in Why the World of Typewriter Collectors Splits Down the Middle When These Machines Come Up for Sale<br /> at 2024-03-16 12:00 PM <br /> (accessed:: 2024-03-19 10:23:08)

This is a bit too rosy when we've just seen it used to help in the bureaucracy of death.

• consider too that the originators don't benefit though compare this with the seller who may have that sentiment benefiting.

though what about when the creator is human and not inanimate?

Facebook group: Antique Typewriter Collectors https://www.facebook.com/groups/4770669677

https://munk.org/typecast/2013/07/30/typewriter-repair-101-adjusting-vertical-typeface-alignment-segmentbasket-shift-typewriters/

https://www.texasstandard.org/stories/typewriter-rodeo-girl-scout-cookies/

typewriterrodeo.com

https://typewriterdatabase.com/1948-smith-corona-clipper.21427.typewriter

https://shopgoodwill.com/item/191956978<br /> 2024-03-02 sold $102.00 !! 4 bids

https://shopgoodwill.com/item/192328912<br /> 2024-03-02 sold<br /> $9.99 fair<br /> 1 bid

https://shopgoodwill.com/item/192255013<br /> 2024-03-02 sold<br /> $112.00<br /> 8 bids<br /> (broken space bar)

https://shopgoodwill.com/item/192125668 <br /> 2023-03-02 sold<br /> $18.00 (opening price)<br /> 1 bid

https://shopgoodwill.com/item/192239320<br /> 2024-03-02 sold<br /> $31.00<br /> 11 bids

https://shopgoodwill.com/item/191848428<br /> 2024-03-02 sold<br /> $26.00<br /> 5 bids

https://shopgoodwill.com/item/192242999<br /> 2024-03-02 sold<br /> $16.00<br /> 3 bids

https://shopgoodwill.com/item/192251351<br /> 2024-03-02 sold<br /> $18.00<br /> 5 bids