Based on my smooth experience removing the carriage of the Underwood 6 for cleaning, I tried doing this with the Royal. But I learned that not all typewriters have a carriage that comes out easily. I persisted and managed to get it out and back in, with difficulty. It did make cleaning much easier, but I wouldn’t recommend going through this unless really necessary.
2,296 Matching Annotations
- May 2026
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blog.bruchez.name blog.bruchez.name
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blog.bruchez.name blog.bruchez.name
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blog.bruchez.name blog.bruchez.name
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Restoring a Yost 20 Typewriter<br /> by [[Erik Bruchez]]<br /> accessed on 2026-05-13T20:59:04
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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.
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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.
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there is a lever to raise all typebars. At first I didn’t find it, as the lever was recessed, on the right-side of the machine, but eventually I did! Using this lever is necessary to properly re-ink the pad without making a total mess.
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www.facebook.com www.facebook.com
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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.
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It is shellac (from the bugs). Some people use denatured alcohol on a cotton ball to lightly dab it off; I use sewing machine oil on a microfiber, and that helps the yellowing, but does not get rid of the change in texture between shellac and no shellac.
via Leighton Jeffy at https://www.facebook.com/groups/705152958470148/posts/1255908216727950/
Sounds roughly similar to
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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/
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discord.com discord.com
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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.
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www.facebook.com www.facebook.com
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taptapart.com taptapart.com
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Tap Tap Art<br /> https://taptapart.com/about.html
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www.facebook.com www.facebook.com
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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".
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www.facebook.com www.facebook.com
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No ! they were differnt hardnes for doing stencils, for memeograph machines.Like
Mitch Fixit has some repair chops, so this is believe-able: Some of the colored platens were meant to have different harnesses for doing stencils.
via https://www.facebook.com/groups/TypewriterCollectors/posts/10163612704804678/
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www.facebook.com www.facebook.com
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www.facebook.com www.facebook.com
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https://www.facebook.com/groups/4770669677/user/1183632210/
Janet Schwartz's boyfriend.
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www.facebook.com www.facebook.com
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The typewriter of Hollywood writer Carl Foreman and later Milton Sperling, it's encased in plexi with the titles of the films that were written on it.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/TypewriterCollectors/posts/10163613988099678/
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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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/
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www.nytimes.com www.nytimes.com
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Hanks, Tom. 2013. “I Am TOM. I Like to TYPE. Hear That?” The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/04/opinion/sunday/i-am-tom-i-like-to-type-hear-that.html (May 12, 2026).
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There is no reason to own hundreds of old typewriters other than the sin of misguided avarice (guilty!).
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He gave me a deal on a Hermes 2000 (“The Cadillac of typewriters!”), which featured a knob that adjusted the tension on the keys and the crispest, straightest line of type possible. I’ve since added the 3000, the Baby and the gloriously named Hermes Rocket to my shelves.
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My dad’s Underwood, bought used just after the war for his single year at U.S.C., had some keys so worn out by his punishing fingers that they were misshapen and blank. The S key was a mere nib. I sent it to a shop for what was meant to be only a cleaning, but it came back with all the keys replaced. So long, Dad, and curse you, industrious typewriter serviceperson.
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a collection that started when, in 1978, the proprietor of a Cleveland business machine shop refused to service my mostly plastic typewriter. “A worthless toy!” the man yelled. Yes, yelled. He pointed to shelves full of his refurbished typewriters — already decades old yet all in perfect working order.
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Tom Hanks outlines three reasons to use a typewriter:<br /> 1. sound<br /> 2. sheer physical pleasure of typing<br /> 3. permanence of words
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The sound of typing is one reason to own a vintage manual typewriter — alas, there are only three reasons, and none of them are ease or speed. In addition to sound, there is the sheer physical pleasure of typing; it feels just as good as it sounds, the muscles in your hands control the volume and cadence of the aural assault so that the room echoes with the staccato beat of your synapses.
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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.
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Everything you type on a typewriter sounds grand, the words forming in mini-explosions of SHOOK SHOOK SHOOK. A thank-you note resonates with the same heft as a literary masterpiece.
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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 was using typewriters to score baseball games since at least 2013!
Tags
- poetry
- Hermes 3000
- typewriter collecting
- typewriters for baseball scorecards
- Hermes Baby
- typewriters why
- typewriter collecting addiction
- typewriter nostalgia
- read
- Tom Hanks
- Hermes 2000
- quotes
- typewriter permanence
- Hermes Rocket
- baseball scorecards
- Tom Hanks typewriter collection
- typewriters
- typewriter sounds
Annotators
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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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.
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www.freesound.org www.freesound.org
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www.usbtypewriter.com www.usbtypewriter.com
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www.kickstarter.com www.kickstarter.com
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www.newyorker.com www.newyorker.com
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What Makes the Hanx Writer Click?<br /> by [[Silvia Killingsworth]] in The New Yorker<br /> accessed on 2026-05-11T14:49:13
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One editor recalls that you could tell whether your neighbor was being productive that day just by the typewriter sounds coming out of his office (thus pressuring you to get down to work).
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slate.com slate.com
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The thing that always used to get to me was the way a certain kind of arrogant but aggressively mediocre writer would harangue me about how I had to get a computer because ever since he got one, “I’ve been able to turn out so much more,” as if this were an unmixed blessing the world would welcome.
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Actually, that typewriter, my Olympia Report Deluxe, or rather Deluxes (I have three of them because they’re no longer manufactured, and I need one for backup and one to cannibalize for parts) are the real reason I’ve rejected switching to a computer for so long.
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www.freesound.org www.freesound.org
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Olympia Electric Typewriter - May 17 2008.wav<br /> by [[lonemonk]] on Freesound<br /> accessed on 2026-05-11T14:04:41
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The Quiet Cult of the Olympia Report deLuxe Electric Typewriter<br /> by [[Wilson Rothman]] and [[Steven Levy]]<br /> accessed on 2026-05-11T13:13:15
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typewriterdatabase.com typewriterdatabase.com
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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?
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www.facebook.com www.facebook.com
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https://www.facebook.com/groups/TypewriterCollectors/posts/10163593836864678/
If typists were Robots
Resemblance to disaster girl?
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www.chestnutridgetypewritermuseum.com www.chestnutridgetypewritermuseum.com
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Lego Typewriters<br /> by [[Herman Price]]<br /> accessed on 2026-05-09T17:29:08
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writingball.blogspot.com writingball.blogspot.com
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A fake Lego fake typewriter?<br /> by [[Richard Polt]] on The Typewriter Revolution blog<br /> accessed on 2026-05-09T17:27:34
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writingball.blogspot.com writingball.blogspot.com
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The ROKR wooden typewriter: a closer look<br /> by [[Richard Polt]] in The Typewriter Revolution blog<br /> accessed on 2026-05-09T17:04:35
Richard Polt reports that the ROKR typewriter can actually be used to type, making it one of the very few currently manufactured typewriters on the planet.
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from my experience working on other products, I found that older designs are easier to work with and have a more classic aesthetic.
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The entire design process took about a year and a half
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www.facebook.com www.facebook.com
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www.facebook.com www.facebook.com
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https://www.facebook.com/groups/TypewriterCollectors/posts/10163594865434678/
Green 1958 Olympia SM3 with custom math keyboard:
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www.facebook.com www.facebook.com
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https://www.facebook.com/groups/705152958470148/posts/1264728369179268/
Custom gothic typeface on a Royal 10 made for supply/hardware settings. Uppercase is primarily fractions and abbreviations including: Dz, Gr, Bx, Bl, lb, In, Ft, Pr, Cs, Pc, Yd, and GL.
Fractions include odd numbers for the halfs, thirds, fourths, sixths, eighths, twelfths, and sixteenths,
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oztypewriter.blogspot.com oztypewriter.blogspot.com
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The Mystery of Patrick Moore's Woodstock Typewriter<br /> by [[Robert Messenger]] for oz.Typewriter<br /> accessed on 2026-05-08T13:19:49
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typewriterdatabase.com typewriterdatabase.com
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https://typewriterdatabase.com/1914-woodstock-4.20964.typewriter
The Woodstock No. 4 had a custom typewriter eraser holder mounted on top of the typewriter.
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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www.davidrhartman.com www.davidrhartman.com
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www.facebook.com www.facebook.com
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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www.facebook.com www.facebook.com
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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.
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oztypewriter.blogspot.com oztypewriter.blogspot.com
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1940s advertisement with Underwood Standard that uses the phrase "Rhythm Touch", but which features a short armed carriage return lever.
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On This Day in Typewriter History: Underwood and the Emperor’s New Old Clothes<br /> by [[Robert Messenger]] for Oz Typewriter Blog<br /> accessed on 2026-05-06T12:33:38
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A patent application for Willie Dobson’s radical re-design for the Rhythm Touch was filed on this day (November 24) in 1948 and issued at the end of May 1950.
https://oztypewriter.blogspot.com/2012/11/on-this-day-in-typewriter-history_25.html
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Then came Willie Dobson’s Rhythm Touch in 1948, which did away with the small carriage return lever which had served Underwood so well for more than half a century and introduced the long, drooping carriage lever.
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Another significant change occurred in 1947, with the Rhythm Shift model, which marked the Underwood Standard’s conversion to basket shift, but which retained the original carriage return lever set-up.
via Robert Messenger at https://oztypewriter.blogspot.com/2012/11/on-this-day-in-typewriter-history_25.html
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typewriterdatabase.com typewriterdatabase.com
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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!
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Spotting tips. There is an early and late version of the SS. The first ones still used the smaller old style return lever and had chrome strips with three ribs. In around 48 they went to this return lever and the chrome is 5 ribs wide.
For differentiating between the early and later model Underwood SS pre-1948 and after.
via James Grooms at https://typewriterdatabase.com/1950-underwood-ss.23202.typewriter
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typewriterdatabase.com typewriterdatabase.com
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I also replaced all the soundproofing material inside. I even had the old material tested for asbestos, and luckily there was no trace of that.
via Erik Bruchez at https://typewriterdatabase.com/1949-underwood-rhythm-touch.10882.typewriter
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www.youtube.com www.youtube.com
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The Repair Shop, Season 4 Episode 21<br /> Ventriloquist's Dummy & Running Trophy <br /> and a Corona 3 typewriter
There are some hints about how to recreate the gold leaf lettering on vintage typewriters here.
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mrmrsvintagetypewriters.com mrmrsvintagetypewriters.com
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mrmrsvintagetypewriters.com mrmrsvintagetypewriters.com
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www.youtube.com www.youtube.com
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The Repair Shop, Season 3, Episode 11<br /> Meissen Clock, Typewriter & Bomber Jacket
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www.georgeblackmanvintagetypewriters.co.uk www.georgeblackmanvintagetypewriters.co.uk
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discord.com discord.com
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https://discord.com/channels/639936208734126107/639938269030907914/1246180147791532196
Typewriter Report Card v1.8 via Pelicram
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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www.facebook.com www.facebook.com
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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
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www.acmetypemachines.com www.acmetypemachines.com
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https://www.acmetypemachines.com/restoration-process<br /> archive copy
a reasonably nice list of typewriter adjustments for a restored machine
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www.facebook.com www.facebook.com
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https://www.facebook.com/groups/TypewriterCollectors/posts/10163573521899678/
<br />
Photo of instructions and ideas for a community typewriter.
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oztypewriter.blogspot.com oztypewriter.blogspot.com
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Hunter S.Thompson's Smith-Corona Series 5 Portable Typewriter<br /> by [[Robert Messenger]] oz.Typewriter <br /> accessed on 2026-05-03T11:59:08
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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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.
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/
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www.forestmeadowsfh.com www.forestmeadowsfh.com
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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
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www.youtube.com www.youtube.com
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TOUR AN OLD TYPEWRITER SHOP<br /> by Vintage & Vinyl
McDavid Typewriter Service (1968-2024) Address: 4304 Plymouth St, Jacksonville, FL 32205 <br /> Phone: (904) 384-3461
Run by Verlon H. "Bill" Pridgen
His family closed the shop on 2024-11-19 following his death in October 2024. (Reference: https://www.facebook.com/Mcdavidtypewriterservice/posts/pfbid0PvC9MTeJ1pGVRCQZJ38DdDCeRHo52zBmQXXrsBHd9NVb4Dvv9QhrNpta8LxXRk9dl)
Verlon H. Pridgen (February 1, 1937 - October 28, 2024) <br /> Obituary: https://www.forestmeadowsfh.com/obituaries/Verlon-H-Pridgen?obId=42124630
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www.facebook.com www.facebook.com
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https://www.facebook.com/groups/721704878218903/posts/3078967149159319/
TB Writers Plus sells new plastic handles for Royal Futura 800 and related cases for $35.00 as of 2026-05-02.
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www.facebook.com www.facebook.com
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www.barnwelltypewriter.com www.barnwelltypewriter.comHome1
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https://www.barnwelltypewriter.com/home<br /> Barnwell Typewriter, Inc.<br /> Run by Conner Morris via crosspost at https://www.facebook.com/groups/721704878218903/posts/3078137909242243/
Begun in September 2025 according to https://www.barnwelltypewriter.com/about-barnwell-typewriter
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"I would have everyone have a typewriter so they could feel the spirit of this"<br /> by [[Dippold Ádám]], [[Kun Zsuzsi]] for Qubit<br /> accessed on 2026-05-02T20:27:58
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acetone does not dissolve plastic
colloquial?
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Gothic Fraktur, but it's hard to find a typewriter that uses it, especially since Adolf Hitler banned its use in the Bormann Decree in 1941, branded them "Jewish letters" and ordered a switch to antiqua types.
Tags
- typewriter typefaces
- Jane Goodall
- Juwel typewriters
- Adolph Hitler
- Wednesday (Netflix)
- read
- Ernest Hemingway
- Juewl typewriters
- Rita Babos
- László Ambrus
- typewriter restoration
- Consul typewriters
- typewriter cleaning
- typewriter collectors
- Fraktur typeface
- Juwel 3
- typewriter repair people
- acetone
- Martin Bormann
- Judenlettern ("Jewish letters")
- plastics
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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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
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.
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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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.
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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Stage 1: Owner Stage 2: Collector Stage 3: Horder
Four stages of typewriter ownership: <br /> Stage 1: Owner<br /> Stage 2: Collector<br /> Stage 3: Horder<br /> Stage 4: Divorce when your significant other is tired of reminding you that you've got too many typewriters.
1-3 via u/vega480, 4 by me at https://old.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1t1bvhi/im_finally_an_owner/
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www.instagram.com www.instagram.com
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The American Writer's Museum in Chicago, IL has John Hughes 1927 Corona 4 typewriter (burgundy).
Cross reference: https://www.instagram.com/p/DIU1X7xPIUN/
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www.facebook.com www.facebook.com
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www.facebook.com www.facebook.com
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www.facebook.com www.facebook.com
- Apr 2026
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typecast.munk.org typecast.munk.org
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https://typecast.munk.org/2023/02/18/1967-womda-typewriter-typefaces-smith-corona-scm-fonts/
An example of the Elite Gothic No. 16 can be found on Reddit which has a "cross" foundry mark with 1, 6, S, empty in the four quadrants from top to bottom and left to right.
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www.chestnutridgetypewritermuseum.com www.chestnutridgetypewritermuseum.com
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www.facebook.com www.facebook.comFacebook1
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https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=26964309966542201&set=p.26964309966542201&type=3
Print at 1:1. Via Everett E. Henderson Jr. of Austin Typewriter Ink.
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www.facebook.com www.facebook.com
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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!
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typewriterdatabase.com typewriterdatabase.com
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writingball.blogspot.com writingball.blogspot.com
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The Typewriter Revolution blog: Legendary!<br /> by [[Richard Polt]]<br /> accessed on 2026-04-28T13:31:05
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www.facebook.com www.facebook.com
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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.
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www.facebook.com www.facebook.com
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www.youtube.com www.youtube.com
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Belt Replacement on Smith Corona Electric Typewriter
Not original v-belts, but o-rings are a reasonable facsimile.
See other notes for original v-belts.
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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Baco, Charlene emailed me back and told me that she’s no longer a purveyor of silk ribbon
via u/uglybassface at https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1sxqe0c/comment/oirz52v/?context=1
Baco (Charlene) doesn't do silk typewriter ribbon anymore.
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boffosocko.com boffosocko.com
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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
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www.youtube.com www.youtube.com
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www.facebook.com www.facebook.com
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www.ebay.com www.ebay.com
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Katie Fetterly, Typewriter Alliance <br /> Typewriter Collector<br /> eBay: https://www.ebay.com/usr/typewriter_alliance<br /> Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/typewriter_alliance/<br /> TWdB: https://typewriterdatabase.com/typewriters.php?hunter_search=5797
Has a collection of over 300+ typewriters in her home.
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www.facebook.com www.facebook.com
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https://www.facebook.com/groups/721704878218903/posts/3070114496711251
Colloquial suggestion that Olympia SM7s have a wider variety of typefaces...
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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Each letter I type releases a thunderous CLICK and then another and it’s a CLACK. I’ve become addicted to the sound. I can’t sleep. I’m up all night exercising my new found celestial harp
https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1sut6il/bought_my_first_typewriter/
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www.londontypewriters.co.uk www.londontypewriters.co.uk
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www.youtube.com www.youtube.com
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https://www.youtube.com/shorts/tDj9H92SQNI
Olympia SM4, SM5, SM7, SM8, SM9 case restoration
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archive.org archive.org
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Various typewriter type foundries and foundry marks, excerpt from the Haas Atlas.
https://archive.org/details/typewriter-foundry-marks-haas/mode/1up
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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I got one of these quiet models after using a pancake for years. Absolutely life changing. I know they make smaller tank models, but you'd be surprised how fast the air goes on a blowout attachment. (Amazon has some cheaper 1 gal ones that appear to have great reviews) The old pancake I used before this was small, and ran NON STOP at like 100+ db. Shoo
via Nashville Typewriter at https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1srashb/handheld_alternative_to_canned_air/?sort=old
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Christopher Buckley: “Steaming to Bamboola” and Other Journeys
Bill Buckley's Royal HH from the National Review.
Almost hilarious that a gloved assistant brings it out and then removes it once they're done discussing it. Something so effete-ist about this that would be befitting Buckley himself.
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www.facebook.com www.facebook.com
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https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=3565042706976081&set=pcb.1249358224049616
Signed card and headshot of Natalie wood in front of a blue series 5 Smith-Corona Silent-Super.
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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I've been doing this for many years and there are only a tiny few of us, beyond professional document examiners, who might care enough to delve into these questions.
A few things to consider:
You're more likely to find solid advice from typeface historians than you are SCM historians. You're also likely to find better advice on this topic in the more specialized fora like https://typewriter.boardhost.com/ or the typewriter discord https://discord.gg/UzaREHJnX
You're better off using the exemplars from the catalogs (several .pdfs in the TWdb when you're logged in, or on munk.org in scanned photo format). The photos and identifications in the individual galleries of the database are USER IDENTIFIED and aren't always the most consistent as a result. Knowing some of the bigger, more knowledgeable collectors on the database and who knows what best or who has studied areas the most is incredibly helpful here. (Several of your examples are via James Grooms, who is a significant collector and generally does solid identifications, provides photos of slugs and foundry marks, but still often asks for confirmations of typeface identifications in the various fora.)
The foundry marks on the numerals for most machines are very often are different from those of the alphabet so you may find that particular machines used something like Pica No. 1 for the letters but something different, but potentially close for the numbers.
The slugs and designs for the number one are often the least reliable over time as it was often left off of machines entirely until the 60s or 70s. Even when a foundry specifically designed this numeral, many manufacturers left it off their machines though they often put an exemplar for it into their catalogs. Thus when you compare, you may be comparing the lowercase letter "L" in exemplars for individual machines. In particular, I've seen examples recently for Royal who had the number 1 in their catalogs, but almost never had a key on the machine for it and either relied on the user using the "L" or in cases of double gothic faces the letter "I", and as a result, you'll never find an exact "match" between the two.
An exact determination is highly unlikely to change the value of your particular machine in the slightest.
It would be nice if the Typewriter Database encouraged people to upload photos of their slugs and foundry marks specifically and had data fields for identifying the typefaces as well as fields for which sources they used to provide those identifications.
The level of resources and knowledge in this area means that it's incumbent on you to do your own research and come to your own conclusions based on what is broadly available in terms of original catalogs and exemplars in the wild. This being said, the only way the state of the art changes is for people who do this sort of research to publish it with their lines of reasoning on their own websites, here on Reddit, or other typewriter related fora.
Reply to u/frankinreddit at https://old.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1sskes0/smithcorona_id_help_are_these_actually_pica_no_1/
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typecast.munk.org typecast.munk.org
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1srcjcv/a_service_worth_2760/
Original at $240: https://www.ebay.com/itm/336526639070 <br /> Relisted with modest service at $3,000: https://www.ebay.com/itm/318179612134
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typecast.munk.org typecast.munk.org
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1938 Corona Zephyr Typewriter Service Adjustment Methods<br /> by [[Ted Munk]]<br /> accessed on 2026-04-21T11:16:31
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writingball.blogspot.com writingball.blogspot.com
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The Typewriter Revolution blog: Guest post: Disassembling a Smith-Corona Zephyr<br /> by [[Garrett Lai]] on Richard Polt's site <br /> accessed on 2026-04-21T11:13:26
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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In the hopes of helping those seeking to remove the body/shell/jacket* of a Corona Zephyr (1938, in this case), I've created a step-by-step process based on my recent experience. (\The user manual from the 1930s refers to the machine's body as a "jacket.")* The steps are: Remove the two screws underneath the keys at the front of the machine (holding the typewriter to the base of the body. 2, 3, 4. ON EACH SIDE, remove the screws at positions #2 & #3 and the lug nut at position #4. Don't remove the screw at position #4 as it's not necessary & will be difficult to set back in place. Remove the back lower panel of the body to reveal the screws at position #5. Remove the screws at position #5 from EACH SIDE of the machine. Using a thin piece of cardboard (I used the cardstock from a cereal box) or a stack of a few pieces of paper, depress the top row of keys so that they'll slide under the body as you slide it forward. Slide the body forward, slightly lifting the back end to help guide it out. Work slowly & gently, keeping an eye on the keys to ensure that they are not getting caught on the body & that nothing is getting crushed, scraped, or scratched as you work. Continue gently & carefully sliding the machine out of its body. A view of the body without the typewriter within. Note that it is a single piece and the top & bottom do NOT separate. Good luck! ALSO: this guest post from Garrett Lai on Richard Polt's Typewriter Revolution site has a good approach for aiding in the sliding of the typewriting in & out of the body by making some plastic skids to avoid scraping/scratching during movement: https://writingball.blogspot.com/2020/06/guest-post-disassembling-smith-corona.html If you want to get any Corona Zephyr servicing details from the source, be sure to see Theodore Munk's post which includes his insights along with a copy of the original "1938 Corona Zephyr Typewriter Service Adjustment Methods" manual: https://typecast.munk.org/2023/02/11/1938-corona-zephyr-typewriter-service-adjustment-methods/
Details for removing the jacket of a Corona Zephyr.
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At 24:47 in this Type Pals video Joe Van Cleave talks about the ribbon cartridges for the Coronamatic typewriter and how they work.
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ultimatepopculture.fandom.com ultimatepopculture.fandom.com
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site.xavier.edu site.xavier.edu
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William F. Buckley, Jr.: Royal HH, Olivetti Lettera 32
At 1:13:45 into the documentary Best of Enemies: Buckley vs. Vidal (Magnolia Pictures, 2015), William F. Buckley is pictured using what appears to be a Hermes 3000 typewriter.
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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Fortunately the attachment point on both the mainspring barrel and the carriage were conducive to a single strand of telephone wire (core) which is a trick I learned from getting a machine fixed at a local shop many years ago.
https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1soc415/remington_noiseless_drawband_repair_with/
Use of telephone wire to replace a drawband on a Remington noiseless.
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www.youtube.com www.youtube.com
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Sarah treated the internal felt of her typewriter by spraying it down with white distilled vinegar. This kills any living molds, etc. Vodka is also good for removing scents on typewriters (and vintage bags).
The variable line spacer is inside the platen of a Hermes 3000.
The carriage of the H3K comes off with the removal of two bolts.
For rust removal Sarah starts with a wire brush then does PB Blaster for more.
Replace rusted springs.
Fingernail polish for a H3K:<br /> - Sally Hansen Insta-Dry line "Time is Money" (discontinued?) - Expressie Essie quick dry "In the Modem" (closest in her opinion) - Sinful Colors Eucalypta - Blank Beauty (color match to Hermes Ambassador) - Orly (meh, too green)
The case doesn't remove intuitively.
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www.facebook.com www.facebook.com
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Platen repair experiment… This platen on a Royal Arrow was badly cracked with large chunks missing. So, having nothing to lose, I took some black Flexseal paste and filled it in like spackle. Of course, I applied way too much and ended up sanding most of it off before applying 240 grit sand paper to the entire platen via my drill. It’s smooth to the touch, not perfect, but passed the typing test with all letters clear and neat.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1794856020751839/posts/4419835824920499/
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www.facebook.com www.facebook.comFacebook1
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https://www.facebook.com/reel/1455604339371283
JHoff Art painting the plastic key caps on a typewriter keyboard and repainting them with letter-based corporate logos.
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These Writing Devices Changed How I Write (7 Tested)<br /> by BYOK
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www.instagram.com www.instagram.com
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“Raffaella della Olga: Typescripts,” the artist’s first solo museum show brings together her artist’s books, mesmerizing typed paintings, and striking cut-fabric works. Her work is accompanied by rare and artist’s books from the Clark library, spanning the late nineteenth century to the present, which reflect the typewriter’s still-vivid potential as a creative tool. “Raffaella della Olga: Typescripts” is open through May 31, 2026.
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www.facebook.com www.facebook.com
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The advice in your last picture is spot on. I have had success with #0000 steel wool and metal polish in particular.
Advice for polishing and cleaning up nickel plating
via Erik Bruchez https://www.facebook.com/groups/705152958470148/posts/1230905545894884/
Others recommend penetrating oil or WD-40 in combination with 0000 steel wool which should be enough to remove corrosion, but not damage the nickel plating.
I've also seen Marty Morren suggest 0000 inside Dremel tools for dealing with nickel plated key rings.
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Hamilton Typewriter Company opens at Cotton Factory, reviving vintage craft<br /> CHCH News on 2026-03-28
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www.youtube.com www.youtube.com
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East Nashville gifted with free sidewalk poetry<br /> News Channel 5 Nashville, TN
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Caring for the Holiday Case. This was a straightforward cleaning. The case was pretty bad. I scrubbed with soap and water, let dry for a few days, then cleaned metal with steel wool (0000 grade). Inside the movements were lightly lubricated with Marvel mystery oil, including the carrying handle and hinges. The case was polished with Meguiars cleaning wax (maroon tin). Final buff with mircrofiber.
via Katie Typewriter-Alliance on https://www.facebook.com/groups/1713118022537412/posts/2399628867219654/
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The spring latches, handle, gray bookcloth and specialty screws came from Amazon. $40 for all. The rest of the hardware is original - I just cleaned it with CLR and steel wool. The black leatherette is Skivertex Ubonga, applied with contact cement after sanding and priming.
via https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=10237035449038216&set=pcb.2417813885401152
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https://www.facebook.com/groups/TypewriterCollectors/posts/10163497483964678
In 9 to 5, Dora Lee seems to be using a Royal (Triumph-Adler) SE1000CD typewriter.
See also trailer at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qni6HOyPNBA
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Odell No 4 index typewriter<br /> by [[The Vintage Type]]
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www.typewritergazette.com www.typewritergazette.com
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Odell and His Typewriter<br /> by [[Typewriter Gazette]]<br /> accessed on 2026-04-14T16:31:03
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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Unfortunately ribbon carts for these (Olivetti Lexicart) is almost impossibe to find.
https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1sksg4n/i_just_purchased_a_smith_corona_vantage_1978/
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“Century of the Typewriter” has illustrations of nearly 200 keyboard latyouts used by Olympia.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/705152958470148/posts/1244830544502384
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reply to u/Greydusk1324 about the difference in Royal Standard typewriters at https://reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1skmfum/comparing_royal_standard_desk_machines/
I'm (sorry?) to report that the internals of the Royal standard typewriters including the Ten, H, KH, KHM, KMM, KMG, RP, HH, FP, Empress, 440, 660, etc. are all incredibly similar if not exactly the same over several decades. The biggest change is probably the introduction of Magic Margins with the KMM. The margin release button also moved down to the keyboard around this time as well.
Most of the rest are smaller, subtle differences in how the ribbon reverse mechanism is done or things like keytops changing from glass and acetate to plastic, the threading design of the ribbon vibrator, as well as the external design and some of the other small fit and finish. Some of the much later models allow one to remove the entire chassis from the body of the typewriter to make cleaning and servicing easier.
There are certainly differences in type-feel and "weight" in the changes in the keytops, but broadly they're all mostly the same machine. The biggest differences between them all (for me) tend to be how well they've been maintained and/or been cleaned and adjusted. One seriously well adjusted Royal is better than any 20 other random Royal standards you might pick up for a fraction of the price. Of course, if you're doing your own wrenching work, then once you've learned one machine well, the rest are a breeze to work on and bring up to snuff.
If you think there's a huge difference between your KMM and KMG (which are probably the two closest models), then perhaps it's worth it to try some others? The biggest difference may be the FP which has chunkier key caps that have more effect on the "feel". The HH and many of the other later models have thinner key tops. The Ten is probably the most different from the rest. The H, KH, KHM are what I would call "experimental" models moving toward the perfection in the KMM and KMG.
Context: I'm an owner of a KHM, 2 KMMs (including a 47+ pound, 18" wide carriage), 2 KMGs, 2 HHs, half a dozen FPs (in all the colors but Willow Green), and a 440. This includes a variety of their standard pica and elites, a Clarion Gothic, and a Pica Double Gothic. Stylistically I love the KMG and the FP, but my KHM has one of the most satisfying "actions" of any of the machines I own.
Of course, all this depends on what sort of collection you're aiming for. I love a good Royal and have a smattering of other makes and models, but I am slowly working toward a completist picture of Royal Standards. I do try to add machines that have a unique typeface or other feature as I add more of them to get some additional depth and breadth to my collection.
If you're a collector with limited space, then pick up the best looking design(s) (for your personal aesthetic) and rest easy that you're not missing too much. You can also pick up new machines to curate for a few years and then move them along to other collectors to enjoy so that your collection is always changing.
You might get some more detail and nuance by watching Joe Van Cleave's YouTube channel where he's done a few dozen videos on Royal standards as well as comparison videos over the past several years.
Good luck on your hunt!
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https://www.instagram.com/p/DXAGAK5DebK7-WL9xcuVQqlXQP8-lUQGnMK4kM0
Upcycled typewriter ribbon winder using what looks like an old hand drill.
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via https://www.facebook.com/groups/705152958470148/posts/1240478151604290/Typewriter tables built onto a swivel attached to the leg of a large partner's desk.
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www.cbc.ca www.cbc.ca
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In the age of autocorrect, this typewriter shop owner in Hamilton wants you to write with intention<br /> by [[Justin Chandler]] in CBC News<br /> accessed on 2026-04-06T22:46:03
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www.instagram.com www.instagram.com
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Professor and poet Kenneth Goldsmith has spent the past 24 years transcribing manuscripts onto ultra-thin onion-skin paper, amassing a total of 750 to date, as part of his ‘Retyping a Library’ project.Find out why he finds digital so passé, via link in bio. DOP: @kalumkoCamera assistant: Rory WagnerInterview: @donnasalekEditor: Daniel FinnSenior creative producer: @valmessersiDigital director: @ellycparsons
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DWAosAxjIRI/ via The World of Interiors
Why in God's name would he choose the worst typewriter on the planet to effect this project?
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www.amazon.co.uk www.amazon.co.uk
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The BSIE Typewriters Store ribbon is poorly inked according to this Redditor/post: https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1s6xr1k/first_attempt_at_typing_on_my_new_typewriter/
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retypingalibrary.com retypingalibrary.com
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About - retypingalibrary<br /> by [[Kenneth Goldsmith]] <br /> accessed on 2026-03-31T22:00:26
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apnews.com apnews.com
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College instructor turns to typewriters to curb AI-written work<br /> by [[Jocelyn Gecker]] | AP News<br /> accessed on 2026-03-31T08:39:49
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“I’m probably going to hang them on my wall,” Mong said. “I’m kind of fascinated by typewriters. I told all my friends, I did a German test on a typewriter!”
Tom Hanks has mentioned framing typewritten letters before, but German exams?
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“I was so confused. I had no idea what was happening. I’d seen typewriters in movies, but they don’t tell you how a typewriter works,” said Catherine Mong, 19, a freshman in Phelps’ Intro to German class. “I didn’t know there was a whole science to using a typewriter.”
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https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1s7eiav/table_score/<br /> Vanpe, Inc. of Chicago manufactured typewriter tables with drop leaves and drawers.
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www.youtube.com www.youtube.com
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reply to u/Vibeuel_ at https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1s7lfdu/i_hate_loving_typewriters/
He used Chapstick as a heavy grease to hold ball bearings in place to re-insert the carriage and ball bearings into a Royal Arrow.
Sorry you went through this insertion of ball bearings into a Royal in this manner. For the future attempts, there is a re-creation of a custom tool for doing this sort of operation which also includes some repair manual details: https://www.m-morren.nl/product/17071027/royal-bearing-guide-ball-feeder-tool
Lucas Dul also has a video that might help: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_PONcT8HHI as well as some discussion of using straws at the 21:40 mark in this video: https://virtualhermans.com/lucas-dul
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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Today I learnt that the flange nut that holds the carriage lock pawl to the frame of the Olympia SM3 is an eccentric nut, so you can adjust the position of the pawl up or down, forwards or backwards. While I can very much understand why it would need adjusted up or down, so it lines up with the slots in the carriage rail, I could not, at first, figure out why you'd want it adjusted back/forwards. That is, until I put it back together and the little tab where the spring attaches started binding against the frame, jamming the carriage lock in the open position. Hopefully this will help fellow tinkerers who might be tempted to form the tab out, with the risk of damaging the carriage pawl on their machine.
via u/guneeyoufix at https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1s73hcz/sm3_did_you_know/
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I've had the same issue after taking mine completely apart. I can see the the a is too high, and the o and p are too low. This will happen the the type guide isn't in the correct position, and on your machine, it looks like it needs to be adjusted to the right, to bring the left side of the kb down, and the right side up. It's a fiddly process, and a small adjustment makes a big difference, so take it slow. Use the q and p keys as they are further apart on the segment. Give it a try and come back here to show the results.
via u/guneeyoufix at https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1s6irjx/can_someone_help_me_with_unaligned_letters_on_my/
as a reply to u/Fit_Artichoke_8668 with respect to unaligned letters on a Corona 3 typewriter. The typing line of the lowercase was very wavy (up and down), so not simply a case of on feet or motion.
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typewriterdatabase.com typewriterdatabase.com
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typewriterdatabase.com typewriterdatabase.com
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Matt Watkins (Ignaciob) on the typewriter database aka u/TC3Guy on Reddit are the same person<br /> via comment at https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1s4vndm/most_collected_typewriters_on_the_typewriter/
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www.facebook.com www.facebook.com
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David Kearby (aka D****2 on SGW) purchased this Underwood https://shopgoodwill.com/item/258398206
via https://www.facebook.com/groups/705152958470148/posts/1229591519359620/
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davistypewriters.blogspot.com davistypewriters.blogspot.com
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So THAT"S what's wrong with it! I knew it!!<br /> by [[Will Davis]] of Davis Typewriter Works <br /> accessed on 2026-03-26T21:08:50
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More often than not I just go simple pencil all the way through.
Sometimes I use a Pilot Coleto Hi-tec C multipen with four different colors to make things more interesting and differentiate between types of data, particularly within the boxes so I know what happens from one box to the next, particularly when going back to prior boxes to add in historical information. (I also tend to go with their 0.3mm fine tip ink refills for being able to pack more writing into small boxes!) Sometimes I'll do the starting pitcher and their work in black, and relievers in blue, purple, and orange rotating through to differentiate each pitcher's work to make it easier to keep up with their individual data, especially when I do full pitch counts.
Sometimes I'll take along a Mitsubishi 772 "editor's pencil" that has both red and blue lead to add in some color. Often it's a simple line for pitcher changes or for substitutions across an individual line to distinguish when a sub came into the game.
Sometimes I'll use a typewriter with a bichrome ribbon and switch between black and red ink to help break up some data, or to highlight things like RBIs to make summing things easier in the end. Example: https://www.reddit.com/r/BaseballScorecards/comments/1s33f1d/20260324_tampa_bay_rays_vs_atlanta_braves_spring/ which has red lines between pitchers and red "I"s to break up substitutions.
Looking at example cards that get posted here will give you some ideas and pointers. Usually one can puzzle out what the scorer was doing using different colors or highlighters.
A lot of how I score depends on my mood, where I'm watching a game, how much time I want to put into it all, and which tools I have at hand. Experiment. Have fun. Do what works best for you. There's no single "right" way, just the same way there are thousands of different formats in scorecard formats.
reply to u/Alej_Betancourt at https://reddit.com/r/BaseballScorecards/comments/1s3mbzt/your_advice_for_a_rookie_highlighters_and/
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Congratulations and welcome to the club.
For some insane reason, the majority of typewriter collectors like 15-20 pound machines that fit into rectangular cases. This means that the value of fantastic machines like yours which are fully featured, better engineered, and which will last centuries aren't as high. With a solid clean, oil, and repair, this is the sort of machine that can do nearly everything you could want from a typewriter. This is a true writer's machine. I've got about six of these around in various colors as well as typefaces and type sizes.
Yours is a Royal FP made sometime between '57 and '62 and can be more closely dated using the serial number under the hood and comparing with the database.
Historical users of the vaunted Royal FP include the likes of Herb Caen, Peter De Vries, Stephen King, Melissa Ludtke, Frank O'Hara, and Morley Safer. Amongst many other appearances, this typewriter was also used by Sgt. Joe Friday in the TV show Dragnet, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (S5, E2), and was in the opening scenes of Miami Vice when Crockett first meets Lt. Castillo.
Your manual, should you need it: https://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/RoyalFP.pdf
Joe Van Cleave has a solid video intro and review of it at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOnQRBo7YqA.
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. See: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMDfGkKqbgE If necessary, Ribbons Unlimited carries these spools, but it's much cheaper to just buy 1/2" ribbon on cheap plastic cores or bulk ribbon on cardboard hubs and wind your own on by hand.
More resources: https://boffosocko.com/research/typewriter-collection/
Reply to u/zoke10 at https://reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1s3mngq/thrift_store_find/
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Mail Time With Aldo<br /> by [[Joe Van Cleave]]
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Did you read about the killer who used a typewriter as a weapon? Apparently the shift key was locked so it’s a CAPITAL offense.
via Brian Young at https://www.facebook.com/groups/TypewriterCollectors/posts/10163215438729678/
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typewriterdatabase.com typewriterdatabase.com
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https://typewriterdatabase.com/1949-royal-kmg.16171.typewriter
Marshall Plan sticker on Royal KMG
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typewriterdatabase.com typewriterdatabase.com
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I turned around and placed it with the Colonial Theater in Phoenixville, PA, where the 1958 Steve McQueen sci-fi movie "The Blob" was filmed, as a similar grey 1949 Royal KMG appears in the police-station scenes.
via Mark Schrad at https://typewriterdatabase.com/1949-royal-kmg.15160.typewriter
The Blob (Paramount, 1958)
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Just saw a man get killed with a Lettera 32. Man in the High Castle.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/705152958470148/posts/1224514289867343/
Season 4, episode 4 “Happy Trails”
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The Rules of Typewriter Club
The first rule of Typewriter club is Do not oil the segment.
The second rule of Typewriter club is DO NOT oil the segment.
Do not ask the value of your typewriter: they are invaluable.
Always talk about typewriter club. Every chance you get: to family, friends, complete strangers...
If you only have one typewriter, you must refer to it as "my FIRST typewriter".
If you're new to typewriter club, you have to type.
A typewriter is not broken unless it is clean and broken.
Parts of a typewriter should only be removed in order to repair another typewriter.
Keychoppers shall have the extremities they used to chop keys chopped off.
More than one machine is allowed to be your "favorite".
The last typewriter you bought is the greatest one. Until the next one.
Never leave a typewriter outside, in a barn, or in a damp basement to rust.
Typewriters are to type with. They should not be "flipped".
Any reason is a good reason to buy and use a typewriter.
The hardest part of typewriter repair is believing you can do it. Everything else is just instructions plus a careful, thoughtful hand. —Rt. Rev. Theodore Munk
If you see a typewriter, you should take photos and upload the details to the TypewriterDatabase.com.
Typewriters are not mood setting decor, they are meant to be used.
Always leave a typewriter in better condition than you found it.
We form things; we do not "bend" them.
The only acceptable way to dispose of a typewriter is to find it a new home. The only exception is in dire circumstances in time of war when one should follow the guidance of the Underwood manual and "Smash typewriters and components with a sledge or other heavy instrument; burn with kerosene, gasoline, fuel oil, flame thrower, or incendiary bomb; detonate with firearms, grenades, TNT, or other explosives."
If anyone asks you about your typewriter, you must spend at least five minutes talking to them about it.
Legitimate typewriter sellers never use the phrases "it works" or "it just needs a new ribbon."
Remember that typewriters are dangerous and can be used for samizdat. As Woody Guthrie wrote: "This machine kills fascists."
Blessed are those who give typewriters to children for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
"In death, they have a name." Lenore Fenton. Lenore Fenton. Lenore Fenton!
The Typewriter Database does not list every single serial number, just ranges of numbers and years in which they were made. You are responsible for figuring out which year your number fits into.
"Working but needs new ribbon" is seller's code for "I have no idea if it really works, but I'm going to try to sell you this machine for the price of a fully functioning machine that was just serviced by a professional shop despite the fact that I just took it out of grandpa's barn and I'm not sure if the mouse inside is dead or not. Also, I can't afford $10 to replace an old ribbon to truly participate in the charade of the price I'm going to try to fleece you with."
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en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unfrosted<br /> Unfrosted (Netflix, 2024)
Marjorie Post attacks her toady assistant with a Royal KMG typewriter.
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https://youtu.be/4-8adc39DV0?si=Upi9PjBrYFiE_5kn&t=54
Misery (Columbia Pictures, 1990)<br /> clip when Paul attacks Annie
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[Repo Men (2010) - Death by Typewriter Scene](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnq1Q0JMfS8
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reply to u/Minimum__Dot1795 at https://reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1rx45d7/imperial_70_can_i_use_any_spools_wanting_to_try/
I'm not sure of the internal diameter of yours, not having used Imperial spools before, but some of the cheap plastic "Universal Spools" have removeable plastic cores that may allow you to pop them out and be compatible with your machine. The one's I've got have a 3/4" or 19mm diameter hole and are meant to be used with Remington machines instead of their metal spool hubs. (Example: https://www.amazon.com/Universal-Typewriter-Typewriters-Replacement-Compatible/dp/B0D9P2P2Q7/?th=1)
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Thoughts About Typing Paper<br /> by [[Joe Van Cleave]]
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Congratulations. You've joined an exclusive club that includes writers like: Edward Abbey John Ashbery, Saul Below, Johnny Carson, Joan Didion, Bernard Kalb, Elia Kazan, Helen Keller, Grace Metalious, Arthur Miller, Carl Reiner, Fred Rogers, Rod Sterling, George Sheehan, and Wallace Stegner.
I've got over 60 typewriters in my collection and the KMG is my favorite, especially when it's clean and properly adjusted. I've got one each in Royal Elite and Royal Pica typefaces they're so nice.
KMG controls diagram: https://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/RoyalKMGdiagram.jpg<br /> Richard Polt's site doesn't have a manual (yet) for the KMG, so pull the manual for the Royal KMM instead. It was the model made just before the KMG and should be functionally identical. The Royal HH which followed it was also broadly similar. https://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/tw-manuals.html
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 1/2 inch wide ribbon onto them, remove any eyeletes which aren't needed and may interfere with the auto reverse. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMDfGkKqbgE
Incidentally when browsing YouTube for repair videos, the mechanics of all the Royal standards (listed above) are all incredibly similar if not exactly the same, so search beyond KMG to find solutions.
For cleaning:<br /> - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjumGF9NFE8&list=PLJtHauPh529XYHI5QNj5w9PUdi89pOXsS&index=5<br /> - https://boffosocko.com/2024/08/09/on-colloquial-advice-for-degreasing-cleaning-and-oiling-manual-typewriters/ - The tombstone "glass" (acetate) keys are metal rings that hold a piece of acetate over a paper legend (with the key letter printed on it) onto a metal platform. Don't get liquids or water on these as it will seep inside and discolor or damage the paper legends. They're replaceable, but it requires a special tool and/or lots of patience. Incidentally, these were the last US manufactured typewriters with glass keys.
Use and maintenance: https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/06/typewriter-use-and-maintenance-for-beginning-to-intermediate-typists/
If it helps, here's a link to all my posts about the purchase, history, use and some restoration pieces I've written about mine (start at the oldest and work your way forward): https://boffosocko.com/tag/royal-kmg/
Other resources as you may need them: https://boffosocko.com/research/typewriter-collection/
Good luck!
reply to u/Saltiend at https://reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1rwsfxp/just_bought_a_royal_kmg_any_tips/
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unpublished reply to u/kinga_forrester at https://www.reddit.com/r/vintageads/comments/1rvqt0e/comment/oayqqbd/
Rightly or wrongly I'm sure a vanishing number of people at that time would have held your view.
You've got to remember the historical context of this ad. During World War II all but one typewriter manufacturer in the US ceased production of typewriters and the one remaining was really producing machines for the military. This ad from 1943 actually says in tiny print at the bottom: "Royal is making bullets, and parts for airplane engines, propellers, machine guns, rifles." Civilian groups did drives to collect typewriters to send them to the war effort. Many of the extant and upcoming generation of typewriter repairmen went off to the war effort. All this against the backdrop of people being used to taking their machines (especially office ones in use 8 hours a day) in for service every year or so for cleaning and adjustment. Most office typewriters of the time were in use for an average of 3 years before requiring complete overhauls or replacement. In addition to all of the other things being rationed, typewriters and typewriter service were also being heavily rationed, particularly because the manpower and steel was being diverted heavily to the war effort.
At the time, most typewriters were in the $125-200 range which is the equivalent to about $1,500 now. They were trying to help people preserve their machines and functionality. This was at a time when almost any sizeable town in the US had at least one repair shop busy with work. A city the size of Chicago probably had several dozens of repair shops working full time and that likely dropped to just a few during the war. (There's only one now, and it's only been open for a few years; it also has a wait list of several months for service because it's so busy.)
The issue of typewriter preservation was so great during the war that the U.S. Navy produced a series of videos about their proper use and maintenance of them *and other expensive office machines of the time). See videos at https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/06/typewriter-use-and-maintenance-for-beginning-to-intermediate-typists/ The government also got involved in creating maintenance manuals like Basic Typewriter Care and Maintenance, Equipment Maintenance Series No. 1 (US FWIP, 1945) and repair manuals like War Department Technical Manual TM 37-305: Typewriter Maintenance (1944) which is essentially the same as the [1945 Ames manual[(https://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/AmesVol1-Standards.pdf).
Comparing this with today when the general value of typewriters is almost nil and we're lucky to have a few dozen professional typewriter repair shops still operating, but the rate of retirements and deaths has long been outstripping the replacement rate and you'll understand why self-service is necessary. Even given this, the number of typewriter fora on the internet, Facebook, Reddit, etc. the amount of tinkering knowledge is almost cripplingly bad but seems to chug along. You'll notice that there are an awful lot of people just trying to identify their machines much less carry out the most basic repairs. The number of "broken machines" I've acquired in my collection that only needed the ribbon color selector set to something besides "stencil" is a sad indicator of the state of typewriter knowledge now, much less what it may have been in their heyday, tinkering or not.
Even by 1983 as typewriters were already beginning to feel the pressure from the computer business, books like Bryan Kravitz and Nancy Gorrell's Hints for a Happy Typewriter were attempting to educate people on proper maintenance and light repair before needing to rely on repair shops that were already starting to feel the pinch.
Incidentally, IBM wasn't what put most typewriter companies out of business. It was vicious competition caused by offshoring and the cheapening of parts and materials while computers in general did the rest. And as for all those typewriter repair shops: most began selling/servicing word processors, office machines like fax machines, photo copiers, dictaphones, and even computers.
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via https://reddit.com/r/vintageads/comments/1rvqt0e/1943_royal_typewriter_ad_imploring_people_to_not/
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Choosing a Typewriter for Writers<br /> by [[Joe Van Cleave]]
Manual typewriters for writers with a focus on machines made without needing to tinker/repair them.
Joe primarily focuses on typewriters he actually has in his personal collection more than other potential great machines. Having been collecting for his particular purpose for a long time, he's got a pretty tight set of good recommendations.
He's also got some good advice here about how to go about finding a machine and using professional typewriter shops to do so.
Electric typebar typewriters with more tolerance for poor technique.
IBM Selectrics, maintenance intensive, need carbon replacement film.
Printwheel/Daisy Wheel typewriters. Brother, Nakajima, Swintec (components made by Nakajima),
Ultra portable typewriters
- Royal / Silver Seiko typewriter - no tabs
- Olympia Splendid 33, 66, 99 - no tabs the 33 is monochrome
Portables
- Smith-Corona 5 Series
- Olympia SM series: SM1 - SM9
- Hermes 3000 series (overpriced on the used market)
Standards
Big and don't come with a case; will last nearly forever<br /> - Underwood 5<br /> - Royal standards, especially those that came after the 10
Typebar Electrics
- Olympia Reporter (Nakajima in Japan); designed in 80s for journalists
- Royal Saturn (Silver-Seiko) one of the quietest out there; uses 9/16" ribbon; bichrome with tabs,
- Smith-Corona Electric - first portable electric to hit the market.
- IBM Selectric (71; manual correction)
Daisywheel typewriters
- Brother
- RaRo has new Daisy wheels
- delay between keypress and print
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Royal KMM Paper Bale Tension Adjustment<br /> by [[Joe Van Cleave]] on YouTube
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https://www.facebook.com/groups/705152958470148/posts/1220366670282105/
Tom Hansen recommends using acrylic craft paint from Walmart for $1.50 for a small bottle to touch up the corners of black Royal typewriter cases. He also uses anti-skid rubber stick-ons to the bottom to keep the case from scratching surfaces when he uses his typewriter still in the bottom portion of the case.
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www.youtube.com www.youtube.com
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Mail Time March 2026<br /> by [[Joe Van Cleave]] on YouTube<br /> accessed on 2026-03-16T13:17:39
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static.wixstatic.com static.wixstatic.com
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Royal QDLs from '56-59, though advertisement more likely from '57-58 due to the white.
Royal Green, Royal Star White, Royal Beige, Royal Gray, Royal Red, Royal Turquoise,
Add specifies the QDL is available in Canterbury Pica or Canterbury Elite.
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www.facebook.com www.facebook.comFacebook1
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https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=8664575033636687&set=pcb.10161146832999678
Test of Shift and motion<br /> nNnNnNn
Test of Color Control<br /> __ 1/41/41/21/2// (black) __ 1/41/41/21/2// (red)
Test of Magic Margin<br /> x<br /> x
Test of Tabulator and Back Space<br /> x x x<br /> xx xx xx
Test of Line lock and margin release<br /> nnnnnn<br /> nnnnnn
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www.youtube.com www.youtube.com
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Advanced Typing - Shortcuts (1943)
Advanced Typing: Shortcuts. 16 mm. Vol. MN-1512c. United States Navy Training Film, 1943. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUJfCfqgsX0.
Correct typing posture: fingers curved<br /> arms sloping up<br /> light fast strokes<br /> steady rhythm
fast continuous motion of return lever<br /> using backing sheet (aka temping sheet ??)
Shortcuts:<br /> mise en place for office supplies (she doesn't use this phrasing though) - greater efficiency - cuts down on searching
tabulators can be helpful. There are two types:<br /> - automatic - handset
Use tabs for paragraphs, dating letters, columns of numbers, and letter closings.
To clear all tab stops, put carriage to left, hold tab clear key and move the carriage across. (Usually applies to Royal, Remington, Underwood, and Electromatic).
On LC Smith and Woodstock machines sometimes have a tab clear lever on the back.
Decimal tabulator keys help to align a variety of numbers around a decimal point. 09:43
Always have a few tabs set to prevent a flying carriage which can be hard on the machine.
When using carbon sheets which are slightly longer than the paper size, cut off a small triangle at the top left hand side. This makes it easier for one to separate the carbons from the copies by holding the top left with one hand and pulling the carbons out from the bottom of the stack.
To align multiple sheets of paper for carbon copies, use a folded sheet at the top to taco the pages into the machine. Remove the folded sheet once the carbon pack is rolled forward.
Paper bail rollers should be set to split the pages into thirds (for two rollers).
Remington noiseless machines have a pressure indicator on the front of the machine (usually above the keyboard) which can be used when using thick carbon packs that may cause the ribbon guide to stick or bind.
Only erase when the carriage is fully left or right to prevent eraser crumbs from falling into the machine. 15:26
Use a soft eraser on carbon copies. Use and insert slips of paper behind the carbons and allowing them to stick out the sides, erasing from back sheet to front so as not to allow the eraser to mark your carbon copies. For the front sheet, use a shield and ink eraser and erase with a horizontal motion. After erasing, easily pull out the inserted sheets.
When typing a correction, tap the key lightly two or three times rather than hard once.
When in a rush and it's necessary to add a word (on double spacing), underline the last letter of the prior word and type a slash (/). Then move the typing line up and type the insertion above the prior line. This creates an "arrow" of sorts for the inserted word.
Details for inserting extra letters in misspelled words using half-spacing machines. (Underwoods and Electromatics don't have this function.)
Light pencil marks at the bottom of the sheet can help to indicate the coming bottom of the sheet.
Putting up the card holders (fingers) on Underwoods and Royals. They help to hold the card and improve print quality and reduce noise.
Card holders can cause markings on carbon packs if they're not lowered.
Trick for quickly writing postcards in succession: Disengage the ratchet using the platen spring release (or variable platen switch) Type the address on the front of the card. When done give the platen a quick practiced spin. The postcard with "jump" up and stop at the paper table and be in position for rolling in the opposite direction to write the message on the back of the card! When done a faster spin of the platen will shoot the card over the back of the typewriter where it can land in a box to collect all the postcards which were written in such a manner. <br /> timestamp 23:22
Time saving methods for addressing envelopes:
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Front seat principle. Insert the envelope in the usual way and type out the address. When done, turn the envelope down through the machine with the right hand. With the left hand, place the next envelope between the top of the first envelope and the front of the platen. Feed the first envelope back through the machine (in reverse) and the second will be rolled in to place for typing. Continue in this fashion until finished. All the finished envelopes will stack up in the back at the paper table.
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Chain feeding. The first envelope is inserted and rolled partway into the machine. A second envelope is inserted between the platen and the second envelope (behind the platen). Turn the first envelope to the writing line and type the address. Take out the first envelope and insert the next the same way as before.
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Uses paper bail. Do the first envelope in the usual way. Spin it out of the machine up and behind the paper bail into a box behind the typewriter.
For quickly doing labels or small cards:<br /> Create a small zig-zag fold into a piece of paper to create a pocket slot which can be scotch taped on either side. This template paper can then be inserted so that the pocket is visible above the writing line, but the paper below it is still in the platen. The label or card can be placed into the pocket and the platen reversed to feed the label or card in backwards to the desired typing line. Using a v-groove or hole in the typing line can create a pencil line to serve as a guide for inserting many labels at the same place so that the typing lines up between labels.
Some offices had special platens for holding cards like this.
Pockets like this can also be used to hold the page to add additional lines at the bottom of pages. Deeper pockets may need to be used for doing this with carbon packs whose carbons are longer than the pages.
Alternately one can do something similar by creating a inverted u-shaped set of slits into an index card. to hold such labels.
When in the midst of a page and needing to do another piece urgently, roll back the letter until about 2 inches from the top, and then place in the new page and one between each of the carbons. Then roll forward to do the short message as necessary. Turn back to the insertion position to remove the copies and then continue with the first letter where you left off.
For drawing horizontal lines on typewriter paper, push the carriage to the extreme left and place the pencil or pen at the edge of the card guide and the scale. Then move the carriage to the right to effect the line. For vertical lines, put the carriage at the desired space and place the pencil at the card guide and scale and move the platen up/down as necessary.
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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Your IPA is temporarily liquifying the oil and grime, but as it evaporates near room temperature pretty quickly (as do other degreasers like mineral spirits, paint thinner, lacquer thinner, naphtha, etc.), it disappears and leaves the oil and grime behind.
While you're flushing it out, be sure to move the typebars back and forth to help flush the grime out of the segment as you add more IPA (or other degreaser). If you have it available, it's also helpful to loosen things up with a degreaser and follow it up immediately with compressed air to blow out all the grime.
It may take several rounds of flushing and air to completely free up your typebars. Things aren't really clean until they're dry and move freely.
reply to u/Otherwise_Thing_6384 at https://reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1ruh4u0/faceit_freede_problem/
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shopgoodwill.com shopgoodwill.com
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Vintage Sears Celebrity Portable Typewriter Manual With Hard Case & Instructions<br /> by [[ShopGoodwill.com]]<br /> accessed on 2026-03-13T10:33:18
2026-03-12: 9 bids total with last minute bidding going from $82 (5 bids) to $128 with 4 additional bids for a Sears Celebrity typewriter with an obvious (photo of typebasket) double gothic typeface.
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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reply to u/Ripraz at tk
I analogize typewriters to cars: there really isn't a "beginner friendly" option, they're all just cars or typewriters. This being said, how well built and engineered they are and some of the smaller optional features or "trim lines" can differ a fair amount. With typewriters, one of the biggest trim differences is the tabulator (does it have one and how do the controls work? If you're a screen writer, you really want one, but if you're doing other general writing, you can get away without one typically.)
With Olivetti, you're probably going to find peak typewriter manufacturing and materials from the 1930s into the early 1970s. The best stuff is likely in the 50s and 60s where their design chops are also the strongest. Their stuff in the mid-70s and after becomes more plastic and isn't as solid (eg. Lettera 35).
https://typewriterdatabase.com/olivetti.56.typewriter-serial-number-database
Some suggestions: <br /> Standards: Graphica, Linea 88<br /> Portables: Studio 42, 44, 45; Lettera 22, Lettera 32
Be sure to take a peek at the individual typewriter galleries and individual machines in the database to see the shifts in design over time, if that interests you.
This comparison/review on YouTube, of which there are surely others, is pretty solid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tW6Ji275FdE
As a beginner, you might appreciate skimming through Dr. Polt's book before or after buying a machine:<br /> Polt, Richard. 2015. The Typewriter Revolution: A Typist’s Companion for the 21st Century. 1st ed. Woodstock, VT: Countryman Press.
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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Reply to u/croceldon at https://reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1rsq69i/dust_cover_recommendations/
I use a lot of index cards, so I often just cover the opening in the hood with one and clamp it down with the paper bale. The rest I can just dust off with a painter's "chip brush" I got at the hardware store for $1.50.
I also use a handful of microfiber cloths I got at the dollar store for $1 each and throw them over the carriages of other machines. They also double for mopping up flop sweat during marathon 8 hour writing/typing sprees if you need them for that.
The only way I'd come close to dropping $80 bones on a typewriter cover is if they were as finely crafted as some of the ones I've seen our collector friend Tom Hanks using: https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/16/tom-hanks-ingenious-custom-typewriter-covers-mats/
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