Great vid! When I started college, I couldn't afford a computer and printer to type my essays for class so one day, while shopping at Salvation Army, I found a vintage, manual typewriter Royal Quiet Deluxe in a cool case. It was only $25. So i bought it, cleaned it, oiled it, bought a new ink ribbon and typed all my esays and term papers through college. Still have it.
I just got my penpal into the typist community. I sold them a machine I wasn’t interested in keeping, but fitted their preferences. Another idea to consider is a good typing course if you are interested in getting a manual machine. I insisted they have a good book, so I bought them a Copy of college typewriting. It’s the same I used and my grandma used.
Another professional repair person - Charles/Charlie from TypewriterJustice based in Dallas/Fort Worth, he’s worked on my Royal QDL and Olivetti Lettera 22. He has a lot of Olympias and Torpedos, but also a large cache of various parts machines. He’s also quite friendly!
You can also end up in the typewriter world, like I did by salvaging typewriters. I have three now. I just found another yesterday at a recycling center. The motor was making a squealing sound when I turned it on. I knew that it meant that the shaft bushings went dry. A little bit of disassembly, light cleaning, and lubrication, and it's a working typewriter again!
My first ever typewriter was from my sped teacher and the gave me a Underwood touch-master 5 and I have had to do some modifications on her but ever since I saw your video I have not really done that much work on it because once I saw one of your first videos I started to understand it more and fixed it all I one day and I thank you for that❤
I have 5 typewriters I love them. I do love to use them. But I don't use them as much as I did when I first got into typewriter collecting. I still like my poetry and some longer prose on them but mostly short story's and such.
I have three 50s SCs. I advertised that I wanted free manual typwriters and yhat's how I got the Silent Super. Don't remember where the Clipper came from but the Skywriter was an Ebay purchase. I am getting the stuff to clean them all up. I picked up two electrics from Ebay ( I blame this vlog!). I prefer manuals but need to build up hand strength first.
Another great video. I love my ultra portables and have never had a problem with them moving around. Another great place to find typewriters: ask older relatives. They often have them stashed away and are glad to have someone interested or just to get them out of the house and unless they were stored somewhere nasty they are in great shape.
I've grown up in the 80s with my parents Typewriter at home (Olivetti Lettera 32) wich I used to learn to type, school and play around, for a very long time. In recent years, realising that I was missing something from thinking on the screen of a computer instead of thinking in my head, losing concentration etc, and wanting to write more (stories, and other things...) I've decided to get a typewriter, this was an Olympus SF DeLuxe. As an Mechanical Engineer, I went back to typewriters and started to write work technical report drafts on the typewriter before doing it on the computer for the final versions. I am not exaggerating when I say that this was life changing! Now I have, in perfect working order an Olympia SF Deluxe, Olympia SM9, Remington Quiet-Ritter and right now restoring a Brother deluxe Baby Blue for my 8 year old niece, who wants to learn to type. I've bought the SM9 from a local professional service man for 250 GBP, in immaculate like new condition, the others total cost has been between them 70 GBP, two found on Gumtree and the Brother found recently on Facebook market place, all were in great condition and they were great fairly simple projects, the Quiet-Ritter was a bit more complicated as I wanted to do my best to bring it back to ' as close to as new' condition as possible, it needed a re-rubbered Platen and re-rubbered feedroll but turned up really well, great solid machine, the SF is one of my favourites as the one who introduced me to this (new?) way of doing things in the Digital world, but so far I love them all. Since buying my first typewriter, I feel my life has improved in many unexpected ways, I will never let them go, but the Brother for my niece of course!
I just bought a Brother Deluxe 220 from Etsy who had it shipped from overseas, pricey but the typewriter arrived in excellent condition, clean, well maintained (refurbished) and appears to be in good working order. Though I know nothing about typewriters I can type well enough to be happy with my first typewriter purchase. I just watched your video and a couple others on how to use the features that work on a full manual typer. I have the feeling I will end up buying another one.
I grew up with typewriters (80s kid and took mandatory typing classes). My mom had an Underwood 319 (rebranded Olivetti) which she used a ton when she wasn't renting Selectrics. I also have my grandfather's german made Optima. I came back into possession of them after my mom died in August. That fired up my interest in typewriters again. I have used both those machines to type up notes for my son's absences. Yes, they need fresh ribbons, but whatever. Still gonna use it. Even in that short time, I found quickly that I did not like the feel or performance of my mom's Underwood. Made sense. She wasn't a fan of it and why she rented Selectrics to for heavy typing use that the Underwood can't handle. Fast forward to now. In my limited experience, I bought an early 60s Royal Arrow ultra portable from ShopGoodwill. I am waiting for it to ship and excited because it's what I bought as my first typewriter and not an inherited machine. I do need to dig in and figure out quickly how to clean, lube parts and change or respool ribbons. I have found myself to be really keen on ultraportable machines. Love the aesthetics and small footprint since I don't have room for anything larger (no desktops for me). I'm already eying Consul, Princess and Kalibri machines. I want items that I have no issue reselling should they not meet my expectations.
Smith Corona 5TE Electrics are awesome because they look like the classic SC manuals but they have the advantage of the motor-assisted super light touch. You can type really fast on them with barely any pressure. Also I read some advice somewhere that (if you are able) you should buy several machines, find the ones you like the best and sell the excess, because you never know what typewriter feels best until you have it in front of you. My first typewriter was definitely an impulse buy and 9 typewriters later I finally know what style/touch/brand I prefer. Of course, the "selling the excess" part is the hardest if you have hoarder tendencies like a lot of us 😂
It's very true- and your idea of what is a "good" typewriter changes the more you learn! and really...what is excess anyways...you need them all for different things...right?
Went to get a Student 300T, which I suspect is a Brother brand typewriter. It looked it, anyway, the seller had two and the other was a Triumph TippaS, for the same price. I went with that one. It's just more vintage looking while still fully functional.
Things to think about that I have realised; don’t just buy the antique store bargain, Im stuck with one cheap and one truly antique one that are both moneypits to fix (empire baby deluxe, followed by a standard folding typewriter no1 dated Feb 1910
I quite literally just bought my first typewriter. It's electric and it is in pristine condition. Luckily for me it only cost $30 I'm so glad to have gotten it. I've always wanted one since I was a kid
@@brianobegi4882 I ended up getting a new one because the one that came with it got tangled up in the machine but if it didn't I wouldn't have needed to get a new one but it all depends on what typewriter you get and from whom you get it from
I think USA has a lot of differences regarding the facilities to obtain something antique. My two beloved typewriters were from my grandma, an Olivetti Lettera 35 and a Royal Royalty 120. They were a nightmare, broken, dirty and forgotten in a corner. I repaired them just for love to mom's old memories. I thought my family was the only case but searching in different places I've never found a Typewriter in good condition or even 100% functional and I live in a big cosmopolitan city. There's a lot of typewriters but all need to be fixed in some way.
i went with what i had, my mother left me my grandfathers silverette, and now i bought and own 56 of them, all in working condition thanks to careful work by myself
Just bought my first typewriter Its a Royal 970 and i got it for 20 bucks Works great, just needed a clean, lube, and new ribbon Also it weighs like 40 pounds... its a behemoth
Back in the early 1990s I avidly collected typewriters, had about 20 or 30 of them. Had to throw most of them out around 2000, because they "took up too much room" (according to my wife). I only kept a 1949 Underwood Universal (same model as shown @8:45 but olive drab instead of black) and I recently bought a very nice & cheap 1959 Adler Standard Universal to replace the Underwood, which I thought was broken (turned out it wasn't). Btw, I'm rather amazed by the prices these 1920s desk top typewriters (of which I had quite a few) fetch nowadays.
Well, the only typewriter I have is Zeta chechoslovakia gray typewriter with 4 rows of keys and 2 characters in each typebar with 44 character keys and 7 other keys (Tab, Shift key, Shift lock, Space bar, Second shift ket, Whatever key that does nothing and backspace key) and it has everything original parts except ribbon that i had to replace after 70+ years of use with a new 13mm double color ribbon. this typewriter also has 88 characters but the reason it has no ampersand and some other symbols is chechoslovak letters with accents. i had it for over 2 years & after 70+ years of use, it is still working. It is manual & portable style.
And now a blue and white Galaxie! Totally your fault :). I did let myself get outbid on a 1939 Royal. Decided I needed more color in my life. And, a comment on the 30 typewriters in 30 days. I keep a ledger of what I spend. I find that I pay more attention to spending when I write it out. This is definitely something you could do on a typewriter. I'm already planning to set it up.
I don’t consider myself a professional because fixing these machines to me is more like poking it until it works. But i will say that starting with a desk machine is good because it’s less compact and squished together
Well done. Thanks! I suggest german , swiss, and swedish machines, like Olympia, Rheinmetal, Voss, Alpina, Hermes,Facit, from the 50, 60, but not 70, when the machines become more fragile (plastic, not metal) Love your videos! Greetings
I need to use a typewriter for actual work due to regulatory constraints.. Ideally it should be non electronic (does not need an electrical outlet), able to type onto standard 8.5x11, able to make corrections (or at least strike through errors) on the fly, be relatively portable, and be user friendly enough to be used by a person that has not used a typewriter since he had to for school when he was seven years old and computers were not yet ubiquitous. I don’t care about aesthetics, or how cool other people will think I am if they see it on a shelf. I need it to be robust enough for everyday field work, easy to maintain, and easy to find spare parts and supplies for. Does that machine exist?
Manual typewriter, I would suggest desk standard for heavy use, but if you need it to be portable then maybe a portable or even lightweight portable. To make corrections, you'll have to type over (backspace and x out mistake) or use white out. You get the correction elements on electrics. For parts and repair, that's a different animal. I would go with a well serviced machine to begin with (from a professional tech) then you don't have to worry about sourcing parts. Supplies- ribbon would be the only one I can think of. I would stay away from remingtons because their ribbon contraption is a bit more difficult and I would stay away from lightweight portables because they use smaller spools which can be harder to source- however, if you rewrap your ribbon (I have a 101 ribbon video on my channel) then you really only need the ribbon and that is still readily available. I would suggest metal body- plastic ones haven't held up as well for me. It sounds like you need a smith corona 5 series from the 1950s (they're my favorite and the one I recommend the most). Here's a video on those models- th-cam.com/video/5DXOXG-Vluo/w-d-xo.html
I have bought two of my typewriters from a dealer in Massachusetts classic vintage typewriter which sells royal Olympia and Smith corona and one other one and they do a wonderful job shipping them and gives you a manual for it and also a nice letter that has your information on it and the name of the company you bought it from and the name of the typewriter that you bought and the information on it and the serial number to go with it all in the box when they ship it to you I have one of them as a smith corona and case 1946 and a 1947 royal both have cases and I get a typewriter pad and ribbon universal from another company that sells them
I have 4 typewriters one electric smith corona that I had in the 1990s that I got from my mom’s house and 1946 smith corona manual typewriter 1947 Royal manual And a 1955 Olympia manual typewriter and I use them when I can
Thanks for another great video Sara! As first typewriters go I agree with you on the 5 series Smith Corona, but the 6 series are really nice to. Since for many people there first typewriter will be their only typewriter. I really suggest trying to as you suggest try before you buy. There was someone that was looking for a typewriter near us that looked at an Olympia SM9 we had for sale and he just didn't like the aesthetic of that typewriter. We let him try several other typewriters and found that he is definitely likes the look and feel an Adler/Triumph, specifically something like a Perfekt. This surprised me based on what he said he was looking for so you never know until you try it and see it in person. If someone pressed me for an answer I would probably suggest the Olympia SM8 or SM9 for the same reasons you mentioned the Smith Corona 5 series. They can be a little more expensive but they are bulletproof machines in my opinion and by no means rare. Finally when it comes to Professional Typewriter Techs, I would suggest adding Bill Wahl at Mesa Typewriter Exchange. To my knowledge this is where Ted Munk received a lot of his initial information to create the Typewriter Database. Thanks again for another great video!
I'm experiencing a problem with my electric typewriter. Not sure if you would be able to help me figure out a solution. I was gifted a BROTHER WP-760D for a book I'm writing. Wrote nearly 16 pages out before I had to change the ribbon. The ribbon arrived. I placed it in and pressed print. - it worked. I went downstairs for a minute while it printed. Came back upstairs to my room, the page was only 2/3rds printed. And now nothing I print will show up on paper. No font on the paper? Not sure what happened. I mean it printed - and then decideded not to?
As a veteran collector let me just give my two cents: the more a typewriter “looks like a typewriter” as in circular black keys, the less features it probably has and the less reliable it probably is.
Older typewriters (from the 1920s and 30s) have fewer additional features like margin controls, 1 keys, tabs, etc. That is all based on preference. Machines that are from those older eras were made out of better materials than the typewriters from the 60s and 70s and today. That does mean, however, they've been sitting around longer collecting dust or rust which can make them less reliable or more likely to be damaged
@@JustMyTypewriter Thank you so much for the clarification. I'm just beginning to collect typewriters. I'm not sure, actually, that I will be a true collector, for now I'm just interested in finding out facts about typewriters, as well as finding a very niche type of typewriters - Serbian Cyrillic typewriters. I'm from Serbia, our national and traditional script is Cyrillic, but during communist Yugoslavia (1944-1991) Cyrillic typewriters were very rare, sometimes almost impossible to find, and manufactured by only a few factories in the world. They were much more in production before WWII, so like about a 30-40% of all Serbian Cyrillic typewriters on the market are 80+ years old.
I found an IBM selctric in a flee market for 50€. I was so excited. It was the winter and I live in Finland, so I carried it through the snow to my car. I slipped a little bit by the car and I thought “there’s no way i’m dropping this!!!” So i pushed it against the car door and dented the metal on the car 😂. It was worth it!
OMG I hit the typewriter rabbit hole HARD! I went thrifting today and found 2 electric typewriters. I got a Smith Corona WordSmith KA1 1 for THREE DOLLARS! Came home, plugged it up...WORKS LIKE NEW!!!!!! All it needed was a little dust scrubbed off it. And also at another thrift store today, found a Sears SR3000 for SIX DOLLARS! Sadly the Sears unit it making all kinds of grinding motor noises, and things aren't moving and when they do it's not pretty...... BUT I am sooooo happy with the Smith Corona WordSmith!!!!!!!! Used it for my brain dump Journal that I usually use pencil with. Now to round out the collection going to be looking for a Manual typewriter. Thank you so much for this content!!!!!!!
If you have motor noise, it might just be that the shaft bushings went dry. Most modern electric motors use sealed cartridge bearings, which have a very long service life because they have precision ball bearings that are permanently sealed with lubricant. Older electric motors have the shaft gliding on a thin film of oil on a bronze bushing. If the oil is gone, the motor will either be really noisy, or sometimes seized. Every case I've run across, I've been able to restore motor operation just by putting a single drop of oil on each bushing.
I want a old school typewriter where it makes heavy indentations on the paper. To rarely get used, but when I do, for it to look punched into the paper. Can anyone help me figure out what brand or type does that best?
What's the loudest noisiest kind? I'm looking for something to shake the room. A satisfying thud and cha-chinggg. I've heard the Oliver bat wing, IBM Selectric and Super Sterling are loud
I haven't found an ultra portable that feels super sturdy when typing, but of them I've found the portable brother machines or Smith Corona skyriters to be the most consistent
So my first typewriter is a wee tiny Triumph Tippa but I'm now looking for a big desktop machine that can take a serious beating because I've got more novels in me... And I kinda want to get back at a noisy neighbour, lol. Unfortunately not many are sold in working condition in my country and shipping a big one sounds like an expensive nightmare for all parties involved so I'll have to make it a long project. I don't mind it though, it's a process a bit like befriending a new person. I like the look of older full metal machines, mainly because I mostly write historical fiction and it fits the mood but also because I have a gorgeous Singer sewing machine from the 30s (Still in use! I've named her Betsy) and it would be nice to have them be similar in age and/or aesthetic. Any recommendations on what I might want to keep my eyes peeled for? As far as brands or names go in such machines I've mainly seen Remington and Olympia, and a couple of Underwoods but those sell really fast.
It may really depend on your area- some countries have better luck at having certain brands. Here in that states at least I have access to mostly royals and smith coronas. From what you're describing, a 40s LC Smith Super Speed might be fun! Again, that would depend on your area. If you don't mind the clunky and sort of odd looking, I also have had an Olivetti Linea 98- much more 70s in style, but really fun to type with on longer projects. I'm also not sure if that's something that may be more in your area.
@@JustMyTypewriter Oh I'd actually love either of those. Thanks for the reply and tips! :3 Not super keen on the grey colour but that's nothing a splash of paint or even temporary stickers won't fix. Most of our furniture is from the 60s and 70s and rather colourful so even a funny bulky boxy machine would fit right in!
@@JustMyTypewriter I am happy that I have a typewriter place near me. I did get to try some out yesterday, just that the ones on the floor weren't exactly what I was looking for. I'm thinking of going back today since he has a lot more that haven't been surviced yet.
I personally have not used that before. Anything that contains alcohol can impact the coloring of a machine, so I would be very careful with it. You might want to try it- just try it on a patch inside the machine and see what it does. Always remove any solvents carefully! And again- don't go anywhere near the painted surfaces
hii i’m looking for a nice cheap typewriter (at most 40) i know it’s a low number but could you recommend something? im having troubles looking for one
It depends on your location! If you're in the US, smith coronas, brothers, and royals are common so they're a bit cheaper. I keep an eye on facebook marketplace because you never know what will pop up
Hi Sarah, great video you got here! I just realised that it’s very hard to get Simple green and Laquer Thinner over here where i am. Do you know products that could works just as well and could replace them? Thanks!
Soap and water can do just as much for a good outside clean! You just have to make sure you air out the machine to avoid rust- a nice hot day in the sun or some other form of compressed air
It really depends on the individual machine. You want to make sure it's got a nice soft platen and felt under the type slugs- those help make it quieter!
Interestingly I have been recommended to get a different typewriter than my folding machine as its not going to be able to stand up to regular use (fairly good condition standard folding n1) do you agree with this?
I would ask the teacher/professor first if it's allowed. I love typewriters, but I would never let a student use one in class because it can be really distracting to the other students
So some machines (electrics, IBMs) require a cartridge. Others use ribbons- I have a ribbons 101 video that explain how those work! I always recommend testing out machines first if you can and consider whether you want a professionally serviced machine or one you want to work on yourself. If you work on one yourself- you'll be limited to what's available to you locally if you want to try it in person!
Great question! Manual typewriters can come in a variety of fonts, but only have one set per machine. I personally have manual machines in several fonts! They can come in different sizes and styles. If you want to swap out fonts and still use the same machine, you can use an electric typewriter with removable font elements like the IBM golf ball or the removable daisywheel element.
So skyriters have a different size spool than the traditional replacement. If you have the original spools on the machine, you can put any universal replacement ribbon on it and just re wrap it on your original spools. If you don't, I would look for replacements for Ultraportable machines on etsy or ebay. That way you get spools that'll fit the machine.
@@JustMyTypewriter I have another question I have a problem with my return bar spring it came loose and it won't bring the paper up a line and I can't figure out how to put it back on
@@ThBreadMan There is a spring attached to that bar that might be missing. I would see if phoenix typewriter has videos on that here on youtube- he's super helpful!
@@JustMyTypewriter the spring on the bar is there the spring on the thing that makes the platinum roller go up I can't find anything to help me fix that problem I'm new to manual typewriters so I don't know what I'm doing 😅
Same issue. My mom didn't have that issue and she had long fingernails (natural, no acrylics). I still don't know how she could type with them. But she had an Underwood 319, which she wasn't crazy about. She rented Selectrics because they're fast and the machine was closest to a computer keyboard. These are the machines that progressed to word processors. She had a Brother word processor, but it was complicated to use and required programming, so she went back to using the Underwood.
Where can I find six spools of the regular Remington black ribbon ink? On Amazon I found six spools for Smith-Corona, but I’m not finding six of them for the Remington brand. For the regular.
who really needs the tool? i see it as a day by day work-tool heavy usage. i really despise collectors the truly typing community >more than a thousand page typen, if you had typen less, please trash the thing. im really searching channels of the truly writers typing community (day by day heavy work). if someone knows of heavy typewriter users channels, please let me know.
Hi there- I complete understand your perspective on this. It's true, I enjoy typewriters for more than just their use for typing! Thanks for your feedback
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Great vid! When I started college, I couldn't afford a computer and printer to type my essays for class so one day, while shopping at Salvation Army, I found a vintage, manual typewriter Royal Quiet Deluxe in a cool case. It was only $25. So i bought it, cleaned it, oiled it, bought a new ink ribbon and typed all my esays and term papers through college. Still have it.
I just got my penpal into the typist community. I sold them a machine I wasn’t interested in keeping, but fitted their preferences. Another idea to consider is a good typing course if you are interested in getting a manual machine. I insisted they have a good book, so I bought them a Copy of college typewriting. It’s the same I used and my grandma used.
Another professional repair person - Charles/Charlie from TypewriterJustice based in Dallas/Fort Worth, he’s worked on my Royal QDL and Olivetti Lettera 22. He has a lot of Olympias and Torpedos, but also a large cache of various parts machines. He’s also quite friendly!
Confirmed. He is “nice” 🫡
You can also end up in the typewriter world, like I did by salvaging typewriters. I have three now. I just found another yesterday at a recycling center. The motor was making a squealing sound when I turned it on. I knew that it meant that the shaft bushings went dry. A little bit of disassembly, light cleaning, and lubrication, and it's a working typewriter again!
My first ever typewriter was from my sped teacher and the gave me a Underwood touch-master 5 and I have had to do some modifications on her but ever since I saw your video I have not really done that much work on it because once I saw one of your first videos I started to understand it more and fixed it all I one day and I thank you for that❤
I have 5 typewriters I love them. I do love to use them. But I don't use them as much as I did when I first got into typewriter collecting. I still like my poetry and some longer prose on them but mostly short story's and such.
I have three 50s SCs. I advertised that I wanted free manual typwriters and yhat's how I got the Silent Super. Don't remember where the Clipper came from but the Skywriter was an Ebay purchase. I am getting the stuff to clean them all up. I picked up two electrics from Ebay ( I blame this vlog!). I prefer manuals but need to build up hand strength first.
Another great video. I love my ultra portables and have never had a problem with them moving around. Another great place to find typewriters: ask older relatives. They often have them stashed away and are glad to have someone interested or just to get them out of the house and unless they were stored somewhere nasty they are in great shape.
I've grown up in the 80s with my parents Typewriter at home (Olivetti Lettera 32) wich I used to learn to type, school and play around, for a very long time.
In recent years, realising that I was missing something from thinking on the screen of a computer instead of thinking in my head, losing concentration etc, and wanting to write more (stories, and other things...) I've decided to get a typewriter, this was an Olympus SF DeLuxe.
As an Mechanical Engineer, I went back to typewriters and started to write work technical report drafts on the typewriter before doing it on the computer for the final versions. I am not exaggerating when I say that this was life changing!
Now I have, in perfect working order an Olympia SF Deluxe, Olympia SM9, Remington Quiet-Ritter and right now restoring a Brother deluxe Baby Blue for my 8 year old niece, who wants to learn to type.
I've bought the SM9 from a local professional service man for 250 GBP, in immaculate like new condition, the others total cost has been between them 70 GBP, two found on Gumtree and the Brother found recently on Facebook market place, all were in great condition and they were great fairly simple projects, the Quiet-Ritter was a bit more complicated as I wanted to do my best to bring it back to ' as close to as new' condition as possible, it needed a re-rubbered Platen and re-rubbered feedroll but turned up really well, great solid machine, the SF is one of my favourites as the one who introduced me to this (new?) way of doing things in the Digital world, but so far I love them all.
Since buying my first typewriter, I feel my life has improved in many unexpected ways, I will never let them go, but the Brother for my niece of course!
I just bought a Brother Deluxe 220 from Etsy who had it shipped from overseas, pricey but the typewriter arrived in excellent condition, clean, well maintained (refurbished) and appears to be in good working order. Though I know nothing about typewriters I can type well enough to be happy with my first typewriter purchase. I just watched your video and a couple others on how to use the features that work on a full manual typer. I have the feeling I will end up buying another one.
I grew up with typewriters (80s kid and took mandatory typing classes). My mom had an Underwood 319 (rebranded Olivetti) which she used a ton when she wasn't renting Selectrics. I also have my grandfather's german made Optima. I came back into possession of them after my mom died in August. That fired up my interest in typewriters again. I have used both those machines to type up notes for my son's absences. Yes, they need fresh ribbons, but whatever. Still gonna use it. Even in that short time, I found quickly that I did not like the feel or performance of my mom's Underwood. Made sense. She wasn't a fan of it and why she rented Selectrics to for heavy typing use that the Underwood can't handle. Fast forward to now. In my limited experience, I bought an early 60s Royal Arrow ultra portable from ShopGoodwill. I am waiting for it to ship and excited because it's what I bought as my first typewriter and not an inherited machine.
I do need to dig in and figure out quickly how to clean, lube parts and change or respool ribbons. I have found myself to be really keen on ultraportable machines. Love the aesthetics and small footprint since I don't have room for anything larger (no desktops for me). I'm already eying Consul, Princess and Kalibri machines. I want items that I have no issue reselling should they not meet my expectations.
I've heard wonderful things about the Groma Kolibri machines
No idea why i clicked on this video. So going with a manual ultraportable because this will be an impulse buy. Thanks for the help!
Smith Corona 5TE Electrics are awesome because they look like the classic SC manuals but they have the advantage of the motor-assisted super light touch. You can type really fast on them with barely any pressure.
Also I read some advice somewhere that (if you are able) you should buy several machines, find the ones you like the best and sell the excess, because you never know what typewriter feels best until you have it in front of you. My first typewriter was definitely an impulse buy and 9 typewriters later I finally know what style/touch/brand I prefer. Of course, the "selling the excess" part is the hardest if you have hoarder tendencies like a lot of us 😂
It's very true- and your idea of what is a "good" typewriter changes the more you learn! and really...what is excess anyways...you need them all for different things...right?
Went to get a Student 300T, which I suspect is a Brother brand typewriter. It looked it, anyway, the seller had two and the other was a Triumph TippaS, for the same price. I went with that one. It's just more vintage looking while still fully functional.
Things to think about that I have realised; don’t just buy the antique store bargain, Im stuck with one cheap and one truly antique one that are both moneypits to fix (empire baby deluxe, followed by a standard folding typewriter no1 dated Feb 1910
I quite literally just bought my first typewriter. It's electric and it is in pristine condition. Luckily for me it only cost $30 I'm so glad to have gotten it. I've always wanted one since I was a kid
Congrats!
Where u bought it from friend?
@@brianobegi4882 I found it on the Facebook market it was only an hour drive away
@@JayJynxTrash does it require ink cartridge refill?
@@brianobegi4882 I ended up getting a new one because the one that came with it got tangled up in the machine but if it didn't I wouldn't have needed to get a new one but it all depends on what typewriter you get and from whom you get it from
I think USA has a lot of differences regarding the facilities to obtain something antique. My two beloved typewriters were from my grandma, an Olivetti Lettera 35 and a Royal Royalty 120. They were a nightmare, broken, dirty and forgotten in a corner. I repaired them just for love to mom's old memories. I thought my family was the only case but searching in different places I've never found a Typewriter in good condition or even 100% functional and I live in a big cosmopolitan city. There's a lot of typewriters but all need to be fixed in some way.
i went with what i had, my mother left me my grandfathers silverette, and now i bought and own 56 of them, all in working condition thanks to careful work by myself
Just bought my first typewriter
Its a Royal 970 and i got it for 20 bucks
Works great, just needed a clean, lube, and new ribbon
Also it weighs like 40 pounds... its a behemoth
Back in the early 1990s I avidly collected typewriters, had about 20 or 30 of them. Had to throw most of them out around 2000, because they "took up too much room" (according to my wife). I only kept a 1949 Underwood Universal (same model as shown @8:45 but olive drab instead of black) and I recently bought a very nice & cheap 1959 Adler Standard Universal to replace the Underwood, which I thought was broken (turned out it wasn't). Btw, I'm rather amazed by the prices these 1920s desk top typewriters (of which I had quite a few) fetch nowadays.
I’ve been going down this rabbit hole and this is a great place to start!
Well, the only typewriter I have is Zeta chechoslovakia gray typewriter with 4 rows of keys and 2 characters in each typebar with 44 character keys and 7 other keys (Tab, Shift key, Shift lock, Space bar, Second shift ket, Whatever key that does nothing and backspace key) and it has everything original parts except ribbon that i had to replace after 70+ years of use with a new 13mm double color ribbon. this typewriter also has 88 characters but the reason it has no ampersand and some other symbols is chechoslovak letters with accents. i had it for over 2 years & after 70+ years of use, it is still working. It is manual & portable style.
Another fine video,such great information 👍. Thankyou for taking the time and effort of making these machines.
And now a blue and white Galaxie! Totally your fault :). I did let myself get outbid on a 1939 Royal. Decided I needed more color in my life.
And, a comment on the 30 typewriters in 30 days. I keep a ledger of what I spend. I find that I pay more attention to spending when I write it out. This is definitely something you could do on a typewriter. I'm already planning to set it up.
I don’t consider myself a professional because fixing these machines to me is more like poking it until it works. But i will say that starting with a desk machine is good because it’s less compact and squished together
Great breakdown of the differences. And a good reminder to ask ourselves what on earth we are doing in the first place. :D
My first was a Remington typewriter model 12 from 1923, got it for 25euro in fantastic condition with almost zero chips and not much rust
Well done. Thanks!
I suggest german , swiss, and swedish machines, like Olympia, Rheinmetal, Voss, Alpina, Hermes,Facit, from the 50, 60, but not 70, when the machines become more fragile (plastic, not metal)
Love your videos! Greetings
Wow I have a rheinmetal camera
East German models are also very sturdy. I can absolutely recommend them if you find them somewhere.
Omg not Olivetti?
I need to use a typewriter for actual work due to regulatory constraints.. Ideally it should be non electronic (does not need an electrical outlet), able to type onto standard 8.5x11, able to make corrections (or at least strike through errors) on the fly, be relatively portable, and be user friendly enough to be used by a person that has not used a typewriter since he had to for school when he was seven years old and computers were not yet ubiquitous.
I don’t care about aesthetics, or how cool other people will think I am if they see it on a shelf. I need it to be robust enough for everyday field work, easy to maintain, and easy to find spare parts and supplies for.
Does that machine exist?
Manual typewriter, I would suggest desk standard for heavy use, but if you need it to be portable then maybe a portable or even lightweight portable. To make corrections, you'll have to type over (backspace and x out mistake) or use white out. You get the correction elements on electrics. For parts and repair, that's a different animal. I would go with a well serviced machine to begin with (from a professional tech) then you don't have to worry about sourcing parts. Supplies- ribbon would be the only one I can think of. I would stay away from remingtons because their ribbon contraption is a bit more difficult and I would stay away from lightweight portables because they use smaller spools which can be harder to source- however, if you rewrap your ribbon (I have a 101 ribbon video on my channel) then you really only need the ribbon and that is still readily available. I would suggest metal body- plastic ones haven't held up as well for me. It sounds like you need a smith corona 5 series from the 1950s (they're my favorite and the one I recommend the most). Here's a video on those models- th-cam.com/video/5DXOXG-Vluo/w-d-xo.html
Olivetti Lettera 32
My first was a Hermes 3000 - but now I like the look of the older Corona 3 and 4 models. To type on I have still not found my favorite.
I’m thinking about getting the same typewriter that I saw on Band of Brothers.
I have bought two of my typewriters from a dealer in Massachusetts classic vintage typewriter which sells royal Olympia and Smith corona and one other one and they do a wonderful job shipping them and gives you a manual for it and also a nice letter that has your information on it and the name of the company you bought it from and the name of the typewriter that you bought and the information on it and the serial number to go with it all in the box when they ship it to you I have one of them as a smith corona and case 1946 and a 1947 royal both have cases and I get a typewriter pad and ribbon universal from another company that sells them
I have 4 typewriters one electric smith corona that I had in the 1990s that I got from my mom’s house and 1946 smith corona manual typewriter 1947 Royal manual
And a 1955 Olympia manual typewriter and I use them when I can
Thanks for another great video Sara! As first typewriters go I agree with you on the 5 series Smith Corona, but the 6 series are really nice to. Since for many people there first typewriter will be their only typewriter. I really suggest trying to as you suggest try before you buy.
There was someone that was looking for a typewriter near us that looked at an Olympia SM9 we had for sale and he just didn't like the aesthetic of that typewriter. We let him try several other typewriters and found that he is definitely likes the look and feel an Adler/Triumph, specifically something like a Perfekt. This surprised me based on what he said he was looking for so you never know until you try it and see it in person.
If someone pressed me for an answer I would probably suggest the Olympia SM8 or SM9 for the same reasons you mentioned the Smith Corona 5 series. They can be a little more expensive but they are bulletproof machines in my opinion and by no means rare.
Finally when it comes to Professional Typewriter Techs, I would suggest adding Bill Wahl at Mesa Typewriter Exchange. To my knowledge this is where Ted Munk received a lot of his initial information to create the Typewriter Database.
Thanks again for another great video!
I'm experiencing a problem with my electric typewriter. Not sure if you would be able to help me figure out a solution. I was gifted a BROTHER WP-760D for a book I'm writing. Wrote nearly 16 pages out before I had to change the ribbon. The ribbon arrived. I placed it in and pressed print. - it worked. I went downstairs for a minute while it printed. Came back upstairs to my room, the page was only 2/3rds printed. And now nothing I print will show up on paper. No font on the paper? Not sure what happened. I mean it printed - and then decideded not to?
I'm not entirely sure on those word processors! You might want to check with the Antique Typewriter Collector's group on Facebook
As a veteran collector let me just give my two cents: the more a typewriter “looks like a typewriter” as in circular black keys, the less features it probably has and the less reliable it probably is.
I'm a beginner collector. Can you explain this in more detail, please?
Older typewriters (from the 1920s and 30s) have fewer additional features like margin controls, 1 keys, tabs, etc. That is all based on preference. Machines that are from those older eras were made out of better materials than the typewriters from the 60s and 70s and today. That does mean, however, they've been sitting around longer collecting dust or rust which can make them less reliable or more likely to be damaged
@@JustMyTypewriter Thank you so much for the clarification. I'm just beginning to collect typewriters. I'm not sure, actually, that I will be a true collector, for now I'm just interested in finding out facts about typewriters, as well as finding a very niche type of typewriters - Serbian Cyrillic typewriters. I'm from Serbia, our national and traditional script is Cyrillic, but during communist Yugoslavia (1944-1991) Cyrillic typewriters were very rare, sometimes almost impossible to find, and manufactured by only a few factories in the world. They were much more in production before WWII, so like about a 30-40% of all Serbian Cyrillic typewriters on the market are 80+ years old.
Totally agree smith and corona machines are a good start very reliable
I found a Super Sterling in a garbage dump and fixed the bent linkages underneath, and I got a working typewriter.
I found an IBM selctric in a flee market for 50€. I was so excited. It was the winter and I live in Finland, so I carried it through the snow to my car. I slipped a little bit by the car and I thought “there’s no way i’m dropping this!!!” So i pushed it against the car door and dented the metal on the car 😂. It was worth it!
Anything for typewriters lol that’s dedication
OMG I hit the typewriter rabbit hole HARD! I went thrifting today and found 2 electric typewriters. I got a Smith Corona WordSmith KA1 1 for THREE DOLLARS! Came home, plugged it up...WORKS LIKE NEW!!!!!! All it needed was a little dust scrubbed off it. And also at another thrift store today, found a Sears SR3000 for SIX DOLLARS! Sadly the Sears unit it making all kinds of grinding motor noises, and things aren't moving and when they do it's not pretty...... BUT I am sooooo happy with the Smith Corona WordSmith!!!!!!!! Used it for my brain dump Journal that I usually use pencil with. Now to round out the collection going to be looking for a Manual typewriter. Thank you so much for this content!!!!!!!
Welcome to the collecting rabbit hole....
If you have motor noise, it might just be that the shaft bushings went dry. Most modern electric motors use sealed cartridge bearings, which have a very long service life because they have precision ball bearings that are permanently sealed with lubricant. Older electric motors have the shaft gliding on a thin film of oil on a bronze bushing. If the oil is gone, the motor will either be really noisy, or sometimes seized. Every case I've run across, I've been able to restore motor operation just by putting a single drop of oil on each bushing.
I want a old school typewriter where it makes heavy indentations on the paper. To rarely get used, but when I do, for it to look punched into the paper. Can anyone help me figure out what brand or type does that best?
I noticed that you often type directly on the roller in your videos…..when the key strikes the roller damage is possible….suggest that you use paper
excellent advice
That's why we always put in two pages when typing. Protects the playen.
What's the loudest noisiest kind? I'm looking for something to shake the room. A satisfying thud and cha-chinggg. I've heard the Oliver bat wing, IBM Selectric and Super Sterling are loud
My Adler J3 is my loudest machine by far- I have a video on typewriter soundproofing where I compare them based on noise!
Just wondering which ultra portable typewriter feels best for typing...
I haven't found an ultra portable that feels super sturdy when typing, but of them I've found the portable brother machines or Smith Corona skyriters to be the most consistent
Thanks I'm getting a typewriter for the first time I'm going for the meduim sized portable type writer I have 230 for a typewriter
So my first typewriter is a wee tiny Triumph Tippa but I'm now looking for a big desktop machine that can take a serious beating because I've got more novels in me... And I kinda want to get back at a noisy neighbour, lol. Unfortunately not many are sold in working condition in my country and shipping a big one sounds like an expensive nightmare for all parties involved so I'll have to make it a long project. I don't mind it though, it's a process a bit like befriending a new person. I like the look of older full metal machines, mainly because I mostly write historical fiction and it fits the mood but also because I have a gorgeous Singer sewing machine from the 30s (Still in use! I've named her Betsy) and it would be nice to have them be similar in age and/or aesthetic. Any recommendations on what I might want to keep my eyes peeled for? As far as brands or names go in such machines I've mainly seen Remington and Olympia, and a couple of Underwoods but those sell really fast.
It may really depend on your area- some countries have better luck at having certain brands. Here in that states at least I have access to mostly royals and smith coronas. From what you're describing, a 40s LC Smith Super Speed might be fun! Again, that would depend on your area. If you don't mind the clunky and sort of odd looking, I also have had an Olivetti Linea 98- much more 70s in style, but really fun to type with on longer projects. I'm also not sure if that's something that may be more in your area.
@@JustMyTypewriter Oh I'd actually love either of those. Thanks for the reply and tips! :3 Not super keen on the grey colour but that's nothing a splash of paint or even temporary stickers won't fix. Most of our furniture is from the 60s and 70s and rather colourful so even a funny bulky boxy machine would fit right in!
My sweet neighbor gave me her smith-corona zephyr, i dont even type, but i am so loving it.
I hardly even new what I was looking for when I got my 1st typewriter. I relised that I am not happy with what I got. Now I just want one I like.
there are lots of options out there! I suggest you try it out in person if you can to see if you like the typing!
@@JustMyTypewriter I am happy that I have a typewriter place near me. I did get to try some out yesterday, just that the ones on the floor weren't exactly what I was looking for. I'm thinking of going back today since he has a lot more that haven't been surviced yet.
Hi Sarah, i would just like to ask you if i can replace Laquer thinner with 70% Isopropyl Rubbing Alcohol. Thank you very much!
I personally have not used that before. Anything that contains alcohol can impact the coloring of a machine, so I would be very careful with it. You might want to try it- just try it on a patch inside the machine and see what it does. Always remove any solvents carefully! And again- don't go anywhere near the painted surfaces
hii i’m looking for a nice cheap typewriter (at most 40) i know it’s a low number but could you recommend something? im having troubles looking for one
It depends on your location! If you're in the US, smith coronas, brothers, and royals are common so they're a bit cheaper. I keep an eye on facebook marketplace because you never know what will pop up
Hi Sarah, great video you got here!
I just realised that it’s very hard to get Simple green and Laquer Thinner over here where i am. Do you know products that could works just as well and could replace them? Thanks!
Soap and water can do just as much for a good outside clean! You just have to make sure you air out the machine to avoid rust- a nice hot day in the sun or some other form of compressed air
@@JustMyTypewriter Thank you so much for this excellent reply!
Which typewriter(s) would you recommend that's both portable/ultraportable and quiet?
It really depends on the individual machine. You want to make sure it's got a nice soft platen and felt under the type slugs- those help make it quieter!
I need a electric rypewriter maxhine
Are you in New Zealand? I'm trying to source one here!
I'm in the US!
Interestingly I have been recommended to get a different typewriter than my folding machine as its not going to be able to stand up to regular use (fairly good condition standard folding n1) do you agree with this?
Personally, I have no folding experience. However, for daily use, I recommend heavy duty standard desk machines!
I want to get a typewriter so that I can take notes in class which type of typewriter should I get?
I would ask the teacher/professor first if it's allowed. I love typewriters, but I would never let a student use one in class because it can be really distracting to the other students
@@JustMyTypewriter okay
Awesome! Keep up the great work!
Question, do type writers require ink cartridge? What would u recommend for my first TW? I think I want a portable TW after listening to u.
So some machines (electrics, IBMs) require a cartridge. Others use ribbons- I have a ribbons 101 video that explain how those work!
I always recommend testing out machines first if you can and consider whether you want a professionally serviced machine or one you want to work on yourself. If you work on one yourself- you'll be limited to what's available to you locally if you want to try it in person!
4:32 im not exactly sure if mine is a type one or two so is "Royal 200" a Light wight portable or Portable?
Looks like it has a case topper? So that would make it lightweight
Do any manual typewriters allow a choice of font?
Great question! Manual typewriters can come in a variety of fonts, but only have one set per machine. I personally have manual machines in several fonts! They can come in different sizes and styles. If you want to swap out fonts and still use the same machine, you can use an electric typewriter with removable font elements like the IBM golf ball or the removable daisywheel element.
What is your thought about Olympia traveller deluxe? I'm buying this next month
I've never had one- but I know some people love them!
Where to get it
several places- antique stores, facebook marketplace, thrift shops, professional resellers or the internet!
the first typewriter i ever used was my grandma's electric typewriter
Thanks for the great Video!
Great video Doc!
I have just got a 1960s smith Corona skywriter do you know what type of ribbon I can get for it on Amazon?
So skyriters have a different size spool than the traditional replacement. If you have the original spools on the machine, you can put any universal replacement ribbon on it and just re wrap it on your original spools. If you don't, I would look for replacements for Ultraportable machines on etsy or ebay. That way you get spools that'll fit the machine.
@@JustMyTypewriter dang no it didn't come with the original spools sadly
@@JustMyTypewriter I have another question I have a problem with my return bar spring it came loose and it won't bring the paper up a line and I can't figure out how to put it back on
@@ThBreadMan There is a spring attached to that bar that might be missing. I would see if phoenix typewriter has videos on that here on youtube- he's super helpful!
@@JustMyTypewriter the spring on the bar is there the spring on the thing that makes the platinum roller go up I can't find anything to help me fix that problem I'm new to manual typewriters so I don't know what I'm doing 😅
Do you have any experience with the Olympia SM9 De Luxe ?
I owned one for a bit, but not much repair experience if that's what you need!
@@JustMyTypewriter I was more interested in how it is to use to type on.
@@Boodieman72 I did like it- it's on the heavier side of portable typewriters, but very sturdy and smooth
@@JustMyTypewriter Great, sounds like what I am looking for in a typewriter. Did you make any videos of the one you had?
@@Boodieman72 Search Olympia on my channel- I have a type test of it
how do you transfer the text to a computer
There are some USB kits out there, but typically you don't
There are a few apps that can scan text on paper and put it into a pdf or Word document.
I keep getting my fingers stuck in between the keys so I bought an 87 panasonic word processor. I love it even though it's not manual💀💀💀
I used to get my fingers stuck all the time!
Same issue. My mom didn't have that issue and she had long fingernails (natural, no acrylics). I still don't know how she could type with them. But she had an Underwood 319, which she wasn't crazy about. She rented Selectrics because they're fast and the machine was closest to a computer keyboard. These are the machines that progressed to word processors. She had a Brother word processor, but it was complicated to use and required programming, so she went back to using the Underwood.
The Remington brand is a good quality brand.
I do really enjoy my Travel-Riter
Where can I find six spools of the regular Remington black ribbon ink? On Amazon I found six spools for Smith-Corona, but I’m not finding six of them for the Remington brand. For the regular.
@@Tguin Remingtons have specific ribbon spools. You should check individual resellers for them like Etsy or pro repair techs like Typewriter Chicago
Good morning ☀️
Can we buy typewriters from you?
I only sell once in a while and stick to my local area- I don't have anything for sale at the moment!
I want a typewriter because it's hilarious
i have 2 pcs
Lindas! Parabéns
Wow, this lady is really pretty.
Just finished watching Violet Evergarden, so ... here I am
welcome
Just by accident I find more of the more uncomen ones. Not really rare but not alot on them.
Have you ever run across a typewriter with a non-Latin alphabet?
I personally have not!
I found arabic one
She's so smart and cute
who really needs the tool? i see it as a day by day work-tool heavy usage.
i really despise collectors
the truly typing community >more than a thousand page typen, if you had typen less, please trash the thing.
im really searching channels of the truly writers typing community (day by day heavy work). if someone knows of heavy typewriter users channels, please let me know.
Hi there- I complete understand your perspective on this. It's true, I enjoy typewriters for more than just their use for typing!
Thanks for your feedback