Typewriter

After handwriting pen and paper, a piece on why I use a pen to write, I argued myself into buying a typewriter.

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• Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/

Compared to pen and paper ∞

It turns out that I strongly prefer pen-and-paper. Typewriters are bulky and awkward to use, loud and surprisingly slow.

They’re slow not just when pressing keys, but when worrying about paper, cursor position, margins and all the trappings of the device. Perhaps with practice these things wouldn’t get in the way, but for the foreseeable future they do.

I did make some attempts at actual writing with a couple of typewriters. The experience was novel and interesting, but nowhere near as engaging and ultimately productive as pen and paper.

2014-04-02 – Sperry Rand Remington Premier (1960s) ∞

(not my image)

• Remington Rand

• Sperry Corporation

Seems to be identical to the Remington Streamliner.

I see no serial number on it. I don’t know where to look.

• Missing a plus + key.

  • Some typewriters can get away with a hyphen+colon. Not this one.
• Missing an equals = key.
• Cover made in Italy, typewriter made in Holland.
• The typewriter is bonded to the bottom part of its carrying case. It’s handy, because there’s only a lid half-shell to worry about.

• Missing a one 1 key.

  • Workaround: A lowercase ell l.

• Missing an exclamation point ! key.

  • This is usually shift-one 1.
  • Workaround: A quote ', backspace, then a period ..

• Next to the ribbon reels are small black plastic knobs which can be pulled in the direction of the typist to change the direction which the ribbon is wound.

  • This is useful so as to reel the ribbon one way while typing, running through its entire length and then reverse its direction to use it a second time.

• At the top-right of the keyboard is a horizontal double-headed arrow key. This is the margin release key.

  • When reaching the end of a line, the right margin prevents additional typing. This key will allow further typing past that limit. Just press it once and keep typing. It may need to be pressed a second time later on. It does not need to be held down.
• The period . key also has a shift-period but it seems to be exactly the same. Why wouldn’t it have another key?
• There is a grave accent ` / caret ^ key which does not advance the cursor. Neat.

• There is an e-acute é and c-cedilla ç key for some reason.

  • Why not have these be standalone accents so they can be applied to other characters?

• I have no clue how to remove the ribbon spools to replace them.

  • It appears that the spool comes as one reel with a metal ring inside. It sits on one of the feeders on the typewriter and is fed it into the other feeder on the typewriter. When finished, the direction is reversed and the reel is discarded.
• TODO – The ribbon seems to support two colours, but I don’t see how to have the typewriter do that.

• There seems to be a sort of paper roll thingy (platen?) locking mechanism.

  • On the right, underneath the paper roll thingy, is a black metal lever which can be shifted towards or away from the typist.
  • The paper roll thingy can be moved to the left, that metal lever can be pulled forward, and the top-right lever on top of the paper roll thingy can be pulled toward the typist to release the paper roll thingy to be moved freely. Push it to the far right. The metal lever stops the paper roll thingy. Let go of the top-right level on top of the paper roll thingy.
  • The top-left carriage return bar can then be pulled to the right, pushed down and tucked into the printer.
  • I expect this is so that everything can be locked down for carrying.

• This whole typewriter fits into the case of my Olympia Monica – SM-8. =)

Damage:

• The back cover overtop of the mechanics is missing.

• The q key is slightly depressed. This doesn’t seem to have any performance impact.

Olympia Monica SM-8 ∞

(not my image)

• TODO – Replace or re-ink the ribbon.
• TODO – Clean it!
• TODO – I have no clue how to completely remove and replace the ribbons. It’s attached in the middle.

• TODO – what is the top-left button with four dots? It doesn’t seem to do anything..

• Has three modes – two for each of the ribbon colours, one for stencilling.
• Has a reversible ribbon, so I can go one way, then back the other way. I think I could/should use the top of the ribbon, then the bottom on the way back.

The front area lifts up to reveal everything, for fiddling with the ribbon.

I almost broke it trying to fix the g key – it was not properly returning to its rest position after use, locking up other keys. When putting it back together, I have.. leftover parts. Four hard ceramic or plastic cylinders. These seem to be associated with my having removed the screws/washers for the feet. I didn’t even need to do that. It turns out that the lid lifts up like a hood to give access to the ribbons.

I bent the right ribbon spring clip thingy, but bent it back in place. It doesn’t seem too important, so I’m not worried.

Notes ∞

• Typecasting
• Buying a Typewriter: What You Need to Know
• Getting the Most out of your Typewriter Ribbons
• How to Clean Mechanical Typewriter Keys
• Why I Use a Manual
• Why I Still Use a Manual Typewriter
• The Typewriter Restoration Site

• Secrets of restoring typewriters

  • (archive.org) of another site