via Thom Cholowski at Rebel Typewriter Workshop in Saskatoon,Saskatchewan, Canada at https://www.facebook.com/groups/typewritermaintenance/posts/4373364699567612/

Rules of Good Repair Practices:<br /> The Success of the repair depends upon the Rapairman's ability in following the rules of good repair practices. These rules can be summed up as follows:

1. Read the Service Bulletin thoroughly.
2. Know what you are looking for. Never guess. Always investigate the source of trouble. Ask, if you do not know.
3. Determine troubles by the process of elimination.
4. Every part, no matter how small, has a job to perform. Do not overlook the smallest detail.
5. Use the proper tool. Keep tools in efficient working order.
6. Carefully handle smooth, plated or bakelite parts to prevent damaging or scratching.
7. Make the repair like you would want it, if you were the customer.

via https://www.facebook.com/groups/TypewriterCollectors/posts/10163194812329678/

2026-02-08

<br /> via https://www.facebook.com/groups/TypewriterCollectors/posts/10163194812329678/

via Todd Young https://www.facebook.com/groups/TypewriterCollectors/posts/10163194812329678/

(Buying a Typewriter<br /> by [[Joe Van Cleave]] and [[Bob Marshall]] of Typewriter Muse on YouTube<br /> accessed on 2025-10-16T09:27:44

Bob Marshall prefers "extreme collector" to "hoarder" when it comes to typewriter collecting.

In July 20222, Bob Marshall was charging $60/hour for typewriter service.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DTBPyaqCe5U/

reply to u/CaliKelli989 at https://old.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1qx43wy/smith_corona_classic_12_for_75worth_it_for_my/ on signaling by online typewriter sales

Where you're selling is one of the biggest signals of all. Selling machines for over $250 on Facebook requires way more signaling on the part of a professional or semi-professional seller. Mr&Mrs are doing a whole lot more work on restoring their machines than the average "blow and go" level that Janet and her significant other are likely doing (or that done by the average shop), as a result they're doing more work to show that, but they're occupying a dramatically different market space. Who is offering warranties on their work? Who is recovering platens? Who is explicitly stating the quality of the rest of their rubber? (Note that Janet isn't saying anything about the rubber washers on her SM3s, nor did they say anything about the rubber feet or the feet on the cases. Were they all replaced?)

Most professional shops and restorers are selling via their physical shops or their own websites instead of eBay, which takes steep cuts, or FB where it's harder for their much better quality machines to stand out amidst similarly priced dirtier machines. (Most pros also refuse or prefer not to ship when they can avoid it, so online presence doesn't "buy" them much.) There's a huge gulf in the levels of work that Walid Saad or Lucas Dul are offering in complete tear downs and restorations and the simple clean, oil, and adjust operations that are being offered by average pro shops and that's different again from what I suspect Janet is probably offering. This doesn't even get into the space of the lowest level "flippers" and vintage/antique shops whose only value add is finding and offering machines. As a point of reference, Lucas is doing less than a full restoration a month in an average year. The rest is cleaning machines for straight sale and then repairs that walk in the door. I'd suspect that he doesn't have more than a dozen machines in stock that are ready for sale today compared to a multi-person operation like Typewriter Muse which has nearly 30 machines on the shelf ready to go.

There's a huge spectrum in the level of restorations being offered out there. Very few people appreciate any of the differences.

The issue is that many people starting out don't want to pay a lot for a clean/restored machine, so they're fine with something that "works". Generally they don't know what they're missing from a finely tuned machine. At the other end are serious collectors, who often have the knowledge and expertise to service their own machines. The biggest issue with the market is the huge gulf of information imbalance between the novice buyers and novice sellers and the professionals.

Hope this helps on the differentiation that's available out there...

https://typewriterdatabase.com/1926-mercedes-4.19461.typewriter via Kevin Stallaert

https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1ngt1u4/questions_about_going_into_the_typewriter_business/

Based on your original post, I thought you might have been further along with resources, but this makes me wonder a bit, so I'll add some materials for you. Start here: https://boffosocko.com/2024/10/24/learning-typewriter-maintenance-and-repair

Repair manuals:

• https://typewriterdatabase.com/manuals.php
• Munk's Printed manuals: http://www.thebookpatch.com/BookStoreResults?search=Theodore+Munk&ddl=authors
• Munk's .pdf manuals: https://sellfy.com/twdb
• Service Manuals: https://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/tw-manuals.html#servicemanuals

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

Be sure to register for an account on the typewriterdatabase.com as that will give you access to more material and research than a non-logged in user.

There are a few "young" folx out there who have recently done what you're considering, and knowing a few of them may help. Reach out if you feel comfortable doing so:

• Matt Snyder of New England Typewriter (see: https://reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1cxjxt5/new_typewriter_shop_coming_fall_2024/)
• Lucas Dul of Typewriter Chicago
• Paul Lundy
• Antony Valoppi
• Trevor Brumfield
• Aaron Therol of Typewriter Connection
• Bob Marshall of Typewriter Muse
• See also: https://writingball.blogspot.com/2024/05/want-to-run-typewriter-shop.html

Consider a trip to QWERTY Fest which is coming up soon.

Good Luck

https://thetype.space/repair-services/

https://typespec.com/typewriter-service-apprentice-training-update-2/

Paul Lundy has a 12 week apprenticeship program for typewriter repair at Bremerton Typewriter.

https://old.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1i0w488/do_you_tip_for_machine_servicing/

Tipping is generally not encouraged at typewriter shops.

via u/palump at https://reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1i1ydyz/nobody_in_boston_big_enough_to_fill_these_shoes/m7e497l/

Bremerton Typewriter has a 12 week apprentice training program as a means of helping to create the next generation of typewriter repair people.

from 2011

reply to u/SisterGoldenHair70 at https://reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1lbjr5f/sorry_to_say/mxz1ag2/

I'm honestly curious about your definition of a "machine that only cost $250" is? Make/Model? Where was it bought? What is the actual condition (both cosmetic exterior and mechanical interior as well as cleanliness)? Also, what is your definition of investment with respect to how you're going to use it? Is it a display machine? Is it for display and the occasional addressed envelope or grocery store list? Or is it something you're planning on giving moderate to heavy use on a daily or weekly basis as a professional writer?

Most typewriter repair shops won't spend more than $20 on purchasing a machine and typically they're getting machines donated for free (or for the cost of coming to pick them up); then they spend hours to clean, oil, adjust, repair and restore them for sale in the $400-600 range unless they've got rarer colors or typefaces. (At this level, you're probably not getting any new rubber at all.) The level of restoration is definitely a choice as there are restorers out there who can easlily charge in the $1,500+ range depending on how much work you want done and to what level.

As an example, if someone chooses to spend $120-200 pus shipping on something like an old/dirty Olympia SM3 with old gaskets from an outlet like ShopGoodwill.com (the current going rate for one in unknown condition and only using photos) that is going to need several hundred dollars of repair work, that's their choice. If they don't have the expertise, it's far better to buy one outright in the $500 range from a shop. Usually people are just keeping that $120 machine and limping along with what it offers instead of cleaning it up or they attempt to do the clean up work themselves. This work may seem "free", but it's time, effort, and expense of one sort or another. Economists call this opportunity cost.

There is a massive information imbalance in the typewriter market between buyers and sellers, because incredibly few people really have any idea of what they've got and what sort of condition it is in. This imbalance means that most professional shops are an absolute steal if you're looking for something in excellent condition that's going to be a work-a-day typewriter or be in good shape for another 50-75 years.

As a small example, an indiviual could call JJ Short and get a platen recovered for around $100 plus two way shipping, but you take it to a shop and you're probably looking at $180 because they're going to charge you for the time, effort, and cost of knowing what to do, where to ship it, taking it off, putting it back on, and doing the appropriate ring & cylinder, on-feet, and motion adjustments on

Usually it might have been typewriter shop, gun shop, then cell phone store, so it's intriguing to see the opposite ordering.

From Typewriters to Futuristic Office Machines, Adapting with the Times Helped One Family Run Company Stay in Business for over a Century by Brandon Villalovos on 2017-03-15

Need typewriter repairs? This Pasadena business has been fixing them for a century by Kevin Smith

Anderson Business Technology celebrates 100 years by Jim McConnell, Staff Writer