The M.R. key on a typewriter stands for "More Room" as defined by William Clark's daughter. <br /> via https://www.facebook.com/groups/27453296880990639/posts/28305005765819742
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This is the “emotional support “ typewriter I brought to the office today
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Locked in a Basement<br /> song and lyrics by Heernt, Neal Persiani, Mark Guiliana<br /> accessed on 2026-09-11T09:03:32
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oztypewriter.blogspot.com oztypewriter.blogspot.com
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Lorraine Hansberry and one BIG typewriter!<br /> by [[Robert Messenger]] oz.Typewriter <br /> accessed on 2026-09-09T19:45:55
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site.xavier.edu site.xavier.edu
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Olympia SG3 Olympia SG3 (English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Dutch, Swedish, Danish, Serbo-Croatian) Olympia SG3N Olympia SG3 and SG3N brochures Olympia SG3 Deluxe brochure
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https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1wbn7x7/chrome_1967_ibm_selectric_72/
Apparently the IBM Selectrics through III were cast zinc, so they can be stripped and chromed.
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commons.wikimedia.org commons.wikimedia.org
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https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Olavi_virta_levytukku.jpg<br /> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olavi_Virta
Based on the two-tone hood/body, the hood hole, the return arm, the screw locations in the back and what appear to be Magic Margins, Olavi Virta appears to be using a 1948/49 Henry Dreyfuss designed Royal Quiet De Luxe (or similar trim line).
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typewriterdatabase.com typewriterdatabase.com
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https://typewriterdatabase.com/show.27283.typewriter
Royal Quiet De Luxe with blank plastic keytops
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auctions.posterauctions.com auctions.posterauctions.com
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https://auctions.posterauctions.com/lots/view/1-84GUYO/remington-1910
Original Leonetto Cappiello Remington poster sold for $31,250 on 2023-11-12
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Typewriter on a library card catalog table:
<br />
—via Suzanne Summers LaPierre, librarian at https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10235010364136282&set=p.10235010364136282&type=3
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Ad poster for the Remington typewriters, made by Leonetto Cappiello (1875-1942), France, c. 1910
Possibly inspired by the preface to the novel Penguin Island (L’Île des Pingouins. Calmann-Lévy, 1908) by Nobel prize laureate Anatole France, in which a scholar is drowned by an avalanche of index cards which formed a gigantic whirlpool streaming out of his card index (Zettelkasten)!? (See: https://boffosocko.com/2022/10/24/death-by-zettelkasten/)
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From what I read, the little bit of oil that can be used should only be on active machines. If it’s sitting for a long time it’s better to have them dry. Have you used oil? If so, any recommendations on brand?
reply to u/grenierdave at https://reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1w86wy5/first_typewriter/
I like this Sewing Parts oil because it's got a nice, long "zoom spout" for dispensing a drop at a time. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BV4G9R1Sypers.html
I also sometimes use Rem Oil in a spray can, but that can be overly aggressive, so I follow it up with my air compressor at 75-90psi to blow off the excess.
Using a toothpick, screwdriver with a long shank and flat blade, or a long q-tip saturated in oil, and doing a "drop" at a time on moving parts is an old-school trick as well. A 4 oz bottle of oil should last you nearly forever.
Another trick some will use is to do a 10:1 mixture of mineral spirits to oil on their last treatment of a machine. The mineral spirits will flash off fairly quickly and leave an incredibly thin coat of oil on all the parts that need it (with exception to the segment.)
A drop of oil on your carriage rails every couple of weeks is also useful for ongoing maintenance.
See also:<br /> - https://boffosocko.com/2024/08/09/on-colloquial-advice-for-degreasing-cleaning-and-oiling-manual-typewriters/ - https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/06/typewriter-use-and-maintenance-for-beginning-to-intermediate-typists/
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typewriterdatabase.com typewriterdatabase.com
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reply to James Grooms at https://typewriterdatabase.com/show.21794.typewriter
Notes on differentiating the Underwood SS/Rhythm Touch, SX-50, SX-100, and SX-150
How was it that you identified your model here as an SX-50? Are there ads/photos/manuals for an SX-50?
The SX-100 ads you show seem to have a similar 5 stripes of chrome on the side which is similar to the previous SS/Rhythm Touch Models, but this chrome detailing seems to be missing from your SX-50 as well as the SX-150 advertisement.
Your SX-50 exemplar and the SX-150 advertisements also seem to have/show vertical touch adjustment and ribbon selector switches while the SS/Rhythm Touch and the ad for the SX-100 have horizontal sliders for the touch adjustment and a vertical ribbon selector.
The main page of the database mentions an SX-50 and an SX-150 in July of 1953, but doesn't have a corresponding mention of an SX-100. It reads: "Oct. 1953: Model SX 150, SX 50 started (7500000)"
Polt's site has an explicit manual for the SX-150 which may help to differentiate on both form and functionality: https://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/Underwood150.pdf though there are no corresponding manuals for a 50 or a 100.
This Tumbr identifies Sean Connery's machine in Finding Forrester as an SX-100: https://www.tumblr.com/typewriterspotting/16181699692/spotted-in-finding-forrester-2000-forrester-and <br /> Here's an extended clip from the film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juko0sAndsA <br /> and some still photos of it from Robert Messenger's site: https://oztypewriter.blogspot.com/search?q=finding+forrester <br /> Given the appearance in the film, it might actually be an SS/Rhythm Touch, but it's difficult to distinguish this as well without a clear view of the front.
The database still seems to have empty landing pages for the:<br /> - SX-50: https://typewriterdatabase.com/Underwood.SX-50.4.bmys <br /> - SX-50 11\": https://typewriterdatabase.com/Underwood.SX-50+11%22.4.bmys - SX-100: https://typewriterdatabase.com/Underwood.SX-100.4.bmys <br /> - SX-150: https://typewriterdatabase.com/Underwood.SX-150.4.bmys <br /> Presumably they existed previously, but without clear delineations of features/changes over time and were concatenated into the SX page?
Additionally, I'm noticing that some of the SX exemplars at the bottom of the page at https://typewriterdatabase.com/Underwood.SX.4.bmys are really badged as Underwood Golden Touches!
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- Sep 2026
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Royal Royalite/Parade/Signet Full Tear Down for Service Walkthrough Tutorial<br /> by [[Hot Rod Typewriter]]<br /> accessed on 2026-09-03T21:56:07
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Olivetti used regular M3 thumb nuts.
via Otto Koponen at https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1w4cy0o/spool_nuts_for_olivetti_lettera_32/
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Tom Hanks' Unusual Hobby -Friday Night With Jonathan Ross
Likely Season 14, Episode 1 from Sun 13 Jan 2008
Hanks has a collection of "about 80 typewriters" circa 2008.
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Friday Night with Jonathan Ross, Series 14, Episode 1<br /> by BBC One<br /> accessed on 2026-08-31T10:06:21
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I am an old typewriter repairman. I worked at the underwood assembly plant in Hartford Connecticut for two years and became a typewriter service man for 20 years in St. Louis. I don’t own any typewriter’s I know the gray fives like the back of my hand. As well as the scriptors and forums. Still interested in those fabulous machines that I made a living off.
via Jim Tuxbury on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/705152958470148/posts/1355024096816361
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IBM Jingle: https://youtu.be/wtaI18Yq59s?si=1rexqhuKQafnOzuu&t=569
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"Thou shalt conduct IBM's business in a responsible and ethical manner."<br /> —IBM Sales Manual #
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https://www.facebook.com/groups/705152958470148/posts/1355607023424735
The Corona Zephyr and Smith-Corona Skyriter typewriter cases used to have two strips of leather sewn over a metal internal strip on their case handles.
Most of these vintage metal cases are missing the leather straps leaving only an uncomfortable metal strip.
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Typewriter maintenance all machines<br /> by bremeloboy
Vaguely hilarious in it's portrayal of the way that typewriter repair should never be done.
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Millard Kaufman on Working in Hollywood #:
He said, "You're the writer; I'm the producer." He said, "You do it my way or I'm gonna fire your ass." And I was sitting at a typewriter when he said this. So I picked up the typewriter and threw it at him.
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typewriterdatabase.com typewriterdatabase.com
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One of a handful of Professional Elite No. 41 machines in the typewriter database as of 2026-08-15:
- https://typewriterdatabase.com/1959-olympia-sm4.10661.typewriter
- https://typewriterdatabase.com/1959-olympia-sm4.17725.typewriter
- https://typewriterdatabase.com/1969-olympia-sm9.12039.typewriter
- https://typewriterdatabase.com/1958-olympia-sm3.18757.typewriter
- https://typewriterdatabase.com/1959-olympia-sg1.11825.typewriter
- https://typewriterdatabase.com/1959-olympia-sm4.22064.typewriter
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typewriterdatabase.com typewriterdatabase.com
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https://typewriterdatabase.com/show.16666.typewriter
A script typewriter missing the number 1 and on which the lower case L doesn't suffice. Perhaps the Capital i would work?
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www.latimes.com www.latimes.com
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reply to u/rjekyllhyde at https://old.reddit.com/r/Libraries/comments/1vruija/typewriter_request/
Librarian Suzanne LaPierre wrote an article last year about typewriters in libraries. I'll link it and some additional references below for those who are curious.
The Los Angeles Public Library has recently been doing some events with LA poet laureate Brian Sonia-Wallace who creates on his typewriter: https://www.instagram.com/p/DXufGLmgRB3/
There are more than a handful of typewriter enthusiasts who have been holding "Type-Ins" at libraries in the US over the past 5 or more years. I've held a couple of these at a nearby bookstore in Pasadena, CA and we had over 200 people stop by at both of them. (I'd have held them at a local library, but our main branch is undergoing a huge renovation and some of our other nearby branches have been affected by the Eaton Fire in January 2025.)
I know one collector who recently did a display at a library: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJqYPVOb2Ss
I've run across one or two libraries that have typewriters as part of their Library of Things collections along with other analog materials like sewing machines, binoculars, and telescopes.
There are still lots of reasons to want to use a typewriter including for creativity, distraction-free writing, getting away from screens and having a more analog writing experience. Woz Flint has a relatively recent book about using typewriters to create first drafts of writing projects. In the last five or so years a lot of children in the 7-21 year old bracket have been drawn to typewriters as a means of getting away from their computers and screens and allowing them to concentrate better on their writing work. Richard Polt, a typewriter collector and professor of philosophy at Rutgers, wrote a book about the resurgence of typewriters. A handful of college professors have recently been reintroducing typewriters to their pedagogy. Creating art with a typewriter is also still a thing. Taylor Swift has been using typewriters in her songs and videos which adds to the cool factor, especially for the kids.
Is it worth mentioning that Ray Bradbury wrote Fahrenheit 451 on a typewriter at the UCLA Library which was coin operated?!?
I've personally got a small collection of typewriters as well as a list of articles and resources on them for those who may be interested in considering them. I'm happy to chat with any librarians who might consider adding them to their collections.
Happy typing!
References:<br /> * LaPierre, Suzanne S. “BiblioTech: Typewriters in Libraries.” Computers in Libraries 45, no. 2 (March 2025): 24–26. https://www.infotoday.com/cilmag/mar25/index.shtml. * Polt, Richard. 2015. The Typewriter Revolution: A Typist’s Companion for the 21st Century. 1st ed. Woodstock, VT: Countryman Press. * Flint, Woz Delgado. 2023. The Distraction-Free First Draft. One Idea Press. https://www.oneideapress.com/product-page/the-distraction-free-first-draft.
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It's Standard Pica. Probably a from the J H Shand type foundry, I see them fairly often on Babies.
Otto Koponen indicates that a "1B" foundry mark on a Hermes Baby is likely a standard pica face from the J. H. Shand type foundry.
via https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1vnpxg8/what_typeface_is_a_hermes_baby_1b/
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archive.org archive.org
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https://archive.org/details/typewriter-foundry-marks-haas/page/n11/mode/2up
JHS is a foundry mark, along with a lion logo, which might appear on Royal, Oliver, Voss, and Underwood typewriters.
Example of it on a Royal Dart at https://www.facebook.com/groups/TypewriterCollectors/posts/10164011983564678
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www.facebook.com www.facebook.com
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in James Ellroy's Red Sheets (Knopf, 2026) set in 1962.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/TypewriterCollectors/posts/10164017890544678/
Ellroy's Red Sheets (Knopf, 2026) mentions fictional typewriters Olivetti 2119, Underwood Selectronic, and the IBM Officemaster.
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https://www.facebook.com/groups/705152958470148/posts/1347466777572093/
1965 episode of The Addams Family (S2 E8) "Morticia, the Writer"
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www.csmonitor.com www.csmonitor.com
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In the digital age, these typewriter superfans hold the keys<br /> by [[Victoria Hoffmann]], [[Mackenzie Farkus]], [[Melanie Stetson Freeman]] in The Christian Science Monitor CSMonitor.com<br /> accessed on 2026-08-15T16:33:28
a mini history along with some reasons to use typewriters in the 21st century. nothing really new here...
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www.instagram.com www.instagram.com
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A 1955 Smith Corona Silent-Super in Vertical Script, made its way into my hands. In Whitefish, MT currently, and of course I had to check FBmarket for any machines in the area. The ONLY one for sale was this ad with a bad-photo'd SCM with no photos but the machine sitting in an upside down case. BUT, I saw that little "I" on the @ key and BAM! Vertical script.
via nickila_typewriter at https://www.instagram.com/p/Db9wFQ2G8eW/
Smith-Corona machines with an @/1 key on the home row can be indicative of a machine with vertical script.
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archive.org archive.org
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Remington Typewriter Company. 1927. An Easy Guide for Operating the Remington Portable Typewriter. http://archive.org/details/AnEasyGuideForOperatingTheRemingtonPortableTypewriter (August 13, 2026).
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typespec.com typespec.com
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www.facebook.com www.facebook.com
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https://www.facebook.com/groups/705152958470148/posts/1307796088205829/
You'll notice that the gallery on the TWdB (https://typewriterdatabase.com/Remington.Streamliner.42.bmys) has a number of different prefixes for these models. I've got two that start with "AX" while others are "EX", "FX", "HX", "IX", "MX", and "NX". These different prefixes surely indicate something, but what that is isn't known.
My first guesses are that it may have something to do with the keyboard configuration or number of keys or maybe it's the country of manufacture as Remington went from manufacturing in the US to Canada, Holland, and England all around the time of these machines. it might also be platen width, color, or it maybe something internally like the specific assembly line they rolled off of or incredibly subtle style or manufacturing changes which may relate to spare parts replacements. You can use the examples in the database to try to compare and contrast them to puzzle it out.
Where was yours manufactured? What keyboard does it have?
Be sure to upload your example to the database with the details you do have as more examples make these things easier to puzzle out as time goes by.
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www.facebook.com www.facebook.com
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https://www.facebook.com/groups/TypewriterCollectors/posts/10163361603349678/
Merit Elite - foundry mark: 590<br /> Merit Pica - foundry mark: 378
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An article from American Machinist Magazine (January 4, 1923). The article, "The Organization and Management of a Medium Sized Plant," was written by Percy S. Brown, a Works Manager at The Corona Typewriter Company in Groton, NY. He would become vice-president of Corona in 1924. Here's a snippet on what went into making one Corona typewriter. "There are 671 parts on the typewriter, 139 on the case, 110 on the folding stand, a total of 920 parts. There are 355 different parts on the typewriter, 61 on the case and 37 on the stand, a total of 453 different parts. There are 1,999 manufacturing operations on the typewriter, 210 on the case, and 205 on the stand, a total of 2,414 operations, exclusive of inspection. To these must be added 38 subassembly operations and 15 assembly operations, a total of 53 assembly operations, and a grand total of 2,467 operations of all kinds, exclusive of inspection. If inspections are added, the total number of operations performed amount to approximately 4,600."
via https://www.facebook.com/groups/TypewriterCollectors/posts/10163958948944678/
check original source
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www.maritime.org www.maritime.org
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A typewriter contains approximately 1800 to 2000 parts, which require approximately 20,000 different operations to manufacture. An operator typing at the rate of sixty words per minute actually motivates, with his or her fingers, 10,000 to 12,000 parts per minute, approximating 200 moving parts per second.
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oztypewriter.blogspot.com oztypewriter.blogspot.com
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www.dailynews.com www.dailynews.com
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Dennis McCarthy: When the best way into the 21st Century is through a Selectric typewriter<br /> by [[Dennis McCarthy]] in Daily News accessed on 2026-08-10T12:06:13
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Selectric III. How much, I asked? “Completely refurbished and working beautifully, $350,” Ray said, noting my choking sound at the price tag.
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Ray sells four or five Selectrics a year and refurbishes another 20 or so that people bring in. “You interested in one?” he asked.
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Ray, a former IBM technician who cut his teeth on these machines in the ’70s, owns Business Machines Center in Woodland Hills, where old electric typewriters go for a second chance.
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the first season of “Columbo” on my VCR. In the opening of the first episode — “Murder by the Book” directed by Steven Spielberg in 1971 — Martin Milner is typing furiously on an IBM Selectric with the magic ball.
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www.imdb.com www.imdb.com
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Columbo S1, E1 "Murder by the Book"<br /> Episode aired Sep 15, 1971<br /> https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066932/<br /> Written by Steven Bochco and directed by Steven Spielberg
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www.instagram.com www.instagram.com
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The *Bund für deutsche Schrift* was founded to preserve and promote the traditional German scripts—Fraktur for printing and Sütterlin or Kurrent for handwriting—at a time when they had largely disappeared from everyday use. During the 1980s the association commissioned a limited number of Fraktur-equipped Erika typewriters from VEB Robotron so that members could continue producing authentic Fraktur documents using modern mechanical equipment.
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davistypewriters.blogspot.com davistypewriters.blogspot.com
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Davis Typewriter Works: A Royal Safari at Eighteen Years on the Net<br /> by [[Will Davis]]<br /> accessed on 2026-08-06T20:57:15
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The rounded, downward curved margin set tabs are always a giveaway for a Nakajima (although there are some Nakajimas out there that don't use this design, mostly electrics.)
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Whacking away on a typewriter is key to shifting my mood. It's great if you have space, bar none.
via u/Briaaanz at https://old.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1vc6nhe/iso_good_typewriter_quotes/
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www.goodreads.com www.goodreads.com
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“take a writer away from his typewriter and all you have left is the sickness which started him typing in the beginning.” ― Charles Bukowski, The Pleasures of the Damned: Selected Poems 1951-1993
https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/8328077-take-a-writer-away-from-his-typewriter-and-all-you
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sharktastica.co.uk sharktastica.co.uk
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typewriterdatabase.com typewriterdatabase.com
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https://typewriterdatabase.com/show.23738.typewriter
1938 Royal KHM with 32" carriage!
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- Jul 2026
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www.goodreads.com www.goodreads.com
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“I'm all in favor of keeping dangerous weapons out of the hands of fools. Let's start with typewriters.” ― Frank Lloyd Wright
https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/312645-i-m-all-in-favor-of-keeping-dangerous-weapons-out-of
original source?
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www.youtube.com www.youtube.com
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Yes, this was one of the oldest, most unique typewriters with history in a while, last one before this was Larry McMurtry's Hermes 3000. Before those I was both Erma Bombeck and Paul Harvey's typewriter tech, both used IBM selectric's
via Duane Jensen at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJxFzACiISM&lc=UgyDGDDU6cEskMvsPmh4AaABAg.9Vb0zueAXOF9VbnHZ4AT_F
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1st hand, Because his assistant was the one who contacted me first, then I talk to Larry via phone, after working on 2 Hermes 3000's, the 3rd typewriter I delivered myself to him at his place in Tucson. After he died, all 12 of his Hermes 3000's were auctioned of for about $3000.00 ea, I was hoping he would have willed those to me . . . .
via Duane Jensen at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJxFzACiISM&lc=UgyDGDDU6cEskMvsPmh4AaABAg.9Vb0zueAXOFAEfXxtmCuPo
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Royal KHM 1940 Typewriter, Special Order for Frank Lloyd Wright, W-I-D-E Carriage, Unique Type Fonts
1940 Royal KHM typewriter that as customized for Frank Lloyd Wright. 20" platen with custom slugs. Oversized mainspring for wide carriage.
Serial number KHM 20-92-2155513
Custom slugs include. <br /> - 3 space wide oval/Rectangle (Moved Q to effectuate this) - Circle with plus /2 - filed diamond/3 - filed circle/4 - plus/5 - double dagger/6 - octothorpe/7 - section/8 - filled triangle/9 - filled circle/0 - six point asterisk/ hollow square <br /> - ( / ) - , / empty circle (next to P and Q on second row) - $/+<br /> - 1/2 / & - - oval / larger square<br /> - % / ,<br /> - ; / . - : / pilcrow - " / _ - arrow up - thermometer-esque glyph
The extra-wide slugs were at either end of the basket. They moved the letter Q to the far side of the keyboard to fit the custom left slug into the machine.
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https://www.facebook.com/groups/705152958470148/posts/1332186355766802
Sister Boniface Season 3, Episode 5
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reply to u/NoFace125 at https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1vb701u/thoughts_on_3d_printed_parts_on_typewriters/
I've heard mixed things on 3-D printed platens and there aren't many out there from what I've seen/heard.
I've seen lots of broken spacebars, though never run across a 3-D printed one.
As for the platen knobs on the Hermes 3000, they're probably one of the most commonly broken parts of any typewriter out there, and I've seen dozens of variations of printed knobs for those. It's almost like you don't own a real Hermes 3000 unless you've replaced the knobs on it.
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https://reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1vajqs7/olympia_sg3_question/
Olympia SG3 typewriter with an optional carbon ribbon set up?
My guess:
Is it just a holder or is there some sort of drive mechanism associated with it? Is the other side a mirror version of it?
I have seen a handful of custom machines (all of them standards) in the late 50s/early 60s that had dual ribbon set ups: one being the standard cloth ribbon mechanism and the second, usually in a "Princess Leia's hair bun" configuration on the sides of the machine (similar to your photo) in which a secondary carbon ribbon was stored for secondary use when/as necessary. I've never seen one on an Olympia however.
It could also potentially have been used for white correction tape as well.
Here's an example of a Royal FPCP with such a feature: https://www.facebook.com/groups/705152958470148/posts/1203433725308733/
It could be the passive holder side for an optional carbon ribbon that is then threaded to the spool on the left side which does the pulling. Typically most carbon ribbons are single use only, so you wouldn't need/want an auto-reverse mechanism.
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www.facebook.com www.facebook.com
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https://www.facebook.com/groups/705152958470148/posts/1330939455891492/
Olympia SM1 with metal bumps placed onto the plastic keys of a keyboard. One on the 6 and J, two on the Z and N (a German keyboard) presumably for the blind.
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Freeman, Michael Stuart. 1991. “Pen, Ink, Keys, and Cards: Some Reflections on Library Technology.” College and Research Libraries 52(4): 328–35. https://hdl.handle.net/2142/41489 (July 26, 2026).
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www.newyorker.com www.newyorker.comDiscards1
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By studying Haverford’s card catalogue, Michael Stuart Freeman, Librarian of Haverford College, was able to determine when his predecessors deployed their first typewriter (it was during the summer of 1916)—a tiny fact, perhaps, but one of sufficient interest to Freeman that he published a brief paper which discussed the history of typewriters in libraries. Freeman kept several handwritten cards as samples (“I save a few, because I’m a sentimentalist,” he confided to me); but once his own passing curiosity was satisfied, he dumped the rest of his catalogue.
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www.youtube.com www.youtube.com
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1946 Electromatic Model 01 - IBM's First Typewriter <br /> by [[Tech Tangents]]
Not the best cleaning and repair advice here for a typewriter, but some interesting tidbits of IBM history.
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www.cbc.ca www.cbc.ca
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Pen and paper, typewriters, probing Q&As: why these profs went old school in their classrooms<br /> by [[Jessica Wong]] in CBC News accessed on 2026-07-25T13:09:32
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www.facebook.com www.facebook.com
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https://www.facebook.com/groups/705152958470148/posts/1327752566210181/
An uncommon blue Royal HH typewriter, also an HHS, so with a custom typeface as well.<br />
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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www.facebook.com www.facebook.com
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www.willdavis.org www.willdavis.orgjapan1
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Japanese Portable Manual Typewriters<br /> by [[Will Davis]]<br /> accessed on 2026-07-22T15:59:07
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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reply to u/shadowwolf892 at https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1uzynlz/a_portable_compared_to_sg1/
You're comparing apples and oranges and the apple you're looking for will never be an orange. (i.e. Standard machines are almost always going to beat out portables: https://boffosocko.com/2025/03/21/standard-typewriters-versus-portable-typewriters-and-ultraportable-typewriters.)
The feel question is also going to be so variable across people's experiences (not to mention the condition of the machines on which they were formed which is a tremendous amount of noise in the secondary market) that you're highly unlikely to find what works best for you in this way. Incidentally, this is also a great way to end up with 30 typewriters and still be unsatisfied.
Your best bet for all of the variables you're trying to optimize for is to go to a shop with a variety of machines in good condition to try and purchase something you think will suit you best.
All this aside, I nearly guarantee that neither of your machines are well tuned, so you might consider looking into this for your Sterling: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYOXgqiHBmg.
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typewritersandbeer.wordpress.com typewritersandbeer.wordpress.com
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the rule for telling the difference between a SS and a Nakajima is: look at the margin set buttons, SS button ends turn up, Nakajimas turn down. There’s not a lot of other obvious visual differences.
via Ted Munk at https://typewritersandbeer.wordpress.com/2020/02/24/silver-seiko-speedwriter-7200-and-stone-ruination-2-0/#comment-95
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www.facebook.com www.facebook.com
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https://www.facebook.com/groups/721704878218903/posts/3068179956904705
Reddy Kilowatt as a custom slug on a Royal KHM.
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www.facebook.com www.facebook.com
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You mean like a fish key?
via Mark Schrad at https://www.facebook.com/groups/705152958470148/posts/1321966286788809
An L. C. Smith standard with a fish glyph for a type slug.
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site.xavier.edu site.xavier.edu
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Users of the Royal KHM typewriter:<br /> William Faulkner, L. Ron Hubbard, David McCullough, Al Neuharth, Mickey Spillane, Dalton Trumbo, Frank Lloyd Wright, J. D. Salinger, Georges Simenon, Richard Wright, Eric Hodgins, William Peter Blatty, Post Malone, and Taylor Swift.
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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This crate was originally shipped via the Railway Express Agency, who were the precursors to companies such as FedEx or UPS. The remains of the prepaid shipping label are still visible pasted on the lid. Below and to the the right of the letter “Y” in the word agency you can see the numbers 12 and 7-30 in parentheses. The 7-30 indicates the month and year that the label was printed. While I don’t know much about typewriters and how how long an older model may have sat in stock; I can pretty confidently say that this box and it’s contents would have been shipped to either it’s new owner, or possibly a department store no earlier than July of 1930, and likely no later than sometime in 1931 as there were constantly new sets of labels being printed.
via u/Charliev1630 at https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1ubgozb/acquired_early_1900s_wooden_woodstock_standard/
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www.youtube.com www.youtube.com
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Smith Corona Typewriter Type Alignment Adjustment, Uneven Characters, Type Guide Loose, Repaired<br /> by [[Phoenix Typewriter]]
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www.youtube.com www.youtube.com
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Smith Corona Portable Typewriter, Type Guide Plate Alignment Process, Repaired Uneven Characters<br /> by [[Phoenix Typewriter]]
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www.ribbonsfortypewriters.com www.ribbonsfortypewriters.com
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https://www.ribbonsfortypewriters.com/
According to Richard Polt, TB Writers Plus makes their own bulk ribbon.
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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I found it in an old Italian typewriting course that I’m studying, it says translated “on olivetti machines both manual and electric , if you press the margin release key while performing line return, the carriage will stop ten spaces before the set left margin. This creates a fix indentation useful for starting new paragraphs”
https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1upt285/did_you_know_about_this_hidden_feature_on_the/
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Someone has used a spatula and spring feedback from the Hermes Ambassador's space bar to effectuate a power space functionality. https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https://v.redd.it/4js8jq2snhbh1/HLSPlaylist.m3u8
Of interest, the power space on most of the Smith-Corona machines works exactly like this internally—they've just hidden the rectangular rubber "spatula" inside the right rear of the machine.
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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my Halda P in a Sears electric typewriter case (made in Japan)
https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1uow243/just_in_case/
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my Torpedo 18s which fits perfectly in a spare Underwood-Olivetti 21 case
https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1uow243/just_in_case/
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www.google.com www.google.com
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Why bother with dozens of big standards in your office when you can have a portable or two that you can move and which are always in demand?
100% The Practical Magazine of Efficient Management, November 1916, Volume 7, No. 45, p49. https://www.google.com/books/edition/Management/hqj2SD6khL4C?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=corona&pg=RA4-PA49&printsec=frontcover
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www.youtube.com www.youtube.com
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xoverit.blogspot.com xoverit.blogspot.com
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Origin of Royal's Vogue by [[x over it]]
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www.youtube.com www.youtube.com
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Remington Quie- Riter Typewriter 1955
"students who use typewriters get up to 38% better grades."
"gives book reports and themes a professional look"
gendered sales technique - "girls particularly appreciate" the easy change ribbon system...
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www.youtube.com www.youtube.com
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VINTAGE 1958 COMMERCIAL - REMINGTON RAND - OFFICE-RITER TYPEWRITER
Up to 10 carbons!<br /> Cuts clear, clean stencils 149.50 plus carrying case additional<br /> $1.50 a week payable monthly
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www.youtube.com www.youtube.com
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Successful Secretary Presented by Royal Office Typewriters. A Thomas Craven Film Corporation Production, 1966. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=If5b2FiDaLk.
Script: Lee Thuna<br /> Educational Consultant: Catharine Stevens<br /> Assistant Director: Willis F. Briley<br /> Design: Francisco Reynders<br /> Director & Producer: Carl A. Carbone<br /> A Thomas Craven Film Corporation Production
"Mother the mail"
gendered subservience
"coding boobytraps"
"I think you'll like the half sheet better. It is faster." —Mr. Typewriter, timestamp
A little bit of the tone of "HAL" from 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968). This is particularly suggestive as H.A.L. was a one letter increment from I.B.M. and the 1966 Royal 660 was designed to compete with IBM's Selectric
This calm voice makes suggestions to a secretary while H.A.L. does it for a male astronaut (a heroic figure of the time period). Suddenly the populace feels the computer might be a bad actor.
"We're living in an electric world, more speed and less effort."—Mr. Typewriter<br /> (techno-utopianism)
Tags
- voice over
- effort
- Royal typewriters
- secretaries
- gendered subservience
- quotes
- typewriter shortcuts
- H.A.L.
- power over
- Royal 660
- typewriter advertisements
- 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
- productivity
- techno-utopianism
- Mr. Typewriter
- artificial intelligence as overlord
- 1966
- typewriters
- efficiency
- IBM selectric
Annotators
URL
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oztypewriter.blogspot.com oztypewriter.blogspot.com
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oz.Typewriter: Portuguese Typewriter<br /> by [[Robert Messenger]]<br /> accessed on 2026-07-02T23:54:38
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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Looks like an expensive hobby!
reply to u/Valuable_Discount_26 at https://old.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1ullgmc/first_typewriter/
It all depends on how you want to practice your individual version of a typewriter hobby.
Some only have 2 or 3 typewriters. Others have hundreds they've thrifted for $20-30 each while others only buy refurbished machines for several hundreds from repair shops. Some collect inexpensive colorful machines from the 70s while others focus on the incredibly rare machines from the 1890s. Some (like me) get them for pennies on the dollar and lovingly refurbish and restore them. Some are content to stare longingly at a single rusty old Underwood they spent $450 on and have on the shelf as decor.
Some collectors only have portables because they're easy to stack while others prefer only machines over 50 pounds with ultra-wide platens. One or two strip them down to make sculpture. Some use a different machine every day to write to a typewriter pen pal. Some take them to baseball games to score what they're sure will be the winning home run. Others only collect typewriters of famous authors. A few only collect toy typewriters. At least one collects Barbie typewriters.
Some are Royal or Remington completists. Some are Olympia maximalists and others are Hermes minimalists. Some just watch movies and tv shows with typewriters in them. Some write articles about typewriters. A handful collect typewriter ribbon tins. Some are fulfilled collecting typewriter ads out of magazines and newspapers. Others study how typewriters impacted society while a select few practice forensic document analysis.
Some collect ephemera, others serial numbers and photos of machines they've found in the wild. Others have no machines and just compare all the specs and features for the day that they decide they've found their one and only holy grail so that they can spend $1,500+ on pure perfection. Others buy a machine or two and keep them for six months before re-homing them elsewhere and acquiring a new machine to replace it. Some have six typewriters sitting around the house for various uses. Some have them hiding in the walls, in their attics or basements and blissfully live their lives not knowing what they're missing out on. Others use their machines to write poetry or create zines.
A few run typewriter shops. Some write books about typewriters. Yet others read them. Some are typewriter academicians. A handful design and create 3-D replacement parts. A rare handful are typewriter-enablers who give away functioning typewriters to aspiring young writers. Some choose to host type-ins to hang out with other typewriter-y people. A few make YouTube videos about typewriters.
If there are N typewriter hobbyists in the world, I'm positive there are at least N+1 ways of having a typewriter hobby. Speaking of which, there is also the N+1 hobbyist who always knows that the next typewriter is going to better than all the rest.
Which sort of typewriter hobbyist do you imagine yourself to be? What sort will you become?
It all starts with the inexpensive dream of a typewriter...
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www.facebook.com www.facebook.com
- Jun 2026
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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Chuck Goldstein, was a members of The Modernaires singing group from the early/mid 30's until 1942. In 1940, they began singing with Glenn Miller and his orchestra. The day after Glenn disbanded the orchestra in 1942 (so he could join the Army), Chuck had left The Modernaires to pursue his own career. I believe around 1945 he formed a new singing group... That being Four Chicks and Chuck! They sung a few commercials, but they also did other songs. They sung with Kate Smith a decent amount. They weren't a long lasting group though, only going until around 1953. After that, Chuck formed Chuck Goldstein Productions, which focused on commercial jingles.
See also: Olympia Typewriter Song
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www.instagram.com www.instagram.com
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https://www.instagram.com/p/DZSwHjyGgMz/
Cartoon typewriter depicted on the cover of House of Secrets, No. 18 (DC Comics)
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www.instagram.com www.instagram.com
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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reply to u/psitaxx at https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1ui2vvo/does_it_even_count_as_a_second_typewriter_if_its/
You're right that sometimes 1+1 is not equal to two.
For example 1 pile of laundry plus 1 pile of laundry is still 1 pile of laundry (just bigger), or 1 cloud merging with 1 cloud is still 1 cloud (albeit a different cloud). Sadly this is not the case with typewriters. 1 typewriter plus another 1 typewriter is 2 typewriters.
According to typewriter collector Keanu Reeves, you don't have a collection yet. That happens when you have 3, something you could never accomplish unless the math worked in the standard way.
Would that 1 typewriter + 1 typewriter = 1 typewriter! Then my collection of well over 30 wouldn't bother my wife, and I could say that I only have 1 typewriter...
Of course I can commiserate with your mint condition typewriter conundrum. Sometimes there's nothing better than getting something in mint condition, but often we all have hopes that it's not mint for one reason or another. I too was disappointed by a recent $21.95 purchase of an Olympia in perfect condition. Perhaps, as Frank Navasky said in You've Got Mail (Warner Bros., 1998), "I needed a backup."
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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reply to u/Typed_Anew at https://old.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1ug4q1i/any_information_on_thisa_repair_question/
There don't appear to be any examples in the typewriter database, so be sure to create an account and upload the data and photos you've got. https://typewriterdatabase.com/register-today.php (It's not every day someone gets to upload a new make/model!)
Similar machines and details: - Gundka https://typewriterdatabase.com/no_info.414.typewriter-serial-number-database - Frolio https://typewriterdatabase.com/no_info.415.typewriter-serial-number-database
By drilling down into the database and looking at pictures and descriptions of other models as well as looking at the galleries for specific examples, you may be able to troubleshoot what is missing or "off" on your machine (which is obviously missing the spools, though you may be able to fashion something similar to get yours working.)
Other examples via online search may be helpful as well: - https://www.glennsantiques.co.uk/shop/p/02/060/11 - https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vintage-toy-typewriter-emg-dover-1000802769 - https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=EMG+Dover+Junior+typewriter&_sacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313
Documenting your own example will make it much easier for collectors in the future.
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archive.org archive.org
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archive.org archive.org
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oldbobsoldtypewriters.com oldbobsoldtypewriters.com
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https://oldbobsoldtypewriters.com/portfolio-item/1955-royal-quiet-de-luxe-blue/
Royal Quiet De Luxe in ankony Blue (AB)
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www.youtube.com www.youtube.com
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Celebrating Typewriter Day 2026 on a WORKING 1887 Hall (Salem) Typewriter <br /> by Dynamically Typed (aka Joel Berger)<br /> via https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1udalhf/comment/otd01ki/
Tags
Annotators
URL
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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If your old belts are shot, these O-rings from McMaster-Carr are the perfect replacement.
via https://old.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1ucvk38/i_pulled_my_old_smith_corona_put_of_the_attic/ <br /> u/pete1885 reports good success with o-rings from McMaster-Carr
Specs: 9452K191 3 3/4 ID; 4" OD; 70A durometer; black
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www.instagram.com www.instagram.com
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https://www.instagram.com/p/DZ5Wv2kFGu7/
Portland Stamp Company perforated the typewriter stamps that Lou Spirito designed.
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www.classictypewriter.com www.classictypewriter.com
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Miss Lemon from Poirot doing her thing on a similar machine.
via https://www.classictypewriter.com/underwood-no-5-desktop
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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For the Sears Holiday Petite Child’s toy typewriter. Spools are 4cm in diameter, and 1 cm width. Uses a fabric 0.6mm ribbon.
https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1u4gbul/its_working/
I suspect they meant 6mm width on the fabric ribbon?
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www.youtube.com www.youtube.com
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https://youtu.be/ZXlYNEej9t0?si=gDN_6cDPn2N7fVB6&t=211
Ben Kingsley used a Continental typewriter in Schindler's List. It's housed at the Amblin Film Archive.
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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Typewriter repair people on r/typewriters:
- Lucas Dul of Typewriter Chicago: u/Lucasdul2 #
- Kirk Jackson of Nashville Typewriter: u/NashvilleTypewriter
- Scott Connnors of Stephentown Typewriter: u/scottconnors #
- Typewriter Justice of Keller, TX: u/TypewriterJustice
- TB Writers plus LLC: u/Dangerous-Ratio6448
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blog.archive.org blog.archive.org
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Hanging from a wall near Martin and his bowtie and lab coat was a sign reading “Psychoanalysis For Your Typewriter.”
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www.youtube.com www.youtube.com
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Ron's Typewriter - YouTube<br /> by [[Parks and Recreation]] <br /> accessed on 2025-10-06T22:09:41
Parks and Recreation S3, E5 "Media Blitz" aired 2011-02-17<br /> https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1636241/
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typecast.munk.org typecast.munk.org
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https://typecast.munk.org/2011/04/24/1964-nomda-blue-book-olivetti-font-styles/
Olivetti type styles from the 1964 NOMDA Blue Book<br /> - Olivetti Bulletin (5 pitch, 3 lines/inch)<br /> - Olivetti Giant Primer (alternate) (5 pitch)<br /> - Olivetti Comet (10 pitch)<br /> - Olivetti Distinctive Pica<br /> - Olivetti Distinctive Pica Heavy Face<br /> - Olivetti Elite Gothic Heavy Face (10 pitch)<br /> - Olivetti Elite Correspondence Gothic (10 pitch)<br /> - Olivetti Esquire (10 pitch, 5.4 lines/inch)<br /> - Olivetti Pica Gothic Shiftless Alphabet<br /> - Olivetti Pica Victoria<br /> - Olivetti Stymie<br /> - Olivetti Wide Elite Victoria (10 pitch, 5.4 lines/inch)<br /> - Olivetti Distinctive Elite<br /> - Olivetti Distinctive Elite Heavy Face<br /> - Olivetti Elite Stymie<br /> - Olivetti Elite Italic<br /> - Olivetti Elite Stymie Heavy Face<br /> - Olivetti Stymie Heavy Face<br /> - Olivetti Stymie Gothic<br /> - Olivetti Universal Pica<br /> - Olivetti Monza (10 pitch), script<br /> - Olivetti Esteem Pica<br /> - Olivetti Pica Gothic<br /> - Olivetti Elite Victoria<br /> - Olivetti Esteem Elite<br /> - Olivetti Financial Gothic<br /> - Olivetti Financial Gothic Heavy Face<br /> - Olivetti San Serif Elite<br /> - Olivetti Universal Elite #468
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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Robert Caro Reveals Details of His Final Lyndon Johnson Biography<br /> C-SPAN's Book TV
Caro outlines the entirety of his book before he starts writing. He puts his outline onto paper which he tacks up onto cork boards across his office wall.
Caro writes everything in longhand first then types/revised it on his Smith-Corona Electra 210.
Caro only gave Gottlieb a piece of his LBJ bio draft when he ran out of money and needed an advance. Otherwise, he doesn't give his editor material until he's done.
Caro lives on the corner in Central Park West
Caro was on the 22nd floor (of 29) at 250 W. 57th Street for 22 years and wrote 3 books in a one room office. Joseph Heller had an office there as well.
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www.tbwritersplus.com www.tbwritersplus.com
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Royal Futura 800 Case Handles<br /> https://www.tbwritersplus.com/product-page/royal-futura-800-case-handles
via https://www.reddit.com/r/Typewriter_parts/comments/1t1y9a2/royal_futura_800_case_handles/<br /> Originally offered on May 2, 2026
The plastic handles on Royal Futura Cases are almost always broken and/or missing. TB Writers Plus began offering a plastic replacement handle in May 2026 for $35.00.
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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makerworld.com makerworld.com
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Remington Rand Portable 5 typewriter spool covers<br /> https://makerworld.com/en/models/762248-remington-rand-portable-5-typewriter-spool-covers#profileId-697034
via https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1tvv2md/3d_printed_spool_covers/
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typecast.munk.org typecast.munk.org
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Paul Varjak’s typewriter in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” is a 1960 Smith-Corona Galaxie with 10″ Carriage, 12CPI Elite typeface, in “Hunter Red” and carried in a deluxe blue Holiday Case.
Breakfast At Tiffany’s: Paul Varjak’s Typewriter<br /> by [[Ted Munk]]<br /> accessed on 2026-06-02T16:11:00
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“Paris When It Sizzles (Richard Quine, 1964). There’s an Olympia SM7 in it that should have gotten equal billing alongside William Holden and Audrey Hepburn.
Tags
- typewriters of authors
- Breakfast at Tiffany's (Paramount Pictures, 1961)
- Paris When it Sizzles (Paramount Pictures, 1964)
- William Holden
- Smith-Corona typewriters
- Olympia typewriters
- Audrey Hepburn
- Olympia SM7
- Richard Quine
- George Pepard
- Paul Varjak
- Smith-Corona Galaxie
- Orangey
- typewriters in media
Annotators
URL
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typewriterdatabase.com typewriterdatabase.com
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- May 2026
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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Like most Hermes Rocket/Baby typewriters, mine no longer had feet on the bottom. You can purchase 3D-printed feet at various places, but I went with the silicone grommet/cap route and found a perfect fit. These are rubber caps meant to replace the cushion on the bottom of certain furniture. The holes on the bottom of the typewriter are 6mm in diameter. These plugs fit tight, provide a slight lift, and a slip-free typing experience. I did have to trim off the tops a bit to fit the body back in, but that's all inside the typewriter when put together. These were a pack of ten for $6 USD (or .60 each).
via u/ksigler at https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1t5resr/replacement_feet_for_a_hermes_rocketbaby/
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www.facebook.com www.facebook.com
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Maxim Suravegin is working on a Ph.D. thesis relating to typewriters.<br /> https://www.facebook.com/groups/TypewriterCollectors/posts/10163573420424678/
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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www.cascadiadaily.com www.cascadiadaily.com
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Jennifer Dunn: Typewriter mechanic<br /> by [[Annie Todd]] in Cascadia Daily News<br /> accessed on 2026-05-25T16:35:17
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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typewriter.company typewriter.company
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El Granero Typewriter Company<br /> https://typewriter.company/
They seems to specialize in Olivetti, Hermes, Olympia and Erika machines. They do a fair amount of repainting and chroming.
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www.missourinet.com www.missourinet.com
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Tom Hanks Sends Vintage Typewriter and Personal Letter to Rolla Missouri Shop Owners (LISTEN) - Missourinet<br /> by [[Cameron Conner]]<br /> accessed on 2026-05-22T17:32:01
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www.facebook.com www.facebook.com
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Rebecca Kuether Bealmear is r****8 on ShopGoodwill
Matching it with her statement on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/705152958470148/posts/1274589671526471/ saying that she bought the same machine at https://shopgoodwill.com/item/264079893
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www.facebook.com www.facebook.com
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Tom Hanks delivers autographed typewriter to Portland shop<br /> by [[Devon Haskins]]<br /> accessed on 2025-09-18T20:31:03h
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typewriterdatabase.com typewriterdatabase.com
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You might try slowly pressing a key. Does it reach the platen? Or do you need to strike it normally, as during typing, for it to hit the platen under its own momentum?
The Royal 10 QX (aka Quiet Model) (1921-1923) has a special mechanism in the segment which allows the slugs to hit the platen when struck, but pressing the keys slowly doesn't allow them to reach.
Via commentary by Brian Decker, Ted Muk, and James Grooms at https://typewriterdatabase.com/1927-royal-10.16643.typewriter
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www.youtube.com www.youtube.com
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Thermal Typewriter Comparison<br /> by [[Joe Van Cleave]]
Ranked:<br /> 1. Sharp PA-1050<br /> 2. Brother EP-43<br /> 3. Brother EP-20 v 4. Casiowriter CW-10<br /> 5. Canon Typestar 4<br /> 6. Canon Typestar 5
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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www.youtube.com www.youtube.com
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Typewriter Video Series - Episode 207: Canon Typestar 5<br /> by [[Joe Van Cleave]]
Instruction manual shows use of the typewriter in someone's lap.
Doesn't have clean plastic at the top for ripping off pages cleanly.
The 5 is missing a few features that were found on the 4.
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reply to u/Novembree at https://old.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1hfncyz/had_a_typewriter_for_awhile_could_use_help/
Welcome to the Royal KMM club! Seems like lots of these have been posted in the last day including one by u/betternatured and another by u/the-other-gusta along with a very similar Royal KMG by u/Jacki-san.
The serial number puts yours down as a KMM with an 11 inch platen manufactured in 1945. Cross reference: https://typewriterdatabase.com/royal.72.typewriter-serial-number-database
Manual: https://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/RoyalKMM.pdf
These were really popular and ubiquitous, standard (large desktop) typewriters in the mid-century that were the workhorse of many offices. Because they were so common and so heavy, they only go for $5-25 in the used market in either unknown or marginal condition. If they're cleaned up and well-serviced they can go for more with a cap of around $300-400 depending on the level of restoration. Some with special features (like special typefaces) or provenance may go for more.
The Royal KMM was known to have been used by writers including: John Ashberry, Harry Ashmore, Russell Baker, Ray Bradbury, Richard Bratigan, Richard Brooks, Pearl S. Buck, Johnny Carson, Norman Corwin, Frank Herbert, Ken Kesey, G.W. Lee, Harper Lee, Ursula K. LeGuin, David McCullough, Margaret Mead, Grangland Rice, and Dorothy Parker. This was also the model famously used by Angela Landsbury's character on the TV show Murder, She Wrote.
Depending on your level of typewriter knowledge try out some of the following short films which will also provide some tips, tricks, and maintenance advice common in the era of your machine:
- Basic Typing: Methods. Vol. MN-1512a. United States Navy Training Film, 1943. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztyzGit1dTI
- Basic Typing: Machine Operation. Vol. MN-1512b. United States Navy Training Film, 1943. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-REJEArnjE
- Advanced Typing: Shortcuts. Vol. MN-1512c. United States Navy Training Film, 1943. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUJfCfqgsX0
- Advanced Typing: Duplicating and Manuscript. Vol. MN-1512d. United States Navy Training Film, 1943. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ve5JnTUzvo
- Maintenance Of Office Machines. Vol. MN-1513. United States Navy Training Film, 1943. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocdxgkxKAKo
Happy Typing!
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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Repyy to u/bluestemgrass at https://old.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1thup7q/reink_ribbon/ RE: Ribbon for a toy Sears Holiday typewriter.
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?
If it's the latter, is it a proprietary cartridge or typewriter spools? What width is the ribbon? Cartridges with carbon can be difficult if not impossible to find for these models.
It looks like it may be a Sears rebranded version of some of the Byron Jardine/PETITE toy typewriters. https://typewriterdatabase.com/no_info.525.typewriter-serial-number-database There may be an imprint of the manufacturer on the bottom which would help to identify the original manufacturer.
Most Petite typewriters use T4430 or T4431 ribbon (1/4" wide or 6.50mm) which can sometimes be found on eBay and other sites. It generally requires original spools. These were generally carbon/plastic based ribbon.
If you have the original spools, you might find someone who still manufactures carbon-based ribbon and you can cannibalize it to spool onto your Sears Holiday. Look around for some of the 80s/90s film-based cartridges meant for word processors.
If it did originally have cloth ribbon you might be able to re-ink it, but the process typically tends to be very messy. Generally some glycerine and ink meant for metal stamps (not rubber) will get you where you'd like to go. Some have also soaked their old ribbon in WD-40 as a means of rejuvenation, but this is also time consuming and messy.
More detail/photos of the manufacturing details on the bottom and photos and measurements of the spools and the original type of "ribbon" will help immensely.
If you get the chance, add your example to the typewriter database and include photos of the spools as well as measurements of their width and diameter to help others with these questions/problems in the future.
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www.youtube.com www.youtube.com
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That Pigeon Looks Just Like Michael Keaton<br /> The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Definitely a late model Olivetti. Either a Studio 45, which was more common in the United States, or a Studio 46, both of which came in that color.
I'm leaning toward 46 because of some of the shape of the hood as well as the white variable button on the platen which I've only ever seen on the 46 while the 45s were typically black or had the button colored to match the body color.
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www.ctinsider.com www.ctinsider.com
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Smith Corona closes shop after nearly a century<br /> by [[Kelly Palmer]]<br /> accessed on 2026-05-16T13:06:28
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As the last Smith Corona workers drove away, they took the local bits and pieces of the last U.S. typewriter manufacturer with them.
Last typewriter manufacturer in the U.S. was Smith-Corona
2001-05-03
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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Congratulations and welcome to the club! Definitely the machine of a serious writer or novelist. These were the workhorses of newspapers and magazines through the 70s and 80s. In my mind, it's the last truly great manual typewriter ever manufactured.
Well known users of the Olympia SG3 included: Ingeborg Bachmann, Jimmy Breslin, Paddy Chayefsky, Philip K. Dick, Harlan Ellison, Michael Ende, Howard Fast, Jim Lehrer, Elmore Leonard, William E. Leuchtenburg, Terrence McNally, James Michener, Dudley Randall, and Wallace Stegner
Robert Redford used one in the movie ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN.
If you need a manual: https://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/tw-manuals.html
Ribbon is still easily found: https://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/tw-faq.html#q1
The Olympia SG3 uses 1/2" wide (12.7mm) typewriter ribbon, which has been standardized as DIN2103, in combination with the Group 1 spool, designated as DIN 32755. (Doesn't need eyelets.)
Other useful resources available at: https://boffosocko.com/research/typewriter-collection/
reply to u/Prudent_Highway_1855 at https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1tdy2eu/my_first_typewriter/
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typewriterdatabase.com typewriterdatabase.com
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You could sew two different ribbons together and set a grommet in the seam. That's basically how the original 4-color ribbon is. Even with the original ribbon you had to wind the ribbon to the middle and undo the ribbon from the vibrator and swap the side the middle grommet is on to change the color.
Via Ted Munk at https://typewriterdatabase.com/1969-sears-medalist-power-12.24661.typewriter
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This was an easy service with the ribbon drive belt being the only issue. I used a 2 1/2 in O ring (link). The original V-belts are ok, so I am living with a little bit of hop in the motor belt.
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www.youtube.com www.youtube.com
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In the final weeks of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Tom Hanks gifts Stephen Colbert with a box of computer paper and an Underwood Ace typewriter (circa 1955-57).
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blog.bruchez.name blog.bruchez.name
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The 1960 Royal FP "special order"<br /> by [[Erik Bruchez]]<br /> accessed on 2026-05-13T21:18:30
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blog.bruchez.name blog.bruchez.name
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The Royal KHM (1938)<br /> by [[Erik Bruchez]]<br /> accessed on 2026-05-13T21:06:46
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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.
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The KHM probably has the best action of all the machines I have so far.
My KHM holds this same distinction in my collection.
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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 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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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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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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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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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!
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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.usbtypewriter.com www.usbtypewriter.com
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www.kickstarter.com www.kickstarter.com
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slate.com slate.com
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Rosenbaum, Ron. 1999. “The Last Luddite Gets Wired.” Slate. https://slate.com/news-and-politics/1999/05/the-last-luddite-gets-wired-4.html (May 11, 2026).
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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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www.youtube.com www.youtube.com
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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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The entire design process took about a year and a half
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1t7ggls/techno_pica_typeface_hermes_3000/
Techno pica typeface on a Hermes 3000 with foundry marks "S" and "TP".
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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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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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site.xavier.edu site.xavier.edu
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Users of Woodstock typewriters included: - Robert Bloch<br /> - Howard Fast<br /> - Alger Hiss (1929 standard #230099)<br /> - Sir Patrick Moore<br /> - J.C. Oldfield (editor of the Associated Press's London bureau, 1930s)<br /> - Gordon Parks
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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.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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