Manual Typewriters

[TelethonJohn]

The Two Cents Skateboards/monkey behind a typewriter graphic that is presently being excoriated in UWTB got me thinking about my fondness for manual typewriters. During the shutdown, I wanted to send friends something tactile in the mail to let them know I was thinking about them, but my handwriting is atrocious and the free time at home led me to fix up an old Olympia SM-9 I acquired many years ago. I just recently bought a S-C Silent from a friend who had found one at an estate sale. It was in pretty bad shape but with a thorough cleaning and a replacement type guide, it's now among one of my favorites from the quiver (I was initially going to flip it).



Any other enthusiasts of this anachronistic, rather pointless technology out there?

[GardenSkater77]

I wrote all my High School papers on a Olympia sm3 typewriter. I used to write papers by hand, correct spelling and punctuation and I still made at least 1 mistake per page. You have to roll the paper out, white out and roll the paper back in and hope you lined up the line correctly. What a pain in the ass. I used to get so pissed when the strikers would cross.

They do look cool though…

[TelethonJohn]

I wrote all my High School papers on a Olympia sm3 typewriter. I used to write papers by hand, correct spelling and punctuation and I still made at least 1 mistake per page. You have to roll the paper out, white out and roll the paper back in and hope you lined up the line correctly. What a pain in the ass. I used to get so pissed when the strikers would cross.

They do look cool though…

I have an SM3 and love it, and as I'm prone to mistakes like anyone else, I just go back and cover the error points with an X or / before retyping. I think it adds to rather than subtracts from the whole typewritten letter thing. I can't even begin to imagine typing papers on it. I learned to type on an IBM Wheelwriter, which is as much a computer as it is a typewriter. With memory and a white-out mechanism that is a cinch to use. Hats off to you!

[GardenSkater77]

Expand Quote

I wrote all my High School papers on a Olympia sm3 typewriter. I used to write papers by hand, correct spelling and punctuation and I still made at least 1 mistake per page. You have to roll the paper out, white out and roll the paper back in and hope you lined up the line correctly. What a pain in the ass. I used to get so pissed when the strikers would cross.

They do look cool though…

[close]

I have an SM3 and love it, and as I'm prone to mistakes like anyone else, I just go back and cover the error points with an X or / before retyping. I think it adds to rather than subtracts from the whole typewritten letter thing. I can't even begin to imagine typing papers on it. I learned to type on an IBM Wheelwriter, which is as much a computer as it is a typewriter. With memory and a white-out mechanism that is a cinch to use. Hats off to you!

It was my mom’s typewriter from high school. We didn’t own a computer and I wasn’t about to use the local library to type my papers so my mom taught me how to use it. I only typed a few papers but I’m glad I did because it was a good experience.

[Chavo]

We had a Brother with an integrated carrying case that replaced a Sears that always needed repair. No nostalgia for me.

[bob george]

I have an Olivetti Studio 45 (which I had never googled the price of until just now - wow!) I got it when I was like 15 for about $5. Has the case and everything - I have not used it in a while but it definitely works.

So it was around 2006/7ish when I got it. I was so obsessed with it, I did take it to school and try to use it in class to take notes (just to be a nuisance really) and was quickly shut down. I definitely typed an essay or two out on it though before I got sick of the inconvenience - I'm sure the teachers loved getting to my paper in their stack.

[breezer]

was at the municipal dump today and intercepted a lady about to throw a typewriter onto the trash heap - will hit the shops for a new ribbon tomorrow and see if I can get her working......typewriters are lovely things.  I guess I kind of regret selling my pink Olivetti...

[ralf_]

typing everyday on an olympia monica that's built like the sm3, body of the sm4 and sm5 is the same too i think. got it for 10 euros at an apartment clearance. love the backwards thinking it triggers: you write "he goes down the stairs", then you think: no, he is crawling! then it'll say "he goes down the stairs. he is crawling" on the page instead of just switching the words on the computer. i use it for making drafts out of handwritten notes for journalism, but also for rewriting scenes and chapters, all sorts of language arts stuff. also use the woody allen method of using a staple gun to "edit" together stuff.

[Síota]

I took typing class in grade 9 on them. I love the sound of them.
Actually thou miss hand written letters more thou

[sharkjumper]

The camera shop/photo lab I go to has a typewriter section too. They’re the kind of place that would have a bunch parts if any of you are ever looking.

https://bluemooncamera.com/shop/search?page=1&price-min=1&price-max=0&sort-by=created_at+DESC&in-stock=false&category=27

[breezer]

Bluemoon is in Portland, right?  Wasn't there an actual typewriter store nearby?  Or maybe my brain is fogged...

[sharkjumper]

Bluemoon is in Portland, right?  Wasn't there an actual typewriter store nearby?  Or maybe my brain is fogged...

Blue moon is in Portland. In the St Johns neighborhood. They have a typewriter section in the back of the store.
I don’t know of a shop focused on typewriters, but that could be a thing here.