Typewriter Supplies

[Mrs. Merl]

I have recently started using an older typewriter for typing certain fun letters and such. I love the feeling of whacking the keys on these old machines!! It brings back memories of being a kid and playing with the huge old thing at my grandparents house! Though, I think back then, we spent a great deal of time seeing how many keys we could get stuck at one time.

Then, I started searching the Lounge for information on typewriters in general. I have not found much, but maybe I am just bad at searching. Anyway, I was wondering if anyone here has any resources for typewriter supplies. I am especially hoping to find replacement ribbons for them. Any help would be much appreciated!

 

[B. F. Socaspi]

What typewriter do you have?

 

[Mrs. Merl]

I am not sure - as soon as I get a chance I will look at it and give the exact information. (I just got it the other day - so it is new to me.)

 

[kpreed]

I have a few typewriters and found no supplies except on-line, there, I so far have found all I want. Good Luck!

 

[B. F. Socaspi]

If you post a picture even, I can tell (the brand name would help, but isn't necssary) you what it is and what you need.

 

[Tophat Dan]

Typewriters? where?!!!!

Be careful of those old machines...they are addictive. I started with one and ended up with six. Use them all the time. Believe it or not, a chain called "Staples" in the U.S. still carries universal ink ribbons for old machines!

So far I've managed to find

2 Royal 10's in fair condition (one double-window model made in 1919, the other single window from the mid 20's)
1 Royal HE desk model in pristine condition, born about 1955.
1 Late production (1932) Underwood #5 in fair condition.
1 1938-ish Corona flat top portable.
1 Smith-Corona Portable from some time in the 50's in fair-good condition.

I'd love to post pics of these, but I just don't have the knowhow to photoshop and post them in less than a couple of decades.
My favorite at the moment is the Royal HE desk model. Magic margins rock!

Here are some helpful websites for self repair and machine info :

An excellent site for general typewriter info and good tips on how to repair old machines:
http://staff.xu.edu/~polt/typewriters/index.html

Here's one for good in-depth info (serial #'s, dates, models, that sort of thing):
http://www.typewritermuseum.org/

Happy typing!

Dan Peterson

 

[B. F. Socaspi]

Hey, Dan. Upload 'em to Tinypic and pm me the links. I can do the 'shooping for you. (I wanna see these bad boys!)

 

[Mrs. Merl]

Sorry to be slow in replying. I have been out of town skiing and then it was my birthday - so I have not had a lot of extra time.

Here is the basic information on the typewriter. It is a Remington. It says "quiet writer." It is a portable (lap-top ) style. There is a term that won't come to mind that is used to describe this machine. I will try to pull it out of the gray matter and post it with some pictures. (Now I have to go find my camera...)

 

[Mrs. Merl]

Tophat Tom - my machine is certainly not as old as any of yours, but it is fun. I really appreciate the links on repair and such. I have a lazy ink ribbon action and I would like to clean it up and get it working more smoothly. I will have to check out Staples. I had heard that they had some supplies (my grandparents still use a typewriter - because they refuse to learn new technology. So the other day they actually went and bought a new typewriter - one of the few still being made I am sure. And I do believe that is where they got it and the extras to go with it.) So thanks and I too would love to see pictures if you can manage one way or another!

 

[B. F. Socaspi]

http://www.fjaproducts.com/SearchMe/Department7962.asp
I use them for my Smith-Corona Cougar (my workhorse...in cursive typeface...), so I trust 'em.

 

[Mrs. Merl]

Thank you I will look at that as soon as I get home.

 

[p51]

There are plenty of vendors online, and finding them is pretty simple. Here is one I have bought some supplies from in the past:
http://mytypewriter.com/index.aspx Old typewriter stuff certainly IS addictive. At one point I had over half a dozen before I decided to cut that down to only the rarest of the ones I had. Here are the three I have now. The Hermes Featherweight was the tough one to find, it's even marked with a rubber stamp for a Army Captain in WW2. It's the standard machine issued to most USMC Correspondents in the war. The Corona is really rare as they made very few in 1942 and all were earmarked for government use (usually they're marked either Army or Navy but this one doesn't have that). I have cleaned it up but it really needs to be taken apart as it's very sticky and doesn't type well. The Underwood Champion is the one I actually type with at events, it has the optional fold out legs and flip-up 'desk' which is in the bottom part of the case. I have found that these options alone raised the price by $15 which of course was a lot of coin back in 1937! This one works like the day it was made and the only work I had to do was to add the lock to the bottom cover from another Underwood case I snagged on eBay.

I couldn't resist this even though I'm not 100% sure what year it is from, or if it even was for a typewriter:

 

[Mrs. Merl]

Your typewriters are very nice. I really like how you have done up your picture. Though the one I have acquired is not so old or nice, here it is...