A Question about Typewriter Ribbons

[Shangas]

So, no-one's got any experience with the Royal Standard Portable ("Model O") vs. the Royal 10?

 

[Shangas]

Thanks to the member of another forum, I finally know what this is:

It's an Imperial Model 60. They started production at the end of the 1940s. Here's an ad for the Model 60 from 1949:

I've done a bit of "market research" and I've pretty much determined how much a postwar mechanical typewriter sells for. And I can see that the Imperial for $90 is a HUGE ripoff.

I'm gonna hold off buying that, and keep hunting for something more reasonable, better quality, and which looks more stylish. But which remains prewar. Because that's what I'm hunting for.

Does anyone know what the going price is for a prewar/golden era Royal typewriter is?

Sunday - Flea Market Peekings...

Nothing worth buying, I don't think...but at least I'm getting a good idea about the prices that people are asking...

Like I said, the local flea market breeds typewriters. There's always at least one for sale. I just gotta wait until the one I want shows up for a good price...

 

[Shangas]

I've read a lot about Royal typewriters and they seem to be the best quality so far, but can anyone provide information on what quality I can expect from prewar models of these manufacturers?

I'm thinking of names like...

- Remington.
- Smith-Corona / L.C. Smith.
- Imperial.
- Oliver.
- Olivetti.
- Underwood.

I saw a nice Imperial Model 50 from the 1920s today in a shop. Not for sale, but it was identical to this:

Any comments?

Oh yeah...is there anything I can do to prolong the life of the platen and rollers? Is there any kind of product which I can say, rub onto the rubber parts of the machine to keep it supple? Similar to the stuff that people rub on leather to keep it soft?

Rubber-softening tricks I've read so far include...

- Spraying WD-40 onto it (WD-40 seems to be good for a lot of things!)
- Buying a product called "Rubber Rejuvinator" to soften the rubber.
- Silicone spray. This one seems to have the most credence.
- ?

 

[Shangas]

More typewriters in the wild...

This beat up relic from around the 1920s/Depression-era 30s is a Remington 16. For $185 and in need of a fixer-upper...

I passed, but I took a photo.

I also came across this 1930s (40s?) Royal Model 10 (YAY!) at the flea-market. It was $150. Which might've been a reasonable amount of money, but for the fact that the platen has more cracks than a broken teapot:

I passed, again. But I'll keep hunting...

 

[LizzieMaine]

You should be able to get a prewar Royal for much much less than $150 without too much looking. Once word gets out locally that you're looking you might well be *given* one just for the trouble of carrying it away. Keep in mind there are far more typewriters out there these days than there are people looking to buy a typewriter, and even the most unrealistic flea-market price can likely be haggled down without too much effort.

Stay away from junkers -- look for a machine that shows signs of being well-cared-for. There's enough of them out there that you can afford to be picky.

As for other makes besides Royal, the only ones I've owned are Underwood (my portable) and L. C. Smith, a machine I used for many years until it got knocked off its stand and the shift lever snapped off. Some of the parts on the Smith were made from pot metal, and it can get brittle from age -- and once it snaps, it can be very difficult to fix. The action of the Smith was very nice -- that make used a very smooth ball-bearing mechanism, and you could type on it all day without your wrists getting tired.

As for renewing rubber parts, you can do that up to a point with chemicals and such, but it won't work if they're flattened on one side from sitting for years. The best thing you can do for the rubber on a typewriter once you've renewed it is to disengage all the pressure mechanisms when the machine isn't in use and *always* keep it covered when not in use. Sunlight is the number one enemy of rubber.

 

[Shangas]

How is rubber affixed to the platen and rollers? And is it possible to replace the rubber yourself at home? I can't see it as being difficult to remove the rubber and put on fresh rubber...

 

[LizzieMaine]

The platen rubber is bonded to its metal shaft with some kind of cement -- it needs to be ground off, which is probably not a job to try at home. I've heard of people resurfacing old platens by finding a piece of straight radiator hose of the right dimensions at an auto-supply store and slipping it on over the old one.

The small rollers on a Royal are bonded to a metal core as well. The bail rollers just slip over the bail rod, so they're very easy to replace if you have new ones ready to go. The paper feed rollers fit into place once you've removed the platen.

 

[Shangas]

I'm holding out hope that I can find a prewar typewriter in running, ready-to-use condition, for not too much money. Most of the prewar ones I've seen so far, are pretty junky. I don't mind oiling and cleaning, dusting and polishing, etc. But if I have to worry about buying replacement parts (apart from ribbons)...then I ain't interested.

 

[LizzieMaine]

My Royal 10 cost me $20 at Goodwill. They're still out there.

 

[Shangas]

I've heard stories like that from lots of people. I hope to be so lucky. I'm going to go scavenger-hunting in Singapore and in London, to see what I can dig up. With luck, I'll find a nice Royal 10 or Underwood 5 or Remington 12 or something, that the owner is just desperate to get rid of...

 

[Shangas]

Hi guys,

I'm pretty set, I reckon, in what I need to know about typewriters...of course if anyone else has any information or advice to give, please, dump it on in. I'll be happy to read it.

But I'm still wondering about ribbons.

I know that you can still buy typewriter ribbons. But I am wondering if there is a way to...hear me out here...make your own ribbons?

By this I mean, is it possible to go out, buy some ribbon of the appropriate width and length, and then saturate it with ink, wind it up on a spool, and then type with it for long periods of time? From what I understand, it is possible to re-saturate original typewriter ribbons through various methods. But I'm wondering if it's possible to make your own "home-made" typewriter ribbons, as it were...

 

[Shangas]

*DOUBLE POST*

Sorry about that, folks...

 

[MissMittens]

Good Morning, Lizzy, do you know what a ballpark value would be for a 1917 Corona folding in perfect working order? I have the chance to buy one, but don't want to over-pay if possible. Thanks

 

[LizzieMaine]

You ought to be able to get a good, clean Corona No. 3 for $50 or so if you look hard enough. They were the most popular portable of their era, many thousands were sold, and a substantial number of these still survive.

 

[MissMittens]

You ought to be able to get a good, clean Corona No. 3 for $50 or so if you look hard enough. They were the most popular portable of their era, many thousands were sold, and a substantial number of these still survive.

Thanks! I knew you'd be "in the know". I saw one recently for $150, and one online http://mytypewriter.com/coronano31906.aspx for $650 and all kinds of prices on that auction website. I'll offer the seller $75 and start there, since it's pristine, and the blue color matches my cobalt table

 

[Shangas]

Hey everyone, me again...

I have the opportunity to buy one of these:

It's an Imperial Good Companion, from the 1930s. A neat little portable typewriter in reasonable condition. It certainly works, although it could probably do with a clean.

The price that's being wanted for this machine is 125 pounds, sterling (I'm in London at the moment).

I'd appreciate any input on this machine. Is it worth buying it at *any* price? Is it worth buying at ALL? Is that price reasonable? If not, what kind of price should I offer?

Is this something I should consider buying? Or something that I should pass on?

 

[Shangas]

Guys and gals,

A question about restoration here...

Say I find a typewriter that I really want. It's in relatively good condition and at a price I can afford.

If I were to buy it, but needed to replace the rubber on the platen and/or roller-thingies (forgive me, I forget what those things are called), would this be something that I could do with stuff that I could buy at the local hardware shop?

For example, if I could remove the platen from the carriage assembly, could I soak it in a solution to soften and/or break down the rubber, remove it from the platen, polish or sand the platen smooth, slather it in rubber glue or cement, and then roll on a new sheet of rubber to act as new rubber platen?

Is that something I can do at home with stuff I could buy at a hardware shop?

 

[LizzieMaine]

Sheet rubber wouldn't work, but you might get good results from rubber hose of the correct inner and outer diameter. Measure the diameter of the metal core and the outer diameter of the rubber covering and take those to an auto parts store and see if they have something that'd match.

Another option for platens -- one I've used for repairing bad washing machine wringer rolls -- is to get a bicycle inner tube, cut a length to match the length of the piece you need to cover and attach it with plumbers' rubber cement. Do *not* remove the old platen -- just stretch the inner tube to fit. I haven't used this on a typewriter, and it wouldn't be very elegant, but I don't know why it wouldn't work. Be sure to turn the inner tube inside out before applying so you have a smooth surface, and rough up the old platen surface before applying the cement.

 

[Shangas]

Thanks for the advice, Lizzie! It all sounds very sound and reasonable.

But I must ask, because I was considering this option...why is sheet-rubber not suitable? I can kinda guess, but I'd like to understand completely.

 

[LizzieMaine]

There'd be a seam line where the edges met, and that'd cause a bump/ridge/irregularity. Typewriter rollers have to be completely smooth for the paper to feed properly.