Recently Paulo philosophically asked me, a typewriter collector, “Why another typewriter? I haven’t been able to find an answer yet.” (My attempt at a translation/synopsis from his Portuguese.)
In addition to answers from the collector’s perspective, bonus points for answers that are also directed to answering this question which comes from your significant other who doesn’t understand your obsession. (I’m also posing this on the day that I’ve sadly chosen for family sanity to move 20 machines from the house out of immediate sight into the garage. 😔)
Earlier this week I started stripping down my recently acquired 1951 Remington Super-Riter typewriter. The machine’s serial number puts it into the 15th month of production of the Super-Riter which replaced the storied Remington 17 and the Remington KMC.
This machine, which weighs in at a solid 33.7 pounds, provides a similar Keyboard Margin Control (KMC) functionality which it’s predecessor the Remington KMC did. This allows one to very quickly and easily set the margins by holding down the key and moving the carriage. I find it to be wonderfully ingenious and much more robust than Royal’s Magic Margins similar feature which is much easier to accidentally activate and subsequently mess up your carefully set margins.
The keyboard also features a key return button (marked KR) which allows one to quickly clear key jams by pressing a button. This helps prevent one from getting inky fingers otherwise caused by pressing the jammed keys back down by hand, an action which also requires taking one’s hands off the keyboard to effectuate.
This model has a relatively standard American keyboard with 42 keys and 84 characters. It has a tabulator with a keyboard-based tab button at the top flanked by tab set and tab clear buttons.
While they look like doubleshot plastic, the keys are done in two molded plastic pieces which are friction fit together. The keys are also friction fit onto the key levers so they’re (relatively) easy to remove for cleaning.
The platen is easily removeable and potentially replaceable by pulling a small lever on the front of each side of the typewriter.
Different from many typewriters of this era, the side plates for the carriage are friction fit onto the machine utilizing a pip on the front and two on the back. A thin screwdriver wedged into the back will loosen them and allow their removal. Once these are taken off, the paper table lifts off easily. (Apparently someone was unaware of this on this particular typewriter and an incredibly thin piece of the metal holding the paper table on was shorn off. Hopefully this note will save future paper tables from damage.)
Restoration
Surprisingly all the panels of the body are removable from the chassis with just ten screws (and the removal of the knob on the ribbon reversal). The paint and finish of the typewriter were in dreadful condition and cleaning with some Simple Green and a soft bristled brush followed by a wipe-down with WD-40 have done some wonders, but it still leaves much to be desired. There are some drips of red paint and more than a fair share of chips and wear. On the positive side, the decals are in great condition. Because all the body is easily removeable, I’m very tempted to use this as a candidate for either stripping and repainting or potentially a plating process (nickel seems fun here perhaps).
This is my second Remington standard with the Fold-A-Matic feature, which again, made cleaning out and making adjustments of the interior much simpler. A prior servicing had sprayed oil everywhere inside the majority of the typewriter which had long since hardened and gummed up with dust. With the use of some mineral spirits, a toothbrush, a brass bristle brush, and the air compressor the interior is about as clean as it can be without completely disassembling the entire machine and hand polishing everything.
The rubber on most of this machine is in acceptable condition. The feet are excellent for their age and still have some grip that prevent it from walking across a desk. The rollers are still round and have grip. The platen is great for it’s age, but will certainly see recovering once the exterior is stripped and restored.
One set of pieces which didn’t survive as well are the brass grommets and rubber gaskets which are used to hold the side and rear panels onto the machine. I can easily clean up the brass portions, but the rubber will require complete replacement. In the meanwhile the machine is functional without them, but it will help to give the panels more stability and reduce small vibrations.
I’ve replaced the old, dried out ribbon with 1/2 inch blue and green bichrome from Fine Line. The typeface, based on the 1964 NOMDA Blue Book, seems to be Remington’s 534-10 pitch.
The only rare typewriter is a an unloved typewriter.
Always talk about typewriter club. Every chance you get. To family, friends, acquaintances, complete strangers…
If you’re new to typewriter club, you have to type.
Any reason is a good reason to buy and use a typewriter.
If you have only one typewriter, you must refer to it as “my FIRST typewriter”.
More than one machine is allowed to be your “favorite”.
The last typewriter you bought is the greatest one. Until the next one.
Never leave a typewriter outside, in a barn, or in a damp basement to rust.
Typewriters are to type with. While they can be used as mood-setting decor, they are meant to be used.
Always leave a typewriter in better condition than you found it.
“The hardest part of typewriter repair is believing you can do it. Everything else is just instructions plus a careful, thoughtful hand.” —Rt. Rev. Theodore Munk
A typewriter is not broken unless it is clean and broken.
We form things; we do not “bend” them.
Parts of a typewriter should only be removed permanently in order to repair another typewriter.
If you see a typewriter, you should take photos and upload the details to the Typewriter Database for other typewriter lovers.
The only acceptable way to dispose of a typewriter is to find it a new home. The only exception is in dire circumstances in time of war when one should follow the guidance of the Underwood manual and “Smash typewriters and components with a sledge or other heavy instrument; burn with kerosene, gasoline, fuel oil, flame thrower, or incendiary bomb; detonate with firearms, grenades, TNT, or other explosives.”
If anyone asks you about your typewriter, you must spend at least five minutes talking to them about it.
Blessed are those who give typewriters to children for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
Trustworthy and legitimate typewriter sellers never use the phrases “it works” or “it just needs a new ribbon.”
Remember that typewriters are dangerous. They can be used for samizdat. As Woody Guthrie knew: “This machine kills fascists.”
The Typewriter Database does not list every single serial number, just ranges of numbers and years in which they were made. You are responsible for reading the charts and for figuring out which year your serial number fits into.
Keychoppers shall have the extremities they used to chop keys chopped off.
“In death, they have a name.” Lenore Fenton. Lenore Fenton. Lenore Fenton!
Six slots for organizing your typing papers and envelopes as well as space for your stapler, tape dispenser, and various other desk drawer implements.
In an effort to slowly improve my analog office proficiency and productivity, I have heeded Lenore Fenton’s advice to have all my supplies organized at my fingertips. Toward that end I’ve picked up this excellent paper organizer for the top desk drawer of my executive tanker desk. This mid-century marvel is perfect for storing a variety of paper types and envelopes to have them easily to hand. (For ease of viewing and use, you’ll see photos of it sitting on my desktop right next to my typewriter.)
In the 1943 film Basic Typing Methods, in the very opening seconds of the film, you’ll see the woman in the foreground pulling paper quickly from her desk drawer for typing. While it’s not immediately visible, she’s surely got a similar paper organizer in her drawer. (Pardon the heavily gendered references in the film.)
Photo Gallery
Ultimately, the paper organizer came to live in the top drawer of my executive tanker desk.
Acquired at the local Acts Thrift shop for about $2.00, this organizer was a no-brainer purchase.
In the vein of Fight Club, what would the rules of Typewriter Club be? What are the commonly known rules that typewriter users and collectors know that the uninitiated should be aware of?
I’ll kick things off with a frequent admonishment:
The first rule of Typewriter Club: Don’t “lubricate” the segment with WD-40.
The second rule of Typewriter Club: DO NOT lubricate the segment with WD-40!
Feel free to follow this post and upvote your favorites so we can rank a potential final list.
Serial Number: 13-9707863
Distinctive elite typeface, 12 CPI, 6 lines/inch, standard, bichrome, segment shift, tabulator, American keyboard, 44 keys
Body: light gray in steel; Keys: dark gray with white letters in plastic
Manufactured in the U.S.A
Acquired used at a second hand store for the As-Seen-On-TV price of $19.99 and in stunning condition. It’ll need a clean, but this is in almost perfect cosmetic condition. It’s my first Underwood and technically also my first Olivetti as it was manufactured after the merger. The touch and speed are truly stunning and may be the best in my collection even before being cleaned, oiled, and adjusted.
Serial number: AX-168959 Pica typeface, 10 characters per inch, monochrome, carriage shift
Acquired 2024-09-04. In generally good shape.
The case is in exceptional shape given that these usually aren’t extant or have been shattered into pieces. There is one piece broken off, but it came with the machine and should be able to be fused back onto the case. Came without the hubs or covers. It’s slightly more mint green than the mint blue of the other Streamliner I’ve got which has a somewhat smaller serial number.
I’ve cleaned it up a tad this week to take to the type-in at Vroman’s Bookstore this weekend. It still needs a tweak to the line selector, but isn’t terrifically noticeable and I might be able to fix it before then.
My current collection of 9 standard typewriters clocks in at 289.6 pounds (131.6 kg). Which one(s) should I take to the type-in at Vromans Bookstore this Saturday, May 10th at 1:00pm?
Which machines are you bringing?
Front row (left to right): ’51 Remington Super-Riter, ’56 Remington Standard, ’55 Royal HH, ’58 Royal FP (gray, 16″ carriage), ’57 Royal FP (gray)
Back row (left to right): ’45 Remington 17, ’50 Royal KMG, ’61 Royal FP (yellow), ’77 Olympia SG3
While watching Wedding Crashers (2005, New Line), I noticed that John Beckwith (portrayed by Owen Wilson) and Jeremy Grey (Vince Vaughn) both have multiple card indexes in their offices in the movie.
One can’t help but wondering if their work leverages one of the variety of card index filing systems? Were they commonplacers? Zettelkasten users? Were they maintaining them as basic databases? Monster rolodexes? There are definitely a lot of them around.
It’s obvious that Jeremy actively uses his as in the opening scenes, his card index is on the credenza behind him and later in the movie it has moved.
Vince Vaughn obviously explaining the most important points of knowledge management in the office: a zettelkasten (or card index), bubblegum, and plenty of bourbon.On a side desk in his office Jeremy Gray has a 3×5″ and a 4×6″ card index near all of his most important reference volumes.Along with shelves full of reference books, John Beckwith has a huge collection of card index boxes of various sizes including 3 3×5″ boxes, 3 4×6″ boxes, and even one 5×8″ box.
A Zettelkasten for Wedding Crashers
Of course, the real aficionado of Wedding Crashers will suspect that at least one of Jeremy’s card indexes is full of weddings they’ve crashed, related research, and maybe women he’s encountered. Maybe names and legends of the people they’re pretending to be (“We lost a lot of good men out there.” “Guess who’s a broken man?”) Naturally there would also be a huge section with the numbered rules of wedding crashing as handed down by pioneer Chazz Rheinhold.
Serial Number: 3Y 2279770
Brown crinkle paint; white plastic keys; SCM Elite No. 66 typeface; US keyboard
Acquired for a song and a dance on 2025-04-14; Seems to be in relatively solid shape; nothing huge out of place; need a full COA, but seems fully restorable; the case is a bit dirty and has a light smell, but should be cleanable; came with the original manual and warranty card stub. The dried out 18 feet of black ribbon was replaced on 2025-04-30.
