Learning Typewriter Maintenance and Repair

So you want to be a typewriter mechanic?

As some typewriter collectors have realized there is a typewriter revolution going on out there. This means that there’s a growing need for people who can clean, maintain, repair, and restore typewriters. If this sounds like something you’re interested in doing, there are a huge number of resources out there that you can tap into to figure out how to do all of this work on your own.

I’ve been wrenching on my own typewriters for several years and gotten deeper into the hobby over the past six months, so I thought I’d do a brain dump and outline some of the basic resources for those who are interested either in fixing up their own machines or potentially considering starting a repair shop.

Crash course on typewriter maintenance and repair

A list of resources and references for the budding typewriter repair person. There is a lot here that I’ve compiled and consumed, so don’t be overwhelmed. Half the battle is figuring out where to find all these things, so if nothing else, this should shave off a month or two of reading and researching.

Basic Introductory Material

Get a notebook and be ready to take some notes so you’ll remember where you found the random information you’re bound to pick up over time and are able to occasionally review it.

First watch this video on how a mechanical typewriter works. While it’s specific to the early Underwoods, the general mechanisms on almost all other typewriters are broadly similar.

Work your way through Sarah Everett’s excellent Typewriter 101 videos (at least the first five).

Read Richard Polt’s book which is a great overview to the general space:

Polt, Richard. The Typewriter Revolution: A Typist’s Companion for the 21st Century. 1st ed. Woodstock, VT: Countryman Press, 2015.

Next watch the documentary California Typewriter (Gravitas Pictures, 2016). It has some interesting subtle material hiding within it, but it will give you a good idea of where you’re headed off to. [YouTube copy; Archive.org copy]

Get a machine (or four) you can practice on. Get a flat head screwdriver and maybe a small adjustable wrench. Buy some mineral spirits and a small headed toothbrush and clean out your first machine. Buy some light sewing machine oil and try oiling it. Search YouTube for videos about how to repair anything that may be wrong with it. Usually 98% of the issues with most typewriters these days is that they need to be cleaned out.

Basic restoration advice:
On colloquial advice for degreasing, cleaning, and oiling manual typewriters

Repair Manuals

Create an account on The Typewriter Database which will give you some additional access to catalogs, manuals, and dealer catalogs beyond what is available without an account.

Basic repair manuals (readable online)

Printed manuals

PDF manuals

If you intend to buy a bunch of these, you can get a discount by being a member of Ted Munk’s Patreon site. His personal website also has a plethora of ephemera that is often useful.

Richard Polt’s list of free service manuals and books also includes some correspondence course typewriter repair classes which are meant for the self-taught. Most typewriters are very similar so picking a good generic text that covers the basics is the best place to start before branching out to specific repair manuals for particular models.

Tools

In rough order of increasing complexity:

Typewriter Tool Kit from the DOLLAR TREE by Just My Typewriter

Some simple basics and where to get them: Adding to My Typewriter Tool Set

Typewriter Tools Upgrade

Typewriter tools of the trade

Lucas Dul’s Toolset presentation at Virtual Hermans

Tour of an advanced hobbyist/semi-pro shop

Tools can be expensive, so start out small with just a few things and expand as you need them. You’ll be amazed at what you can accomplish with a single thin bladed flathead screwdriver, an adjustable wrench, a rag, a bottle of Simple Green cleaning solution, and a bottle of isopropyl alcohol. Most people probably already have these tools at home.

Videos

Subscribe to and become acquainted with YouTube channels like the following:

Duane Jensen’s Phoenix Typewriter
Gerren Balch’s HotRod Typewriter Company
Joe Van Cleave
Sarah Everett’s Just My Typewriter

While watching a variety of videos is great, as you’re doing specific repairs search YouTube and you’re likely to find full demos of the repairs you’re doing yourself. This is where having a solid knowledge of typewriter parts and terminology can be useful. Almost every typewriter manual ever written has a diagram with the parts labeled. Hints for a Happy Typewriter has a pretty good set of typewriter terms to get you started.

I’ve compiled a playlist of videos for repair of an Olympia SM3 which, while specific to the SM3, is a an excellent outline/overview of how to disassemble a portable typewriter, where many of the adjustment points are as well as an outline of the order to do them in.

United States Navy Training Films

If you’re not a good typist or don’t have experience in the area, try out some of the following short films which will also provide some useful historical perspective:

Basic Typing: Methods. Vol. MN-1512a. United States Navy Training Film, 1943.
Basic Typing: Machine Operation. Vol. MN-1512b. United States Navy Training Film, 1943.
Advanced Typing: Shortcuts. Vol. MN-1512c. United States Navy Training Film, 1943.
Advanced Typing: Duplicating and Manuscript. Vol. MN-1512d. United States Navy Training Film, 1943.
Maintenance Of Office Machines. Vol. MN-1513. United States Navy Training Film, 1943.

The good news is that historically very few typewriter mechanics were also touch typists, but you should still be able to hunt and peck and understand the needs of your customers.

Internships & Apprenticeships

If you have the time and flexibility try arranging an internship or apprenticeship with a local typewriter repair shop. Meet your local repair people even if you can’t spend the time on an internship. You’ll learn a lot and create relationships with businesses who will more easily swap/supply you with machines they’re parting out or access to tools which may otherwise be difficult to source.

If you’re all-in, maybe you might try the Philly Typewriter Trade School?

Visiting type-ins can be a great way to meet people and discuss typewriter repair as well as see tools and other machines on your journey.

Podcasts

Austin Typewriter Ink

Charm Type Repair

Some useful Bibliography

Athey, Ralph S. Typewriter Repair Training Course. Tarentum, PA: Typewriter Repair Training, 1957.

Atkinson, Annelise. Typewriter SOS: The DIY Guide to Fixing Common Problems with Typewriters, 2014.

Hausrath, Alfred H., and Eugene L. Dahl. Typewriter Care. Edited by Walter K.M. Slavik. Federal Work Improvement Program United States Civil Service Commission and Government Division, U.S. Treasury Department, 1945.

Jones, Clarence LeRoy. The Manual Typewriter Repair Bible. Edited by Theodore Munk. The Typewriter Repair Bible Series, 2017.

Kasten, R. M. “First Aid for Typewriters.” Popular Science Monthly, May 1941.

Kravitz, Bryan. Hints for a Happy Typewriter. Bryan Kravitz, 1983.

Hutchison, Howard. The Typewriter Repair Manual. 1st ed. Blue Ridge Summit, PA: Tab Books, 1981.

Munk, Theodore. “The Typewriter Database,” 2012.
Pearce, H. G. Complete Instructions: How to Repair, Rebuild, and Adjust Underwood Typewriters With Handy Reference for Locating Trouble Quickly. Bridgeport, CT: Typewriter Mechanics Publishing Co., 1920.

Polt, Richard. “The Classic Typewriter Page : All About Typewriters,” 2009.
Scadden, David T. Approved Home Study Course in Typewriter Repair and Service. Little Falls, NJ: Typewriter Repair School, 1959.

Good luck on your journey!