Congratulations!

[Valid RSS] This is a valid RSS feed.

Recommendations

This feed is valid, but interoperability with the widest range of feed readers could be improved by implementing the following recommendations.

Source: https://boffosocko.com/feed/

  1. <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0"
  2. xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"
  3. xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/"
  4. xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"
  5. xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"
  6. xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/"
  7. xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/"
  8. xmlns:friends="wordpress-plugin-friends:feed-additions:1"
  9. xmlns:georss="http://www.georss.org/georss"
  10. xmlns:geo="http://www.w3.org/2003/01/geo/wgs84_pos#"
  11. >
  12.  
  13. <channel>
  14. <title>Chris Aldrich</title>
  15. <atom:link href="https://boffosocko.com/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
  16. <link>https://boffosocko.com</link>
  17. <description>Musings of a Modern Day Cyberneticist</description>
  18. <lastBuildDate>Thu, 03 Jul 2025 04:40:03 +0000</lastBuildDate>
  19. <language>en-US</language>
  20. <sy:updatePeriod>
  21. hourly </sy:updatePeriod>
  22. <sy:updateFrequency>
  23. 1 </sy:updateFrequency>
  24. <generator>https://wordpress.org/?v=6.2.6</generator>
  25.  
  26. <image>
  27. <url>https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/LAAC-rooftop-cropped512x512-551cdb03v1_site_icon.png?fit=32%2C32&#038;ssl=1</url>
  28. <title>Chris Aldrich</title>
  29. <link>https://boffosocko.com</link>
  30. <width>32</width>
  31. <height>32</height>
  32. </image>
  33. <atom:link rel="hub" href="https://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com"/><atom:link rel="hub" href="https://pubsubhubbub.superfeedr.com"/><atom:link rel="hub" href="https://websubhub.com/hub"/><site xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">67433065</site> <item>
  34. <title></title>
  35. <link>https://boffosocko.com/2025/07/02/how-do-you-keep-track-of-your-typewriter-collection/</link>
  36. <comments>https://boffosocko.com/2025/07/02/how-do-you-keep-track-of-your-typewriter-collection/#comments</comments>
  38. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Aldrich]]></dc:creator>
  39. <pubDate>Thu, 03 Jul 2025 04:04:26 +0000</pubDate>
  40. <category><![CDATA[Social Stream]]></category>
  41. <category><![CDATA[Typewriters]]></category>
  42. <category><![CDATA[card index as database]]></category>
  43. <category><![CDATA[typewriter collecting]]></category>
  44. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://boffosocko.com/?p=55830887</guid>
  45.  
  46. <description><![CDATA[
  47. <div>
  48. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/07/02/how-do-you-keep-track-of-your-typewriter-collection/"><img title="Card index for typewriter collecting" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/wp-17515138094988757164055722931851.jpg?fit=750%2C563&ssl=1" alt="View into the drawer of a metal index card filing cabinet full of tabbed cards and index cards. The section is labeled &quot;Typewriters / Ribbons / Spools&quot; and the tabs are all typewriter related." width="750" height="563" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  49. </div>
  50. How do you keep track of your typewriter collection? Do you keep a simple typewritten list? Do you use a spreadsheet? The Typewriter Database? A period-appropriate card index?  Tags on your machines on the shelves? Via your blog or web page? All of the above? Keep track?!? I enjoy tripping over them all over the &#8230; <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/07/02/how-do-you-keep-track-of-your-typewriter-collection/" class="more-link">Continue reading <span class="screen-reader-text"></span></a>]]></description>
  51. <content:encoded><![CDATA[
  52. <div>
  53. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/07/02/how-do-you-keep-track-of-your-typewriter-collection/"><img title="Card index for typewriter collecting" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/wp-17515138094988757164055722931851.jpg?fit=750%2C563&ssl=1" alt="View into the drawer of a metal index card filing cabinet full of tabbed cards and index cards. The section is labeled &quot;Typewriters / Ribbons / Spools&quot; and the tabs are all typewriter related." width="750" height="563" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  54. </div>
  55. <p>How do you keep track of your typewriter collection?</p>
  56. <ul>
  57. <li>Do you keep a simple typewritten list?</li>
  58. <li>Do you use a spreadsheet?</li>
  59. <li><a href="https://typewriterdatabase.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Typewriter Database</a>?</li>
  60. <li>A <a href="https://boffosocko.com/research/zettelkasten-commonplace-books-and-note-taking-collection/#Boxes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">period-appropriate card index</a>? </li>
  61. <li><a href="https://boffosocko.com/2024/07/18/tagging-typewriters-and-cases-for-easier-identification-and-storage/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tags on your machines</a> on the shelves?</li>
  62. <li>Via <a href="https://boffosocko.com/tag/typewriter-collection/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">your blog</a> or <a href="https://boffosocko.com/research/typewriter-collection/#My%20Typewriter%20Collection" target="_blank" rel="noopener">web page</a>?</li>
  63. <li>All of the above?</li>
  64. <li>Keep track?!? I enjoy tripping over them all over the house.</li>
  65. <li>Other?</li>
  66. </ul>
  67. <p>What data do you keep on them? </p>
  68. <p>How big was your collection before you decided you needed to do <em>something</em>?</p>]]></content:encoded>
  70. <wfw:commentRss>https://boffosocko.com/2025/07/02/how-do-you-keep-track-of-your-typewriter-collection/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  71. <slash:comments>9</slash:comments>
  74. <friends:post-format>status</friends:post-format>
  75. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">55830887</post-id> </item>
  76. <item>
  77. <title></title>
  78. <link>https://boffosocko.com/2025/07/02/huffduffer-tags-gone/</link>
  79. <comments>https://boffosocko.com/2025/07/02/huffduffer-tags-gone/#respond</comments>
  81. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Aldrich]]></dc:creator>
  82. <pubDate>Wed, 02 Jul 2025 16:50:30 +0000</pubDate>
  83. <category><![CDATA[Social Stream]]></category>
  84. <category><![CDATA[Huffduffer]]></category>
  85. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://boffosocko.com/?p=55830881</guid>
  86.  
  87. <description><![CDATA[My commute patterns changed dramatically last year and the Eaton Fire catastrophe has decimated the first half of 2025 for me, so I&#8217;m trying to get back to my old Huffduffer habits for more focused content consumption versus doomscrolling. Sadly, it seems the tagging system has been disabled/disappeared? It was one of my favorite discovery &#8230; <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/07/02/huffduffer-tags-gone/" class="more-link">Continue reading <span class="screen-reader-text"></span></a>]]></description>
  88. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>My commute patterns changed dramatically last year and the Eaton Fire catastrophe has decimated the first half of 2025 for me, so I&#8217;m trying to get back to my old <a href="https://huffduffer.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Huffduffer</a> habits for more focused content consumption versus doomscrolling. Sadly, it seems the tagging system has been disabled/disappeared<a class="u-category h-card" href="https://adactio.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">?</a> It was one of my favorite discovery features&#8230;</p>]]></content:encoded>
  90. <wfw:commentRss>https://boffosocko.com/2025/07/02/huffduffer-tags-gone/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  91. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
  94. <friends:post-format>status</friends:post-format>
  95. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">55830881</post-id> </item>
  96. <item>
  97. <title></title>
  98. <link>https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/30/negroni-paired-with-a-royal-hhe/</link>
  99. <comments>https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/30/negroni-paired-with-a-royal-hhe/#comments</comments>
  101. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Aldrich]]></dc:creator>
  102. <pubDate>Tue, 01 Jul 2025 05:51:05 +0000</pubDate>
  103. <category><![CDATA[Drink]]></category>
  104. <category><![CDATA[Social Stream]]></category>
  105. <category><![CDATA[Typewriters]]></category>
  106. <category><![CDATA[Royal HHE]]></category>
  107. <category><![CDATA[typewriter pairings]]></category>
  108. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://boffosocko.com/?p=55830852</guid>
  109.  
  110. <description><![CDATA[
  111. <div>
  112. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/30/negroni-paired-with-a-royal-hhe/"><img title="wp-17513483066116442491959739050517" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/wp-17513483066116442491959739050517.jpg?fit=750%2C563&ssl=1" alt="A red Negroni cocktail on an old fashioned glass next to a brown Royal HH standard typewriter on an executive tanker desk." width="750" height="563" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  113. </div>
  114. Negroni paired with a Royal HHE for tonight&#8217;s writing. ]]></description>
  115. <content:encoded><![CDATA[
  116. <section class="h-cite response p-food ">
  117. <header>
  118. <span class="kind-display-text">Drank</span> <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/30/negroni-paired-with-a-royal-hhe/" class="p-name u-url">Negroni</a></header>
  119. </section>
  120.  
  121.  
  122. <div>
  123. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/30/negroni-paired-with-a-royal-hhe/"><img title="wp-17513483066116442491959739050517" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/wp-17513483066116442491959739050517.jpg?fit=750%2C563&ssl=1" alt="A red Negroni cocktail on an old fashioned glass next to a brown Royal HH standard typewriter on an executive tanker desk." width="750" height="563" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  124. </div>
  125. <p>Negroni paired with a Royal HHE for tonight&#8217;s writing. </p>]]></content:encoded>
  127. <wfw:commentRss>https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/30/negroni-paired-with-a-royal-hhe/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  128. <slash:comments>3</slash:comments>
  131. <friends:post-format>status</friends:post-format>
  132. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">55830852</post-id> </item>
  133. <item>
  134. <title></title>
  135. <link>https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/27/rob-reiner-with-a-typewriter-baseball-cap/</link>
  136. <comments>https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/27/rob-reiner-with-a-typewriter-baseball-cap/#respond</comments>
  138. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Aldrich]]></dc:creator>
  139. <pubDate>Sat, 28 Jun 2025 05:47:51 +0000</pubDate>
  140. <category><![CDATA[Social Stream]]></category>
  141. <category><![CDATA[Typewriters]]></category>
  142. <category><![CDATA[baseball caps]]></category>
  143. <category><![CDATA[Carl Reiner]]></category>
  144. <category><![CDATA[Rob Reiner]]></category>
  145. <category><![CDATA[Royal KMG]]></category>
  146. <category><![CDATA[The Bear]]></category>
  147. <category><![CDATA[typewriters in media]]></category>
  148. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://boffosocko.com/?p=55830834</guid>
  149.  
  150. <description><![CDATA[
  151. <div>
  152. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/27/rob-reiner-with-a-typewriter-baseball-cap/"><img title="VS--Hulu-TheBear-S4E3Scallop-7’16”" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/VS-Hulu-TheBear-S4E3Scallop-716.jpg?fit=750%2C422&ssl=1" alt="Longer shot of Rob Reiner with a black suite jacket and matching black baseball hat and a blue outline of a typewriter. In the foreground he&#039;s talking to Ebraheim whose back is to us." width="750" height="422" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  153. </div>
  154. In season 4, episode 3 &#8220;Scallop&#8221; of The Bear (FX, 2025), the inimitable Rob Reiner shows up as a business consultant by the name of Albert Schnurr. In his introduction, he&#8217;s wearing a black baseball cap featuring a typewriter. A line drawing/outline, it looks a bit like a Corona 3 to me. It&#8217;s definitely not &#8230; <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/27/rob-reiner-with-a-typewriter-baseball-cap/" class="more-link">Continue reading <span class="screen-reader-text"></span></a>]]></description>
  155. <content:encoded><![CDATA[
  156. <div>
  157. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/27/rob-reiner-with-a-typewriter-baseball-cap/"><img title="VS--Hulu-TheBear-S4E3Scallop-7’16”" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/VS-Hulu-TheBear-S4E3Scallop-716.jpg?fit=750%2C422&ssl=1" alt="Longer shot of Rob Reiner with a black suite jacket and matching black baseball hat and a blue outline of a typewriter. In the foreground he&#039;s talking to Ebraheim whose back is to us." width="750" height="422" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  158. </div>
  159. <p>In <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt36943983/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">season 4, episode 3 &#8220;Scallop&#8221; of <em>The Bear</em></a> (FX, 2025), the inimitable Rob Reiner shows up as a business consultant by the name of Albert Schnurr. In his introduction, he&#8217;s wearing a black baseball cap featuring a typewriter. A line drawing/outline, it looks a bit like a Corona 3 to me. It&#8217;s definitely not the <a href="https://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/reinerkmg.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Royal KMG his father was famous for using</a>.</p>
  160. <p></p>
  161. <p></p>
  162. <p></p>]]></content:encoded>
  164. <wfw:commentRss>https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/27/rob-reiner-with-a-typewriter-baseball-cap/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  165. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
  168. <friends:post-format>status</friends:post-format>
  169. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">55830834</post-id> </item>
  170. <item>
  171. <title></title>
  172. <link>https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/25/master-products-mfg-co-3-hole-punch/</link>
  173. <comments>https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/25/master-products-mfg-co-3-hole-punch/#comments</comments>
  175. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Aldrich]]></dc:creator>
  176. <pubDate>Wed, 25 Jun 2025 22:04:23 +0000</pubDate>
  177. <category><![CDATA[Acquisition]]></category>
  178. <category><![CDATA[Social Stream]]></category>
  179. <category><![CDATA[Technology]]></category>
  180. <category><![CDATA[analog office equipment]]></category>
  181. <category><![CDATA[hole punches]]></category>
  182. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://boffosocko.com/?p=55830815</guid>
  183.  
  184. <description><![CDATA[
  185. <div>
  186. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/25/master-products-mfg-co-3-hole-punch/"><img title="Master Products Mfg. Co. 3 hole punch" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/wp-17508875390849065923946544858316.jpg?fit=750%2C563&ssl=1" alt="Close up of black cast iron 3 hole punch with a silver metal page guage slider and a heavy metal handle." width="750" height="563" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  187. </div>
  188. Swung through the thrift store today and found this fantastic beast. $3.82 was absolutely too little for such a lovely vintage piece. Not sure of the age, but definitely manufactured to last. Twenty minutes of cleaning and a light oiling and it&#8217;s almost as new as the day it came off the factory floor. Handles &#8230; <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/25/master-products-mfg-co-3-hole-punch/" class="more-link">Continue reading <span class="screen-reader-text"></span></a>]]></description>
  189. <content:encoded><![CDATA[
  190. <section class="response h-product h-cite">
  191. <header>
  192. <span class="kind-display-text">Acquired</span> <a href="https://boffosocko.com/?p=55830815" class="p-name u-url">3 Hole Punch</a> <em>(<span class="p-brand">Master Products Mfg. Co., Los Angeles, Calif.</span>)</em></header>
  193. <blockquote class="e-summary">Black cast iron and metal</blockquote></section>
  194.  
  195.  
  196. <div>
  197. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/25/master-products-mfg-co-3-hole-punch/"><img title="Master Products Mfg. Co. 3 hole punch" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/wp-17508875390849065923946544858316.jpg?fit=750%2C563&ssl=1" alt="Close up of black cast iron 3 hole punch with a silver metal page guage slider and a heavy metal handle." width="750" height="563" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  198. </div>
  199. <p>Swung through the thrift store today and found this fantastic beast. $3.82 was absolutely too little for such a lovely vintage piece. Not sure of the age, but definitely manufactured to last. Twenty minutes of cleaning and a light oiling and it&#8217;s almost as new as the day it came off the factory floor. Handles up to 20 sheets of paper and slices through them like butter. </p>
  200. <p></p>
  201. <p></p>
  202. <p></p>]]></content:encoded>
  204. <wfw:commentRss>https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/25/master-products-mfg-co-3-hole-punch/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  205. <slash:comments>7</slash:comments>
  208. <friends:post-format>status</friends:post-format>
  209. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">55830815</post-id> </item>
  210. <item>
  211. <title>Typewriter Repair Costs and Valuation: Professional Shops versus Collectors versus First Time Buyers</title>
  212. <link>https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/23/typewriter-repair-costs-and-valuation-professional-shops-versus-collectors-versus-first-time-buyers/</link>
  213. <comments>https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/23/typewriter-repair-costs-and-valuation-professional-shops-versus-collectors-versus-first-time-buyers/#comments</comments>
  215. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Aldrich]]></dc:creator>
  216. <pubDate>Mon, 23 Jun 2025 15:35:06 +0000</pubDate>
  217. <category><![CDATA[Typewriters]]></category>
  218. <category><![CDATA[typewriter collecting]]></category>
  219. <category><![CDATA[typewriter market]]></category>
  220. <category><![CDATA[typewriter repair]]></category>
  221. <category><![CDATA[typewriter repair shops]]></category>
  222. <category><![CDATA[typewriter restoration]]></category>
  223. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://boffosocko.com/?p=55830778</guid>
  224.  
  225. <description><![CDATA[
  226. <div>
  227. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/23/typewriter-repair-costs-and-valuation-professional-shops-versus-collectors-versus-first-time-buyers/"><img title="Naked 1952 Royal Quiet De Luxe typewriter oblique angle" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/wp-1729403533076438180899146070034.jpg?fit=750%2C563&ssl=1" alt="Close up of a naked 1952 Royal Quiet De Luxe typewriter seen from an oblique view." width="750" height="563" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  228. </div>
  229. I often see people asking questions about the value of vintage typewriters. Questions like:  Is it really worth $550 to buy a clean, oiled, and adjusted typewriter from a repair shop? What about the cheap typewriters I see for $20-50 on Facebook Marketplace? Are they any &#8220;good&#8221;? What&#8217;s with the dramatic difference in prices? Am &#8230; <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/23/typewriter-repair-costs-and-valuation-professional-shops-versus-collectors-versus-first-time-buyers/" class="more-link">Continue reading <span class="screen-reader-text">Typewriter Repair Costs and Valuation: Professional Shops versus Collectors versus First Time Buyers</span></a>]]></description>
  230. <content:encoded><![CDATA[
  231. <div>
  232. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/23/typewriter-repair-costs-and-valuation-professional-shops-versus-collectors-versus-first-time-buyers/"><img title="Naked 1952 Royal Quiet De Luxe typewriter oblique angle" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/wp-1729403533076438180899146070034.jpg?fit=750%2C563&ssl=1" alt="Close up of a naked 1952 Royal Quiet De Luxe typewriter seen from an oblique view." width="750" height="563" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  233. </div>
  234. <p>I often see people asking questions about the value of vintage typewriters. Questions like: </p>
  235. <ul>
  236. <li>Is it really worth $550 to buy a clean, oiled, and adjusted typewriter from a repair shop?</li>
  237. <li>What about the cheap typewriters I see for $20-50 on Facebook Marketplace? Are they any &#8220;good&#8221;?</li>
  238. <li>What&#8217;s with the dramatic difference in prices? Am I being tricked?</li>
  239. </ul>
  240. <p>For the sake of clarity, I&#8217;ll be addressing the majority of the typewriter sales in the secondary market which are broadly the most common typewriters made for the commercial market after about 1925. Most of these were manufactured in the realm of hundreds of thousands to several millions each and are thus decidedly not rare.  </p>
  241. <p>Within this market, the savvy consumer knows that the condition of the machine is generally the biggest driver of the sales price. Sadly the majority of machines you see for sale are in poor to absolutely dreadful condition, but are priced as if they are cleaned, oiled, and well-adjusted right out of a professional typewriter shop. If you watch patiently, you&#8217;ll notice these so-called &#8220;rare&#8221; machines never sell. If you&#8217;re buying, you should ask yourself the following: Is the exterior of the machine in good cosmetic condition with clear and intact decals?  Is the interior clean and free from excess dust, oil and other residue which can affect performance? Does the machine function as well as one could expect or almost as good as if it just came off the factory floor? Is the type properly aligned on the page? Does it make clear, bright imprints for all characters? Do all the buttons, levers, and adjustment points work as expected? Does the escapement work across the length of the platen? Will paper feed through properly? Are the rollers round, even, and grippy? Does it have its original metal spools? Does it have new or even usable ribbon? All of these cosmetic and functional factors effect the ultimate sales prices in the market.</p>
  242. <p>The truth is that the vast majority of typewriters on the broad online marketplace don&#8217;t fit many of these criteria. Most are barely capable of any of these. A large number are dusty &#8220;barn&#8221; machines that have been sitting around for decades and barely befitting the name typewriter. Far too many have &#8220;sticky&#8221; keys or other mechanical problems. Many have broken or disconnected drawbands. Others suffer from a broad array of other repairable and even non-repairable maladies. </p>
  243. <p>Having purchased around 50+ machines from a variety of online shops and thrift stores for $9-150, I have never gotten what one might call a &#8220;perfect machine&#8221; as one would expect recently serviced from a professional typewriter repair shop. Only a handful required an adjustment or two and a solid cleaning and new ribbon to be close to perfect. </p>
  244. <p>I&#8217;ve recently been to a handful of type-ins now, and I can attest that most people who have their own typewriters are amateurs who at best have dusted off the exterior of their machines and are charitably limping (a base level of typing) along as best as they can with what they have. While this is certainly fine and potentially acceptable to some, it&#8217;s definitely not the lush level of a well-adjusted machine.  If you want to be a good steward of your typewriter and plan on using it extensively or even professionally as an author, it is definitely worth the time and attention to have at least one solid machine in your arsenal. If you have the funds, definitely replace the rubber feet and re-cover the platen on at least one machine to enjoy pure typewriting nirvana.</p>
  245. <p></p>
  246. <p>One will regularly see posts of unknowledgeable sellers who insist they &#8220;know what they&#8217;ve got&#8221; offering dirty and disgusting typewriters for $500 or dramatically more. Most of the typewriter collecting community see these typewriters for sale and have a good laugh knowing that the seller is comparing their machine to an immaculate version of their typewriter that has been lovingly restored. </p>
  247. <h2>A Typewriter Repair Cost Thought Experiment</h2>
  248. <p>As a thought experiment based on several years of collecting and restoring/repairing typewriters, I decided it might be useful to create a ballpark representative graph of what the typewriter cost space looks like to have and use a great functioning typewriter.  To do this I&#8217;m going to look at the raw base costs of what it takes to have a professionally adjusted and cleaned typewriter serviced by three different personas in the space. I&#8217;ll look at the <a href="https://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/tw-repair.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">seasoned professional</a> with 9 months to many years on the job in a typewriter shop, the avid typewriter collector with between 15 and 50 or more typewriters in their collection  the majority of which they&#8217;ve self-serviced, and the <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/03/29/first-time-typewriter-purchases-with-specific-recommendations-for-writers/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">beginner to novice typist who is potentially buying their first, second or maybe third typewriter</a> and who may likely never go beyond that number.</p>
  249. <figure id="attachment_55825524" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-55825524" style="width: 660px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-55825524" class="wp-caption-text">The repair layout of a collector with a wide variety of tools</figcaption></figure>
  250. <p>The primary variables we&#8217;ll be looking at will be time, experience, and general costs. We&#8217;ll also look at tools and their availability, the cost of the machine itself, replacement parts, and the cost per hour of labor. I&#8217;ll be ignoring the cost of storage space and other miscellaneous overhead costs of actually running a business which a repair shop might require, but that an amateur is only tangentially responsible for by using space in their home. We&#8217;ll try to keep as many of the variables constant across the spectrum for a reasonably useful comparison of cost and time for these personas. </p>
  251. <h3>Tools</h3>
  252. <p>The availability and cost of various tools will be a factor and vary dramatically across the three categories. I<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-7E4fM6gBw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">f the beginner doesn&#8217;t already have them</a>, they&#8217;ll want at least a minimum of a couple of screwdrivers, an adjustable wrench, some canned air, a toothbrush, and some mineral spirits for about $100. A collector will have all of these as well as a dedicated air compressor, a full set of screwdrivers, wrenches, and several basic pliers, a variety of brushes (nylon, brass, and steel), <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2024/08/11/adding-to-my-typewriter-toolset/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">some oilers, spring (push and pull) tools</a>, and <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2024/12/01/typewriter-tools-upgrade/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">possibly even more</a> for an investment of $300 or more. Finally the <a href="https://virtualhermans.com/lucas-dul" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pro will have</a> all of the above in addition to a wide variety of specialty tools for less common repair and adjustment needs. Many of these are not easily accessible and many are no longer manufactured. This will include a wide variety of custom pliers, benders, and potentially even a dunk tank for cleaning typewriters. This equipment will often require an investment of one or several thousands of dollars. Because this larger investment is depreciated out over the span of years and used on hundreds of machines, I&#8217;ll set the tool price per typewriter for the professional at $5, the collector at $20 and $90 for the beginner. </p>
  253. <figure id="attachment_55826462" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-55826462" style="width: 660px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-55826462" class="wp-caption-text">A collector&#8217;s toolset including some custom and hard-to-find pliers and benders.</figcaption></figure>
  254. <h3>Typewriter</h3>
  255. <p>Next is the actual cost of the physical typewriter itself. Whether it&#8217;s a Smith-Corona Corsair from the late 60s, a Smith-Corona Silent from the 50s, a 1930s Royal P, or an Olympia SM3 from the 50s, even a dirty, disused, old typewriter is going to cost something. I&#8217;ll consider what we&#8217;re buying as a baseline run-of-the-mill machine of the type you&#8217;ll find at almost any thrift store that is in desperate need of a cleaning and which may have a few sticky keys, has it&#8217;s fair share of eraser shavings and cobwebs inside, needs a couple of small adjustments and perhaps one repair or replacement part that doesn&#8217;t include replacing rubber feet or a platen.  As <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/03/29/first-time-typewriter-purchases-with-specific-recommendations-for-writers/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">most beginners don&#8217;t know the market well</a>, they&#8217;re highly likely to pay in the $50-150 range for such a machine while the savvier collector will end up in the $20-75 range. The pro shop will quite often acquire their machines as donations or bulk pick ups for $5-20 each and the cost of gas to get them depending on what sorts of makes and models we&#8217;re looking at. As an anecdotal bit of data, one professional restorer recently told me he wouldn&#8217;t go over about $60 to buy a garden variety Olympia SM3 which most collectors would probably be on the hook for about $120.</p>
  256. <figure id="attachment_55826586" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-55826586" style="width: 660px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-55826586" class="wp-caption-text">Three cheers for eraser crumbs!</figcaption></figure>
  257. <h3>Repair and Replacement Parts</h3>
  258. <p>Pro shops are often much better off than the other two categories as they often have a dozen or more parts machines which they cannibalize to repair machines. They may also have custom suppliers of screws and springs which dramatically reduce the cost of researching and buying from places like McMaster-Carr, Fastenal, or your local hardware store. We&#8217;ll place their replacement part cost at about $5. Collectors may have parts machines, but are also likely to have friends, acquaintances or sources parting out machines inexpensively for around $15. The beginner will struggle to find repair parts and would potentially pay in the range of $40  for the same pieces. </p>
  259. <h3>Cost per hour for cleaning and repair</h3>
  260. <p>Professional repair rates in the United States are currently in the $40-75 per hour range, but for our back-of-the-envelope calculation, let&#8217;s stay with the more conservative $40/hour rate. The collector doesn&#8217;t have the same level of knowledge as a pro, but isn&#8217;t dreadful and <a href="https://boffosocko.com/research/typewriter-collection/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">knows where to look</a> for what they need, so we&#8217;ll give them a $30/hour rate for work. Finally we&#8217;ll pay the wholly inexperienced novice the United States minimum wage of $20/hour. This is sure to save them a lot of money compared to the pro, but it&#8217;s also going to take the novice a huge amount of research work and tinkering to come close to the proficiency of the pro, so perforce, it will take them far longer to come to having a machine as nice at the end of the process. I would expect the experienced collector to slowly come close to the level of quality turned out by the professional, but this is going to exist on a scale based on level of experience. </p>
  261. <table dir="ltr" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" data-sheets-root="1" data-sheets-baot="1">
  262. <colgroup>
  263. <col width="113" />
  264. <col width="100" />
  265. <col width="100" />
  266. <col width="100" />
  267. <col width="100" /></colgroup>
  268. <tbody>
  269. <tr>
  270. <td>&nbsp;</td>
  271. <td>Professional</td>
  272. <td>Collector</td>
  273. <td>Amateur</td>
  274. <td>
  275. <div>
  276. <div>Reticent amateur</div>
  277. </div>
  278. </td>
  279. </tr>
  280. <tr>
  281. <td>typewriter</td>
  282. <td>$30.00</td>
  283. <td>$90.00</td>
  284. <td>$120.00</td>
  285. <td>$120.00</td>
  286. </tr>
  287. <tr>
  288. <td>tool cost</td>
  289. <td>$5.00</td>
  290. <td>$20.00</td>
  291. <td>$90.00</td>
  292. <td>$90.00</td>
  293. </tr>
  294. <tr>
  295. <td>cleaning time</td>
  296. <td>$320.00</td>
  297. <td>$480.00</td>
  298. <td>$2,240.00</td>
  299. <td>$3,360.00</td>
  300. </tr>
  301. <tr>
  302. <td>repair parts</td>
  303. <td>$5.00</td>
  304. <td>$15.00</td>
  305. <td>$40.00</td>
  306. <td>$40.00</td>
  307. </tr>
  308. <tr>
  309. <td>totals</td>
  310. <td>$360.00</td>
  311. <td>$605.00</td>
  312. <td>$2,490.00</td>
  313. <td>$3,610.00</td>
  314. </tr>
  315. </tbody>
  316. </table>
  317. <h2>A graph of typewriter repair graphing experience against time and cost</h2>
  318. <p>As a result of the ballpark numbers above, I&#8217;m going to graph a few points for the various levels admitting that there is generally going to be some variance around the values. This variance increases as we move from the professional level (small variance) to the collector and then onto the novice (a much larger variance). Because the experience and ability of the beginner is so large, I&#8217;m going to plot two points for them to emphasize this variability. We can now take some of our rough numbers and plot the cost values against the amount of time it would likely take each of these levels to put out a single, clean, repaired and reasonably well-adjusted typewriter, keeping in mind that the level of the beginner will almost always lag behind the capabilities of the advanced collector or pro.</p>
  319. <figure id="attachment_55830776" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-55830776" style="width: 660px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img data-attachment-id="55830776" data-permalink="https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/23/typewriter-repair-costs-and-valuation-professional-shops-versus-collectors-versus-first-time-buyers/wp-17506431562455602397477612445446/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/wp-17506431562455602397477612445446.jpg?fit=2000%2C1357&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="2000,1357" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;1.8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;SM-S906U&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1750617886&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;5.4&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;250&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.0083&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}" data-image-title="Professional typewriter repair compared to collectors and novices" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;The purple $375 data point is for the professional repair shop, the orange $605 is for the collector, and the two red values at $2,490 and $3,600 are for the wide ranges of the beginners.&lt;/p&gt;
  320. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/wp-17506431562455602397477612445446.jpg?fit=300%2C204&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/wp-17506431562455602397477612445446.jpg?fit=660%2C448&amp;ssl=1" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-55830776" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/wp-17506431562455602397477612445446.jpg?resize=660%2C448&#038;ssl=1" alt="Graph of cost (y-axis) against time in days (x-axis). We see three lines for the pro ($375 for 1 day), the collector ($605 for 2 days), and two values for the novice ($2490 for 14 days and $3600 for 21 days)" width="660" height="448" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/wp-17506431562455602397477612445446.jpg?resize=1024%2C695&amp;ssl=1 1024w,  300w,  768w,  750w,  1536w,  2000w,  1320w" sizes="(max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px" data-recalc-dims="1" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-55830776" class="wp-caption-text">The purple $375 data point is for the professional repair shop, the orange $605 is for the collector, and the two red values at $2,490 and $3,600 are for the wide ranges of the beginners.</figcaption></figure>
  321. <p>A professional shop with only one trained repair person will likely repair, clean, oil, and adjust a single machine in about 5-8 hours while the collector can likely do the same in about two days of full time work on average. The beginner, presuming they are mildly mechanically inclined and willing to try will take two to three weeks of full time work to pull off the same level of quality. This generally presumes the typewriter is not in horrible shape to begin with and doesn&#8217;t have complicated issues like subtle escapement problems.</p>
  322. <h2>Analysis and Conclusions</h2>
  323. <p>This graph, while it has some obvious variability given some very conservative numbers, will give the beginner at least some idea of not only the time, but the cost associated with buying and self-repairing/restoring a typewriter to the level that a professional shop would. Here I should say that we&#8217;re explicitly not including the costs of any new rubber feet, rollers, or a recovered platen which would potentially add a couple of hundred dollars to the overall base-level costs. Despite the availability of online advice and fora, the beginner often isn&#8217;t aware of the hidden costs of tools, materials, time, knowledge and effort involved to bring their machine close to its original condition. Typically they&#8217;re usually looking for the bare minimum to get a machine working and not to get it working to its peak capabilities the way a professional shop would.</p>
  324. <p>If you&#8217;re a professional writer interested in getting straight to work on a professional level machine, it&#8217;s incredibly easy to see from this chart that you shouldn&#8217;t waste the time, effort, or expense of trying to buy a $20 typewriter (or worse, overspending on a $300 dirty typewriter) to clean up for yourself and your daily work.  It&#8217;s a definite no-brainer to check out your local shop and buy a machine for $400-600. It&#8217;s even a no-brainer if you have to drive several hours to a distant shop to do the same. You could probably even fly and come out ahead. There is certainly a similar calculus if you&#8217;re a first time buyer in the market for a gift for a significant other or even a young child&#8217;s birthday or holiday present. Is it worth the supposed &#8220;savings&#8221; to buy a cheap machine and then spend the time and energy to bring it back to life? You definitely don&#8217;t want a gifted machine in poor shape to become someone else&#8217;s white elephant when they realize it needs some serious repair or cleaning work. Worse might be to spend a few hundred dollars on a machine in mediocre condition and then need to spend another $500-$750 on it at a repair shop to get it into the same condition you could have just paid for $500 upfront.</p>
  325. <p>Further, you&#8217;ll notice that professional typewriter shops are not making a huge profit margin for their time and experience, even at the comparatively much higher levels of paid labor. (Remember we also didn&#8217;t factor in any overhead, retirement funds, health care, insurance, regulatory compliance, etc.)</p>
  326. <p>Now the question becomes a bit harder to answer if you&#8217;re an inveterate tinkerer who wants to have a typewriter or twenty. If you&#8217;ve already got a nice toolchest and some garage space, perhaps the cost of doing your own machines is worth the trouble? Do you have the mechanical chops to begin with? Do you enjoy the research and digging required to puzzle out the repairs and adjustments of your new-to-you typewriter? Is it worth the hobby time as an &#8220;investment&#8221; in yourself and your mental health? Would you be acquiring lots of machines? Or do you just want three? What level of repair work are you willing to add to the mix of your sort of typewriter collection? How sustainable is that level over time and across the number of machines? </p>
  327. <p>Obviously the more machines you collect and repair, the more valuable it becomes to invest in the knowledge, manuals, tools, and materials to do the work. Once you&#8217;re into it at the level of 50 machines with the majority of them in solid repair status, you&#8217;re beginning to hit the levels of a professional repair person. This also presumes that as you&#8217;re progressing, you&#8217;re also spending the time and effort to collect (buy) the uncommon tools of the trade as well as repair manuals to be able to more efficiently do your work. If the fun of repair becomes drudgery and &#8220;work&#8221;, then perhaps it&#8217;s time to invest into your local repair shop&#8217;s future? Doing this can help ensure the ensuing generations can still appreciate and use these machines.</p>
  328. <p>If you&#8217;re both a collector and an active writer, are you properly balancing your priorities of writing and tinkering? Is the tinkering beginning to stand in the way of your productivity as a writer? Are you using the excuse of perfecting small adjustments on your typewriter to actively miss your deadlines?</p>
  329. <p>What about the more expensive Hermes 3000s and Olympia SM3s of the world? In the realm of dirty, used typewriters there are some shining pricing exceptions that will provide even more exceptional value. For the past year or so the popularity and reputation of the Hermes 3000 and the Olympia SM3 have put their prices much higher than a lot of the rest of the market. As a result, an un-serviced Hermes 3000 can start at $250 and the Olympia SM3 can start at $120 even for the experienced collector. (Yes, you can get lucky and find these at garage sales, but that takes additional time and effort which isn&#8217;t included in our cost evaluation chart.) Despite this premium, professional shops are still selling these cleaned, oiled, and adjusted in the range of $500-550. This makes them exceptionally great values from repair shops for budding authors and professional writers. It also makes them larger risks for beginners who may need to spend even more attempting to clean and repair them if they&#8217;ve got significant damage.</p>
  330. <p><img data-attachment-id="55824931" data-permalink="https://boffosocko.com/2024/07/14/aggregated-resources-and-playlist-for-a-crash-course-on-the-olympia-sm3-portable-typewriter/wp-17252954277547095233008355636296/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/wp-17252954277547095233008355636296.jpg?fit=2000%2C1500&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="2000,1500" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;1.8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;SM-S906U&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1725269992&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;5.4&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;20&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.0047&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}" data-image-title="Green 1958 Olympia SM3 typewriter" data-image-description="&lt;p&gt;1958 Olympia SM3 typewriter&lt;/p&gt;
  331. " data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/wp-17252954277547095233008355636296.jpg?fit=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/wp-17252954277547095233008355636296.jpg?fit=660%2C495&amp;ssl=1" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-55824931" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/wp-17252954277547095233008355636296.jpg?resize=660%2C495&#038;ssl=1" alt="A green crinkle painted Olympia SM3 with chrome highlights, green plastic keys, and a greenish-brown space bar sits on a sun dappled table next to a small potted plant. Off to the side are a small notebook, mechanical pencil and green coffee mug creating a very cozy morning atmosphere." width="660" height="495" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/wp-17252954277547095233008355636296.jpg?resize=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1 1024w,  300w,  768w,  750w,  1536w,  2000w,  1320w" sizes="(max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px" data-recalc-dims="1" /></p>
  332. <p>At the end of the day, there&#8217;s a huge gulf between the experience of typing on the dirty typewriter from Joe&#8217;s grandmother&#8217;s attic that you (over) paid $200 for and the clean-as-a-whistle well-adjusted typewriter that you smartly acquired from <a href="https://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/tw-repair.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">an experienced vintage typewriter repair shop</a> for around $500. If you&#8217;re buying a machine for regular writing use, you&#8217;ll know and appreciate the difference. Of course if you just need something as a <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2024/11/30/on-the-value-of-typewriters/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bit of decor</a>, then do what you will and go on about life, but at least you&#8217;ll have a bit of an idea of what you&#8217;re missing out on. If you choose not to miss out, you&#8217;ll have a much better idea of what sort of work you might be in for and what the trade-offs are to get the sort of machine you&#8217;d like to ultimately have.</p>]]></content:encoded>
  334. <wfw:commentRss>https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/23/typewriter-repair-costs-and-valuation-professional-shops-versus-collectors-versus-first-time-buyers/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  335. <slash:comments>9</slash:comments>
  338. <friends:post-format>standard</friends:post-format>
  339. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">55830778</post-id> </item>
  340. <item>
  341. <title></title>
  342. <link>https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/23/happy-international-typewriter-day/</link>
  343. <comments>https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/23/happy-international-typewriter-day/#comments</comments>
  345. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Aldrich]]></dc:creator>
  346. <pubDate>Mon, 23 Jun 2025 07:10:59 +0000</pubDate>
  347. <category><![CDATA[Social Stream]]></category>
  348. <category><![CDATA[Typewriters]]></category>
  349. <category><![CDATA[National Typewriter Day]]></category>
  350. <category><![CDATA[typewriter collecting]]></category>
  351. <category><![CDATA[typewriter day]]></category>
  352. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://boffosocko.com/?p=55830785</guid>
  353.  
  354. <description><![CDATA[
  355. <div>
  356. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/23/happy-international-typewriter-day/"><img title="A segment of standard typewriters." src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_20250506_123256_487-scaled.webp?fit=750%2C638&ssl=1" alt="Two typewriters on a wooden bench in front of a large book case. Surrounding it are 7 more standard typewriters of various makes and models" width="750" height="638" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  357. </div>
  358. Happy International Typewriter Day!  Today commemorates the date in 1868 when Christopher Latham Sholes was granted a patent for the first commercially successful typewriter. What are you doing to celebrate? I&#8217;m writing about the typewriter market to help out beginning collectors.]]></description>
  359. <content:encoded><![CDATA[
  360. <div>
  361. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/23/happy-international-typewriter-day/"><img title="A segment of standard typewriters." src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_20250506_123256_487-scaled.webp?fit=750%2C638&ssl=1" alt="Two typewriters on a wooden bench in front of a large book case. Surrounding it are 7 more standard typewriters of various makes and models" width="750" height="638" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  362. </div>
  363. <p>Happy International Typewriter Day!  Today commemorates the date in 1868 when Christopher Latham Sholes was granted a patent for the first commercially successful typewriter.</p>
  364. <p>What are you doing to celebrate? I&#8217;m writing about the typewriter market to help out beginning collectors.</p>]]></content:encoded>
  366. <wfw:commentRss>https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/23/happy-international-typewriter-day/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  367. <slash:comments>12</slash:comments>
  370. <friends:post-format>status</friends:post-format>
  371. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">55830785</post-id> </item>
  372. <item>
  373. <title></title>
  374. <link>https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/18/1961-royal-fp-standard-typewriter-with-a-special-clarion-gothic-typeface/</link>
  375. <comments>https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/18/1961-royal-fp-standard-typewriter-with-a-special-clarion-gothic-typeface/#comments</comments>
  377. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Aldrich]]></dc:creator>
  378. <pubDate>Wed, 18 Jun 2025 21:03:10 +0000</pubDate>
  379. <category><![CDATA[Acquisition]]></category>
  380. <category><![CDATA[Social Stream]]></category>
  381. <category><![CDATA[Typewriters]]></category>
  382. <category><![CDATA[Clarion Gothic]]></category>
  383. <category><![CDATA[double gothic typefaces]]></category>
  384. <category><![CDATA[Royal FP]]></category>
  385. <category><![CDATA[typewriter collection]]></category>
  386. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://boffosocko.com/?p=55830747</guid>
  387.  
  388. <description><![CDATA[
  389. <div>
  390. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/18/1961-royal-fp-standard-typewriter-with-a-special-clarion-gothic-typeface/"><img title="Oblique view of 1961 Royal FP typewriter" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/wp-17502736872142326042295728162305.jpg?fit=750%2C563&ssl=1" alt="Oblique view onto the right side of a yellow and gray bodied 1961 Royal FP typewriter on a wooden surface" width="750" height="563" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  391. </div>
  392. Acquired in April 2025 from a bank in Idaho Falls. I spent way more on shipping than the pittance I spent on the machine itself. I had modest hopes that purchasing it as an ex-bank machine that it would have a non-standard typeface and my bet paid off. It was all bonus points that it &#8230; <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/18/1961-royal-fp-standard-typewriter-with-a-special-clarion-gothic-typeface/" class="more-link">Continue reading <span class="screen-reader-text"></span></a>]]></description>
  393. <content:encoded><![CDATA[
  394. <section class="response h-product h-cite">
  395. <header>
  396. <span class="kind-display-text">Acquired</span> <a href="https://typewriterdatabase.com/see.25273.typewriter" class="p-name u-url">1961 Royal FP standard typewriter with a special Clarion Gothic typeface</a> <em>(<span class="p-brand">Royal McBee Corporation</span>)</em></header>
  397. <blockquote class="e-summary">Serial number: FPS-16-7133632<br/>
  398. Sandstone (yellow) panels on a gray frame with cream colored plastic keys and platen knobs<br/>
  399. Clarion (Double) Gothic typeface in elite (12CPI), 6 lines/inch; US keyboard with 43 keys/86 characters<br/>
  400. Manufactured in U.S.A.</blockquote></section>
  401.  
  402.  
  403. <div>
  404. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/18/1961-royal-fp-standard-typewriter-with-a-special-clarion-gothic-typeface/"><img title="Oblique view of 1961 Royal FP typewriter" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/wp-17502736872142326042295728162305.jpg?fit=750%2C563&ssl=1" alt="Oblique view onto the right side of a yellow and gray bodied 1961 Royal FP typewriter on a wooden surface" width="750" height="563" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  405. </div>
  406. <p>Acquired in April 2025 from a bank in Idaho Falls. I spent way more on shipping than the pittance I spent on the machine itself. I had modest hopes that purchasing it as an ex-bank machine that it would have a non-standard typeface and my bet paid off. It was all bonus points that it came in the Sandstone colorway.</p>
  407. <p>It doesn&#8217;t have a &#8220;1&#8221; key and the traditional use of the lower case &#8220;L&#8221; as a substitute fails. Here one has to use the uppercase &#8220;I&#8221; to make a 1 to match the rest of the numerals.</p>
  408. <p></p>
  409. <p></p>
  410. <p></p>
  411. <p></p>
  412. <p></p>
  413. <p></p>
  414. <p></p>]]></content:encoded>
  416. <wfw:commentRss>https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/18/1961-royal-fp-standard-typewriter-with-a-special-clarion-gothic-typeface/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  417. <slash:comments>11</slash:comments>
  420. <friends:post-format>status</friends:post-format>
  421. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">55830747</post-id> </item>
  422. <item>
  423. <title></title>
  424. <link>https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/16/the-secret-to-life-is-to-waste-time-in-ways-that-you-like-jerry-seinfeld/</link>
  425. <comments>https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/16/the-secret-to-life-is-to-waste-time-in-ways-that-you-like-jerry-seinfeld/#comments</comments>
  427. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Aldrich]]></dc:creator>
  428. <pubDate>Tue, 17 Jun 2025 06:25:12 +0000</pubDate>
  429. <category><![CDATA[Quotes]]></category>
  430. <category><![CDATA[Social Stream]]></category>
  431. <category><![CDATA[Typewriters]]></category>
  432. <category><![CDATA[Jerry Seinfeld]]></category>
  433. <category><![CDATA[quotes]]></category>
  434. <category><![CDATA[Royal KMG]]></category>
  435. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://boffosocko.com/?p=55830734</guid>
  436.  
  437. <description><![CDATA[
  438. <div>
  439. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/16/the-secret-to-life-is-to-waste-time-in-ways-that-you-like-jerry-seinfeld/"><img title="Wasting time" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/wp-17501368240867726279539336872801.jpg?fit=750%2C563&ssl=1" alt="Grey Royal KMG typewriter carriage with typed quote on a white index card which reads: The secret to life is to waste time i ways that you like. ---Jerry Seinfeld" width="750" height="563" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  440. </div>
  441. ]]></description>
  442. <content:encoded><![CDATA[
  443. <div>
  444. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/16/the-secret-to-life-is-to-waste-time-in-ways-that-you-like-jerry-seinfeld/"><img title="Wasting time" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/wp-17501368240867726279539336872801.jpg?fit=750%2C563&ssl=1" alt="Grey Royal KMG typewriter carriage with typed quote on a white index card which reads: The secret to life is to waste time i ways that you like. ---Jerry Seinfeld" width="750" height="563" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  445. </div>
  446. <p></p>]]></content:encoded>
  448. <wfw:commentRss>https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/16/the-secret-to-life-is-to-waste-time-in-ways-that-you-like-jerry-seinfeld/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  449. <slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
  452. <friends:post-format>image</friends:post-format>
  453. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">55830734</post-id> </item>
  454. <item>
  455. <title>Tom Hanks&#8217; ingenious custom typewriter covers/mats</title>
  456. <link>https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/16/tom-hanks-ingenious-custom-typewriter-covers-mats/</link>
  457. <comments>https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/16/tom-hanks-ingenious-custom-typewriter-covers-mats/#comments</comments>
  459. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Aldrich]]></dc:creator>
  460. <pubDate>Mon, 16 Jun 2025 15:24:05 +0000</pubDate>
  461. <category><![CDATA[Typewriters]]></category>
  462. <category><![CDATA[Tom Hanks]]></category>
  463. <category><![CDATA[typewriter accessories]]></category>
  464. <category><![CDATA[typewriter collecting]]></category>
  465. <category><![CDATA[typewriter covers]]></category>
  466. <category><![CDATA[typewriter display]]></category>
  467. <category><![CDATA[typewriter mats]]></category>
  468. <category><![CDATA[Voss typewriters]]></category>
  469. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://boffosocko.com/?p=55830731</guid>
  470.  
  471. <description><![CDATA[
  472. <div>
  473. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/16/tom-hanks-ingenious-custom-typewriter-covers-mats/"><img title="Tom Hanks&#039; green Voss and cover" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/wp-17500214823265725242460348954590.jpg?fit=750%2C563&ssl=1" alt="A green canvas cover with brown leather trim covers a green metal typewriter on a small wooden desk" width="750" height="563" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  474. </div>
  475. We often see typewriter cases and/or simple typewriter covers and people will post photos of how they display typewriters, but I saw a clever method on Saturday at a local type-in in Southern California. Aaron Therol of Typewriter Connection brought along a signed Voss from Tom Hanks&#8217; collection which included a sturdy green canvas typewriter &#8230; <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/16/tom-hanks-ingenious-custom-typewriter-covers-mats/" class="more-link">Continue reading <span class="screen-reader-text">Tom Hanks&#8217; ingenious custom typewriter covers/mats</span></a>]]></description>
  476. <content:encoded><![CDATA[
  477. <div>
  478. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/16/tom-hanks-ingenious-custom-typewriter-covers-mats/"><img title="Tom Hanks&#039; green Voss and cover" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/wp-17500214823265725242460348954590.jpg?fit=750%2C563&ssl=1" alt="A green canvas cover with brown leather trim covers a green metal typewriter on a small wooden desk" width="750" height="563" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  479. </div>
  480. <p>We often see typewriter cases and/or simple typewriter covers and people will post photos of how they display typewriters, but I saw a clever method on Saturday at a <a href="https://www.printmuseum.org/monthly-calendar/are-you-my-type-typewriter-celebration" target="_blank" rel="noopener">local type-in in Southern California</a>.</p>
  481. <p>Aaron Therol of Typewriter Connection brought along a signed Voss from Tom Hanks&#8217; collection which included a sturdy green canvas typewriter cover with leather edge trim and an embossed leather Playtone logo. The cover included small, strong magnets sewn into the front and back edges which allow it to be physically attached to the front and rear of a typewriter&#8217;s metal body to keep the dust out while it&#8217;s sitting on a shelf in an open room and out of its case.</p>
  482. <p></p>
  483. <p></p>
  484. <p></p>
  485. <p>The cover was customized to the dimensions of the typewriter to cover from the front &#8220;chin&#8221; of the typewriter to the bottom of the back bottom edge. The color of the cover, trim, and materials can obviously be customized to the room and display shelving to highlight one&#8217;s collection and the decor of the room. In the case of this particular example the dark hunter green pairs well with the light metallic green of the Voss&#8217;s body and the dark colored keys.</p>
  486. <p>With such a well-designed cover, one can then take the typewriter down off the shelf and place it on a typing surface and then the cover could double as a typing pad to dampen the sound as well as potentially preventing it from walking across one&#8217;s desk while being used. Given the weight of the piece, I would expect a piece of internal felt was (or could potentially be) sewn into it.</p>
  487. <p>I look forward to seeing what the rest of the typosphere does with this clever method.</p>]]></content:encoded>
  489. <wfw:commentRss>https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/16/tom-hanks-ingenious-custom-typewriter-covers-mats/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  490. <slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
  493. <friends:post-format>standard</friends:post-format>
  494. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">55830731</post-id> </item>
  495. <item>
  496. <title>The Typewriter You Probably Don&#8217;t Want to Buy</title>
  497. <link>https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/09/the-typewriter-you-probably-dont-want-to-buy/</link>
  498. <comments>https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/09/the-typewriter-you-probably-dont-want-to-buy/#comments</comments>
  500. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Aldrich]]></dc:creator>
  501. <pubDate>Mon, 09 Jun 2025 19:08:29 +0000</pubDate>
  502. <category><![CDATA[Typewriters]]></category>
  503. <category><![CDATA[Maplefield typewriter]]></category>
  504. <category><![CDATA[Rover typewriter]]></category>
  505. <category><![CDATA[Royal Classic]]></category>
  506. <category><![CDATA[Royal Epoch]]></category>
  507. <category><![CDATA[Shanghai Weilv Mechanism Company]]></category>
  508. <category><![CDATA[The Oliver Typewriter Company]]></category>
  509. <category><![CDATA[typewriter collecting]]></category>
  510. <category><![CDATA[typewriter recommendations]]></category>
  511. <category><![CDATA[typewriters as decor]]></category>
  512. <category><![CDATA[We R Memory Keepers]]></category>
  513. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://boffosocko.com/?p=55830608</guid>
  514.  
  515. <description><![CDATA[Caveat Emptor One of the biggest of the very few companies still manufacturing typewriters in the new millennium is the Shanghai Weilv Mechanism Company.  Sadly, for the hobbyist space looking to get into typewriters, while these are easy to find online, they are notorious for dreadful quality control, lots of plastic, and poor type  alignment. &#8230; <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/09/the-typewriter-you-probably-dont-want-to-buy/" class="more-link">Continue reading <span class="screen-reader-text">The Typewriter You Probably Don&#8217;t Want to Buy</span></a>]]></description>
  516. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<h2>Caveat Emptor</h2>
  517. <p>One of the biggest of the very few companies still manufacturing typewriters in the new millennium is the <a href="https://chinatypewriter.en.alibaba.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shanghai Weilv Mechanism Company</a>.  Sadly, for the hobbyist space looking to get into typewriters, while these are easy to find online, they are notorious for dreadful quality control, lots of plastic, and poor type  alignment. As a result, they make a terrible investment compared to the far more robust vintage and antique typewriters which were manufactured from the late 1800s into the 1980s.</p>
  518. <p><a href="https://boffosocko.com/research/typewriter-collection/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">If you know nothing about typewriters</a>, but are <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/03/29/first-time-typewriter-purchases-with-specific-recommendations-for-writers/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">looking to purchase one</a> (either for occasional/regular typing or even as a display piece), I couldn&#8217;t recommend them given the fact that there are so many far better machines in the secondary market which are more robust and will last for centuries compared to these poor, plastic machines.</p>
  519. <p>Prior to purchase, you should be aware that many reputable <a href="https://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/tw-repair.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">typewriter repair shops</a> will often refuse to work on or repair them, and most probably wouldn&#8217;t even accept them as donations to be parts machines. Most collectors and typewriter enthusiasts I&#8217;ve encountered will almost universally recommend against purchasing these.</p>
  520. <p><a href="https://davistypewriters.blogspot.com/2013/11/2013-new-model-typewriter.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Will Davis has determined</a> that they&#8217;re based on the Olympia Carina design.</p>
  521. <p>Shanghai Weilv Mechanism Company has licensed the names of some older manufacturers and are making typewriters variously rebadged and sold under the following names:  </p>
  522. <ul>
  523. <li>the <strong>Rover</strong> typewriter</li>
  524. <li>the <strong>Royal Epoch</strong> typewriter (<a href="https://amzn.to/4ksWHOV" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Amazon</a>)</li>
  525. <li><strong>We R Memory Keepers</strong> typewriter (<a href="https://www.michaels.com/product/we-r-memory-keepers-retro-typewriter-vintage-charm-for-crafting-and-more-325134796296585220" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Michaels</a>, <a href="https://www.walmart.com/ip/We-R-Typecast-Typewriter-Pink/914449684" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Walmart</a>, previously at Home Depot)</li>
  526. <li><a href="https://royal.com/product/royal-classic-manual-typewriter/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Royal Classic</strong></a> typewriter (<a href="https://amzn.to/446CFns" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Amazon</a>, <a href="https://www.homedepot.com/p/Royal-Classic-Manual-Typewriter-79104P/310591228" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Home Depot</a>, <a href="https://www.walmart.com/ip/Royal-Classic-Manual-Metal-Typewriter-Machine-with-Storage-Case-Mint/351287191" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Walmart</a>, <a href="https://www.target.com/p/royal-consumer-classic-retro-manual-typewriter-purple/-/A-90465969" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Target</a>)</li>
  527. <li><strong>Maplefield</strong> typewriter (<a href="https://amzn.to/3ZpAo4e" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Amazon</a>, <a href="https://www.target.com/p/maplefield-manual-typewriter-cute-desk-decor-for-home-and-office-easy-setup-great-gift-for-writers-and-authors-red/-/A-93017944" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Target</a>, and previously Walmart, Michaels)</li>
  528. <li><strong>The Oliver Typewriter Company</strong> typewriter (<a href="https://www.homedepot.com/p/The-Oliver-Typewriter-Company-Timeless-Manual-Typewriter-in-Black-OTTE-1633/330062138" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Home Depot</a>, <a href="https://www.target.com/p/the-oliver-typewriter-company-timeless-manual-typewriter/-/A-90126521" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Target</a>, <a href="https://www.walmart.com/ip/The-Oliver-Typewriter-Company-Timeless-Manual-Typewriter-Black-OTTE-1633/5010584957" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Walmart</a>)</li>
  529. </ul>
  530. <p>Generally, the internals of all these machines are identical with the biggest differences being the external shell styling and the colors in which they&#8217;re offered. Typically they sell in the range of $200-300 and given the ubiquity of the number $259, I would guess this is the manufacturer&#8217;s suggested retail price.</p>
  531. <h2>Reviews</h2>
  532. <p>In case you don&#8217;t want to trust my individual opinion recommending against these, you might appreciate some specific reviews from others: </p>
  533. <p>Dr. Richard Polt, long time typewriter collector, former editor of <a href="https://etconline.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>ETCetera</em></a>, the Journal of the Typewriter Collector&#8217;s Association, maintainer of <a href="https://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Classic Typewriter Page</a>, and author of <em>The Typewriter Revolution</em> (Countryman Press, 2015): <a href="https://writingball.blogspot.com/2017/03/typewriter-review-royal-epoch.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Typewriter review: Royal Epoch</a></p>
  534. <p>Lucas Dul, a typewriter repairman from Typewriter Chicago, reviewed a 2023 Rover:</p>
  535. <div class="jetpack-video-wrapper"><iframe loading="lazy" title="The 2023 Rover Typewriter: Worst Machine Ever?" width="660" height="371" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LeS5ovRxrsY?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
  536. <p>I&#8217;ve also collected some links which talk about some of the models: </p>
  537. <ul>
  538. <li>Royal Classic: <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1i5tgpz/royal_classic/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">
  539. <li>Royal Classic: <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1hnsfhn/i_bought_some_trash_off_amazon/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">
  540. <li>Quality control problems: <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1hmh1qx/casual_observer_first_time_owner/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">
  541. <li>Quality control problems with typebars: <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1k9ia5b/keys_falling_out/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">
  542. <li>Royal Classic regret: <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1ktm3fk/typewriter_regret/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">
  543. <li>Royal Epoch roast: <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/ol6x3o/in_todays_episode_of_roasting_typewriters_this/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">
  544. </ul>
  545. <h2>If you really must&#8230;</h2>
  546. <p>Hopefully some of the data here has helped your decision for a well-informed purchase. You might notice that in online reviews, most of the people who purchase these machines and give them high marks seem to value them as decor and for their aesthetic. While this may be great, you could still get older vintage machines in a broader variety of looks for a fraction of the price.</p>
  547. <p>Naturally, some will still want to buy one or more of these machines anyway. If you must do it, I would recommend that you can find gently used versions of these machines, often in their original boxes, at auction sites like <a href="http://shopgoodwill.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow ugc">ShopGoodwill.com</a> for $5-15 several times a week. </p>]]></content:encoded>
  549. <wfw:commentRss>https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/09/the-typewriter-you-probably-dont-want-to-buy/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  550. <slash:comments>5</slash:comments>
  553. <friends:post-format>standard</friends:post-format>
  554. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">55830608</post-id> </item>
  555. <item>
  556. <title>Vintage Typewriters Take Center Stage at Type-In Celebration in Pasadena</title>
  557. <link>https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/07/vintage-typewriters-take-center-stage-at-type-in-celebration-in-pasadena/</link>
  558. <comments>https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/07/vintage-typewriters-take-center-stage-at-type-in-celebration-in-pasadena/#comments</comments>
  560. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Aldrich]]></dc:creator>
  561. <pubDate>Sat, 07 Jun 2025 20:59:27 +0000</pubDate>
  562. <category><![CDATA[Like]]></category>
  563. <category><![CDATA[Read]]></category>
  564. <category><![CDATA[Typewriters]]></category>
  565. <category><![CDATA[personal publicity]]></category>
  566. <category><![CDATA[type-ins]]></category>
  567. <category><![CDATA[Vroman's Bookstore]]></category>
  568. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://boffosocko.com/?p=55830600</guid>
  569.  
  570. <description><![CDATA[
  571. <div>
  572. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/07/vintage-typewriters-take-center-stage-at-type-in-celebration-in-pasadena/"><img title="Type-in at Vroman&#039;s Bookstore" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/wp-17469883169984734863935740430087.jpg?fit=750%2C563&ssl=1" alt="Approximately a dozen people sitting at 8 foot folding tables typing on typewriters at a Type-In on the second floor at Vroman&#039;s Bookstore" width="750" height="563" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  573. </div>
  574. The local newspaper covered our recent type-in at Vroman&#8217;s Bookstore.  I hear that we made the cover of the monthly print edition.]]></description>
  575. <content:encoded><![CDATA[
  576. <section class="response u-read-of u-bookmark-of h-cite">
  577. <header>
  578. <span class="kind-display-text">Read</span> <a href="https://www.coloradoboulevard.net/vintage-typewriters-take-center-stage-at-type-in-celebration-in-pasadena/" class="p-name u-url">Vintage Typewriters Take Center Stage at Type-In Celebration in Pasadena</a> by <span class="h-card p-author">John Boucher</span> <em>(<span class="p-publication">ColoradoBoulevard.net</span>)</em></header>
  579. <blockquote class="e-summary">A nostalgic celebration of analog creativity brought together writers, artists, and creatives from all walks of life Saturday, May 10, at Vroman’s Bookstore in Pasadena.
  580. </blockquote></section>
  581.  
  582.  
  583. <div>
  584. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/07/vintage-typewriters-take-center-stage-at-type-in-celebration-in-pasadena/"><img title="Type-in at Vroman&#039;s Bookstore" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/wp-17469883169984734863935740430087.jpg?fit=750%2C563&ssl=1" alt="Approximately a dozen people sitting at 8 foot folding tables typing on typewriters at a Type-In on the second floor at Vroman&#039;s Bookstore" width="750" height="563" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  585. </div>
  586. <p>The local newspaper covered our <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/03/25/youre-invited-to-a-southern-california-type-in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recent type-in at Vroman&#8217;s Bookstore</a>.  I hear that we made the cover of the monthly print edition.</p>]]></content:encoded>
  588. <wfw:commentRss>https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/07/vintage-typewriters-take-center-stage-at-type-in-celebration-in-pasadena/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  589. <slash:comments>3</slash:comments>
  592. <friends:post-format>link</friends:post-format>
  593. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">55830600</post-id> </item>
  594. <item>
  595. <title>Typewriter Use and Typewriter Maintenance for Beginning to Intermediate Typists</title>
  596. <link>https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/06/typewriter-use-and-maintenance-for-beginning-to-intermediate-typists/</link>
  597. <comments>https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/06/typewriter-use-and-maintenance-for-beginning-to-intermediate-typists/#comments</comments>
  599. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Aldrich]]></dc:creator>
  600. <pubDate>Sat, 07 Jun 2025 06:00:31 +0000</pubDate>
  601. <category><![CDATA[Typewriters]]></category>
  602. <category><![CDATA[15494]]></category>
  603. <category><![CDATA[advanced typing]]></category>
  604. <category><![CDATA[beginning typing]]></category>
  605. <category><![CDATA[typewriter collecting]]></category>
  606. <category><![CDATA[typewriter maintenance]]></category>
  607. <category><![CDATA[typing classes]]></category>
  608. <category><![CDATA[typing technique]]></category>
  609. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://boffosocko.com/?p=55830588</guid>
  610.  
  611. <description><![CDATA[
  612. <div>
  613. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/06/typewriter-use-and-maintenance-for-beginning-to-intermediate-typists/"><img title="Analog office battlestation" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/wp-1748027425747842991735034840993.jpg?fit=750%2C563&ssl=1" alt="Analog office set up featuring a stick leg metal desk, a Royal KMG typewriter, a few card index filing cabinets, a typing copy stand, and a paper supply organizer." width="750" height="563" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  614. </div>
  615. Two common questions I hear from those just starting out into the typewriter space are frequently about the basics: How do I use a typewriter? How to take care of typewriters or do basic maintenance? Naturally there is a ton of colloquial advice you&#8217;ll receive on these topics from social media and YouTube, but it&#8217;s &#8230; <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/06/typewriter-use-and-maintenance-for-beginning-to-intermediate-typists/" class="more-link">Continue reading <span class="screen-reader-text">Typewriter Use and Typewriter Maintenance for Beginning to Intermediate Typists</span></a>]]></description>
  616. <content:encoded><![CDATA[
  617. <div>
  618. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/06/typewriter-use-and-maintenance-for-beginning-to-intermediate-typists/"><img title="Analog office battlestation" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/wp-1748027425747842991735034840993.jpg?fit=750%2C563&ssl=1" alt="Analog office set up featuring a stick leg metal desk, a Royal KMG typewriter, a few card index filing cabinets, a typing copy stand, and a paper supply organizer." width="750" height="563" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  619. </div>
  620. <p>Two common questions I hear from those just starting out into the typewriter space are frequently about the basics:</p>
  621. <ul>
  622. <li>How do I use a typewriter?</li>
  623. <li>How to take care of typewriters or do basic maintenance?</li>
  624. </ul>
  625. <p>Naturally there is a ton of colloquial advice you&#8217;ll receive on these topics from social media and YouTube, but it&#8217;s uneven and not very complete.  If you&#8217;ve just bought your first typewriter, you&#8217;re looking for a quick crash course in how to do the basics so you can start punching the keys, but still take care of your machine. With any luck, the resources on this page will get you up and running with your typewriter in no time at all. </p>
  626. <p style="padding-left: 40px;">Editor&#8217;s note: In an upcoming article, I&#8217;ll cover the basics for how to find/purchase and install typewriter ribbon in a variety of machines. In the erstwhile, know that <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBbsNKaVAB0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tom Hanks can teach you the basics</a> or you can search YouTube for your make and/or model to see how others have done this or <a href="https://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/tw-manuals.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">consult the manual for your machine</a> if it&#8217;s available.</p>
  627. <p>At the start of World War II, typewriter manufacturers quit making them to focus on war efforts as well as to save precious steel for the war.  As a fortunate result of this, being able to use and maintain them became a way to show one&#8217;s patriotism for the general effort and the United States Navy was there to help. Thus the Navy made several short films about the basics of typewriter use and maintenance. Though made in 1942 and 1943, these films cover a lot of the basics incredibly well and even extend to later typewriters made into the 1980s, so some of the best advice can be quickly found and consumed in under an hour.</p>
  628. <p>Lots of this advice could or would have been learned in a high school or college-based typing class or in secretarial schools from the mid-century onwards. Sadly a lot of it is now missing from basic keyboarding courses which place all of their focus and practice on touch typing. </p>
  629. <p>Below, I&#8217;ve compiled may of the most useful films I could find online for the basics of typing, typing methods, typing techniques and even some advanced methods when using manual typewriters. It&#8217;s likely that even the most advanced typists will be shocked and amazed by these films and learn something from watching them.</p>
  630. <h2>United States Navy Training Films</h2>
  631. <h3>Basic Typing</h3>
  632. <p><em>Basic Typing: Methods</em>. Vol. MN-1512a. United States Navy Training Film, 1943. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztyzGit1dTI" target="_blank" rel="noopener">
  633. <div class="jetpack-video-wrapper"><iframe loading="lazy" title="BASIC TYPEWRITER HISTORY, TYPING METHODS &amp; POSTURE  1940s MOVIE 49344" width="660" height="371" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ztyzGit1dTI?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
  634. <p><em>Basic Typing: Machine Operation</em>. Vol. MN-1512b. United States Navy Training Film, 1943. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-REJEArnjE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">
  635. <div class="jetpack-video-wrapper"><iframe loading="lazy" title="World War II Training Film #501: Office, Basic typingmachine operation" width="660" height="371" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/b-REJEArnjE?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
  636. <h3>Advanced Typing</h3>
  637. <p><em>Advanced Typing: Shortcuts</em>. Vol. MN-1512c. United States Navy Training Film, 1943. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUJfCfqgsX0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">
  638. <div class="jetpack-video-wrapper"><iframe loading="lazy" title="Advanced Typing - Shortcuts (1943)" width="660" height="495" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JUJfCfqgsX0?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
  639. <p><em>Advanced Typing: Duplicating and Manuscript</em>. Vol. MN-1512d. United States Navy Training Film, 1943. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ve5JnTUzvo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">
  640. <div class="jetpack-video-wrapper"><iframe loading="lazy" title="U.S. NAVY ADVANCED TYPING  DUPLICATING AND MANUSCRIPT  TYPEWRITER INSTRUCTIONAL FILM 58184" width="660" height="371" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7ve5JnTUzvo?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
  641. <h3>Typewriter Maintenance</h3>
  642. <p><em>Maintenance Of Office Machines</em>. Vol. MN-1513. United States Navy Training Film, 1943. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocdxgkxKAKo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">
  643. <div class="jetpack-video-wrapper"><iframe loading="lazy" title="Maintenance Of Office Machines (1943)" width="660" height="495" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ocdxgkxKAKo?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
  644. <h2>Miscellaneous Training Films</h2>
  645. <p>Beyond these examples, several manufacturers and entities made instructional and industrial films and even sales films covering some typewriter basics over the years.  Some may be machine specific, but their advice is applicable not only to those machines, but a broad array of many others which are all incredibly similar with respect to functionality. For machines that differ from the norm, you can often <a href="https://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/tw-manuals.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">compare your particular machine and its manual to various others which are available online</a>.  </p>
  646. <p>Content warning: Some of these films from the mid-century have outdated gender roles.</p>
  647. <p><em>Elementary Typing</em>. 16 mm, Instructional film. Moreland-Latchford Productions, Ltd.; Periscope Film, <a rel="tag" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://boffosocko.com/tag/15494/">#15494</a>, 1968. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cdyoPu_ASw" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">
  648. <div class="jetpack-video-wrapper"><iframe loading="lazy" title="ELEMENTARY TYPING   1970s CLASSROOM TEACHING FILM   UNDERWOOD TYPEMASTER MANUAL TYPEWRITER  15494" width="660" height="371" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7cdyoPu_ASw?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
  649. <p><i>The Secretary: Transcribing</i>. 16 mm, Instructional film. Coronet Instructional Films, 1955. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7wAJki9ec4">
  650. <div class="jetpack-video-wrapper"><iframe loading="lazy" title="The Secretary: Transcribing (1955)" width="660" height="371" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/L7wAJki9ec4?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
  651. <p><i>The Secretary: Transcribing (Second Edition)</i>. 16 mm, Instructional film. Coronet Instructional Films, 1966. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rYHNg3pM34">
  652. <div class="jetpack-video-wrapper"><iframe loading="lazy" title="&quot; TRANSCRIBING &quot;  1966 SECRETARY / OFFICE TRAINING FILM   IBM SELECTRIC TYPEWRITER XD72114b" width="660" height="371" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4rYHNg3pM34?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
  653. <p><i>Correcting Bad Typing Habits with the Smith-Corona Electric Typewriter</i>. 16 mm, Industrial film. Periscope Film, c. 1952. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mQszbUhE30">
  654. <div class="jetpack-video-wrapper"><iframe loading="lazy" title="CORRECTING BAD TYPING HABITS WITH THE SMITH CORONA ELECTRIC TYPEWRITER 63024" width="660" height="371" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9mQszbUhE30?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
  655. <p><i>Typing Skills: Fields of Typing</i>. 16 mm, Instructional film. Periscope Film, 1972. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvF0atKsggY">
  656. <div class="jetpack-video-wrapper"><iframe loading="lazy" title="&quot; TYPING SKILLS/ FIELDS OF TYPING &quot; 1972 TYPEWRITER BASED CAREERS EDUCATIONAL FILM  (Color) XD72104" width="660" height="371" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LvF0atKsggY?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
  657. <p><em>Office Etiquette</em>. 16 mm, Industrial. EBF Human Relations Film produced by Encyclopedia Britannica Films Inc. in collaboration with Hamden L. Forkner, Ph.D., Teachers College, Columbia University, 1950. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLF1STKnBTU" target="_blank" rel="noopener">
  658. <div class="jetpack-video-wrapper"><iframe loading="lazy" title="Office Etiquette (1950)" width="660" height="495" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SLF1STKnBTU?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
  659. <p><i>Successful Secretary Presented by Royal Office Typewriters</i>. A Thomas Craven Film Corporation Production, 1966. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=If5b2FiDaLk">
  660. <div class="jetpack-video-wrapper"><iframe loading="lazy" title="1966 ROYAL 660 OFFICE ELECTRIC TYPEWRITER  PROMO / SALES FILM  &quot; SUCCESSFUL SECRETARY &quot;  62264" width="660" height="371" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/If5b2FiDaLk?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
  661. <h2>Additional Basics</h2>
  662. <p>Of course if you need some additional basics, which aren&#8217;t included in some of these, you should know:</p>
  663. <p>Early typewriters conserving on the number of keys and what they were able to type relied on the operator knowing that different characters could be double purposed or superimposed to create new characters. These included:</p>
  664. <ul>
  665. <li>Using either the lower case &#8220;L&#8221; key or, less frequently for custom typefaces, the &#8220;I&#8221; key to type the number &#8220;1&#8221; which was often excluded from the keyboard.</li>
  666. <li>To make an exclamation point, you would type period &#8220;.&#8221; followed by a backspace and then an apostrophe &#8221; &#8216; &#8220;. </li>
  667. </ul>
  668. <p><small><em>Editor&#8217;s Note: This is one of a <a href="https://boffosocko.com/research/typewriter-collection/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">continuing series of articles on typewriters and their use in 19th and 20 century settings</a>. You can find additional information on that page.</em></small></p>]]></content:encoded>
  670. <wfw:commentRss>https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/06/typewriter-use-and-maintenance-for-beginning-to-intermediate-typists/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  671. <slash:comments>8</slash:comments>
  674. <friends:post-format>standard</friends:post-format>
  675. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">55830588</post-id> </item>
  676. <item>
  677. <title>Why Another Typewriter?</title>
  678. <link>https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/02/why-another-typewriter/</link>
  679. <comments>https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/02/why-another-typewriter/#comments</comments>
  681. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Aldrich]]></dc:creator>
  682. <pubDate>Tue, 03 Jun 2025 04:53:43 +0000</pubDate>
  683. <category><![CDATA[Typewriters]]></category>
  684. <category><![CDATA[hobbies]]></category>
  685. <category><![CDATA[identity]]></category>
  686. <category><![CDATA[open questions]]></category>
  687. <category><![CDATA[typewriter collecting]]></category>
  688. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://boffosocko.com/?p=55830579</guid>
  689.  
  690. <description><![CDATA[
  691. <div>
  692. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/02/why-another-typewriter/"><img title="Portable typewriter storage and display" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/wp-17489257896617863736105902402221.jpg?fit=563%2C750&ssl=1" alt="A wire shelving unit on wheels with a variety of 20 typewriters on it. There are four standards and a variety of other portables in a panoply of cases. It sits in a driveway in front of a cinderblock wall." width="563" height="750" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  693. </div>
  694. Recently Paulo philosophically asked me, a typewriter collector, &#8220;Why another typewriter? I haven&#8217;t been able to find an answer yet.&#8221; (My attempt at a translation/synopsis from his Portuguese.) In addition to answers from the collector&#8217;s perspective, bonus points for answers that are also directed to answering this question which comes from your significant other who &#8230; <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/02/why-another-typewriter/" class="more-link">Continue reading <span class="screen-reader-text">Why <em>Another</em> Typewriter?</span></a>]]></description>
  695. <content:encoded><![CDATA[
  696. <div>
  697. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/02/why-another-typewriter/"><img title="Portable typewriter storage and display" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/wp-17489257896617863736105902402221.jpg?fit=563%2C750&ssl=1" alt="A wire shelving unit on wheels with a variety of 20 typewriters on it. There are four standards and a variety of other portables in a panoply of cases. It sits in a driveway in front of a cinderblock wall." width="563" height="750" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  698. </div>
  699. <p>Recently <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/03/27/1951-remington-super-riter-standard-typewriter/#comment-494134" target="_blank" rel="u-in-reply-to noopener">Paulo philosophically asked me</a>, a typewriter collector, &#8220;Why another typewriter? I haven&#8217;t been able to find an answer yet.&#8221; (My attempt at a translation/synopsis from his Portuguese.)</p>
  700. <p>In addition to answers from the collector&#8217;s perspective, bonus points for answers that are also directed to answering this question which comes from your significant other who doesn&#8217;t understand your obsession. (I&#8217;m also posing this on the day that I&#8217;ve sadly chosen for family sanity to move 20 machines from the house out of immediate sight into the garage. &#x1f614;)</p>
  701. <p></p>]]></content:encoded>
  703. <wfw:commentRss>https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/02/why-another-typewriter/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  704. <slash:comments>23</slash:comments>
  707. <friends:post-format>standard</friends:post-format>
  708. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">55830579</post-id> </item>
  709. <item>
  710. <title>Restored 1951 Remington Super-Riter Standard Typewriter</title>
  711. <link>https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/01/restored-1951-remington-super-riter-standard-typewriter/</link>
  712. <comments>https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/01/restored-1951-remington-super-riter-standard-typewriter/#comments</comments>
  714. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Aldrich]]></dc:creator>
  715. <pubDate>Sun, 01 Jun 2025 23:16:11 +0000</pubDate>
  716. <category><![CDATA[Typewriters]]></category>
  717. <category><![CDATA[Fold-A-Matic]]></category>
  718. <category><![CDATA[Keyboard Margin Control (KMC)]]></category>
  719. <category><![CDATA[Remington Super-Riter]]></category>
  720. <category><![CDATA[typewriter collection]]></category>
  721. <category><![CDATA[typewriter restoration]]></category>
  722. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://boffosocko.com/?p=55830547</guid>
  723.  
  724. <description><![CDATA[
  725. <div>
  726. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/01/restored-1951-remington-super-riter-standard-typewriter/"><img title="951 Remington Super-Riter standard typewriter" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/wp-1748803288512846151144082383822.jpg?fit=750%2C563&ssl=1" alt="Angle down on a 1951 Remington Super-Riter standard typewriter in a military green crinkle paint with green plastic keys. It sits on a round wooden bistro table in a porch setting." width="750" height="563" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  727. </div>
  728. Earlier this week I started stripping down my recently acquired 1951 Remington Super-Riter typewriter. The machine&#8217;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. Features of the Remington Super-Riter A nearby manual for the Super-Riter can be found in the &#8230; <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/01/restored-1951-remington-super-riter-standard-typewriter/" class="more-link">Continue reading <span class="screen-reader-text">Restored 1951 Remington Super-Riter Standard Typewriter</span></a>]]></description>
  729. <content:encoded><![CDATA[
  730. <div>
  731. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/01/restored-1951-remington-super-riter-standard-typewriter/"><img title="951 Remington Super-Riter standard typewriter" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/wp-1748803288512846151144082383822.jpg?fit=750%2C563&ssl=1" alt="Angle down on a 1951 Remington Super-Riter standard typewriter in a military green crinkle paint with green plastic keys. It sits on a round wooden bistro table in a porch setting." width="750" height="563" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  732. </div>
  733. <p>Earlier this week I started stripping down my <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/03/27/1951-remington-super-riter-standard-typewriter/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recently acquired 1951 Remington Super-Riter typewriter</a>. The machine&#8217;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.</p>
  734. <h2>Features of the Remington Super-Riter</h2>
  735. <p>A nearby manual for the Super-Riter can be found in the one <a href="https://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/RemingtonSuper-Riter.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Richard Polt lists as a Super-Riter, but which seems to be for the slightly later Remington Standard</a>.</p>
  736. <p>This machine, which weighs in at a solid 33.7 pounds, provides a similar Keyboard Margin Control (KMC) functionality which it&#8217;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&#8217;s Magic Margins similar feature which is much easier to accidentally activate and subsequently mess up your carefully set margins.</p>
  737. <p>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&#8217;s hands off the keyboard to effectuate.</p>
  738. <p>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.</p>
  739. <p>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&#8217;re (relatively) easy to remove for cleaning.</p>
  740. <p>The platen is easily removeable and potentially replaceable by pulling a small lever on the front of each side of the typewriter. </p>
  741. <p>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.)</p>
  742. <h2>Restoration</h2>
  743. <p>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&#8217;m very tempted to use this as a candidate for either stripping and repainting or potentially a plating process (nickel seems fun here perhaps).</p>
  744. <p>This is my second Remington standard with the <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2024/12/06/using-the-fold-a-matic-feature-of-the-remington-standard-to-clean-oil-and-adjust/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fold-A-Matic feature</a>, 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.</p>
  745. <p>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&#8217;s age, but will certainly see recovering once the exterior is stripped and restored.</p>
  746. <p>One set of pieces which didn&#8217;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.</p>
  747. <p>You&#8217;ll find <a class="u-reply-to" href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/05/27/game-name-that-naked-typewriter-2/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a &#8220;naked&#8221; photo of the typewriter during restoration here</a>.</p>
  748. <h2>Ribbon and Typeface</h2>
  749. <p>I&#8217;ve replaced the old, dried out ribbon with 1/2 inch blue and green bichrome from <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2024/11/08/fine-line-ribbon-for-your-typewriter-ribbon-needs/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fine Line</a>. The typeface, based on the <a href="https://typecast.munk.org/2011/04/25/1964-nomda-blue-book-remington-font-styles/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">1964 NOMDA Blue Book</a>, seems to be Remington&#8217;s 534-10 pitch.</p>
  750. <p></p>
  751. <h2>Photos</h2>
  752. <p></p>
  753. <p></p>
  754. <p></p>
  755. <p></p>
  756. <p></p>
  757. <p></p>
  758. <p></p>
  759. <p></p>
  760. <p></p>
  761. <p></p>
  762. <p></p>
  763. <p></p>
  764. <p></p>
  765. <p></p>
  766. <p></p>]]></content:encoded>
  768. <wfw:commentRss>https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/01/restored-1951-remington-super-riter-standard-typewriter/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  769. <slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
  772. <friends:post-format>standard</friends:post-format>
  773. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">55830547</post-id> </item>
  774. <item>
  775. <title>Game: Name that naked typewriter</title>
  776. <link>https://boffosocko.com/2025/05/27/game-name-that-naked-typewriter-2/</link>
  777. <comments>https://boffosocko.com/2025/05/27/game-name-that-naked-typewriter-2/#comments</comments>
  779. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Aldrich]]></dc:creator>
  780. <pubDate>Tue, 27 May 2025 18:35:35 +0000</pubDate>
  781. <category><![CDATA[Social Stream]]></category>
  782. <category><![CDATA[Typewriters]]></category>
  783. <category><![CDATA[naked typewriters]]></category>
  784. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://boffosocko.com/?p=55830479</guid>
  785.  
  786. <description><![CDATA[
  787. <div>
  788. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/05/27/game-name-that-naked-typewriter-2/"><img title="naked typewriter game" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/wp-17483690603326168080712642731266.jpg?fit=750%2C563&ssl=1" alt="A typewriter stripped down with all the exterior panels, keys, and identifying portions removed. We only see the internal mechanical portions remaining." width="750" height="563" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  789. </div>
  790. Just for fun, let&#8217;s see who can come closest to a make, model and year for this lovely typewriter I&#8217;ve got on the bench this week for restoration. Please, no more than two guesses per player.  Answer to be posted Friday.]]></description>
  791. <content:encoded><![CDATA[
  792. <div>
  793. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/05/27/game-name-that-naked-typewriter-2/"><img title="naked typewriter game" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/wp-17483690603326168080712642731266.jpg?fit=750%2C563&ssl=1" alt="A typewriter stripped down with all the exterior panels, keys, and identifying portions removed. We only see the internal mechanical portions remaining." width="750" height="563" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  794. </div>
  795. <p>Just for fun, let&#8217;s see who can come closest to a make, model and year for this lovely typewriter I&#8217;ve got on the bench this week for restoration.</p>
  796. <p>Please, no more than two guesses per player.  Answer to be posted Friday.</p>
  797. <p></p>]]></content:encoded>
  799. <wfw:commentRss>https://boffosocko.com/2025/05/27/game-name-that-naked-typewriter-2/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  800. <slash:comments>13</slash:comments>
  803. <friends:post-format>standard</friends:post-format>
  804. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">55830479</post-id> </item>
  805. <item>
  806. <title>The Rules for Typewriter Club</title>
  807. <link>https://boffosocko.com/2025/05/24/the-rules-for-typewriter-club/</link>
  808. <comments>https://boffosocko.com/2025/05/24/the-rules-for-typewriter-club/#comments</comments>
  810. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Aldrich]]></dc:creator>
  811. <pubDate>Sat, 24 May 2025 22:24:47 +0000</pubDate>
  812. <category><![CDATA[Typewriters]]></category>
  813. <category><![CDATA[Typewriter Club]]></category>
  814. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://boffosocko.com/?p=55830441</guid>
  815.  
  816. <description><![CDATA[
  817. <div>
  818. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/05/24/the-rules-for-typewriter-club/"><img title="1948 vs 1949 Royal Quiet De Luxe Show down" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/wp-17190184968822617902019021780145.jpg?fit=750%2C563&ssl=1" alt="Two Royal Quiet De Luxe typewriters sitting on top of a library card catalog at angles to each other. One on the left is black with grey trim while the other is gray with chrome trim." width="750" height="563" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  819. </div>
  820. &#160; The first rule of Typewriter club is do not oil the segment. The second rule of Typewriter club is DO NOT OIL THE SEGMENT. Do not ask the value of a typewriter. They are all invaluable. The only rare typewriter is a an unloved typewriter. Always talk about typewriter club. Every chance you get. &#8230; <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/05/24/the-rules-for-typewriter-club/" class="more-link">Continue reading <span class="screen-reader-text">The Rules for Typewriter Club</span></a>]]></description>
  821. <content:encoded><![CDATA[
  822. <div>
  823. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/05/24/the-rules-for-typewriter-club/"><img title="1948 vs 1949 Royal Quiet De Luxe Show down" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/wp-17190184968822617902019021780145.jpg?fit=750%2C563&ssl=1" alt="Two Royal Quiet De Luxe typewriters sitting on top of a library card catalog at angles to each other. One on the left is black with grey trim while the other is gray with chrome trim." width="750" height="563" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  824. </div>
  825. <p></p>
  826. <p></p>
  827. <p>&nbsp;</p>
  828. <p>The first rule of Typewriter club is do not oil the segment.</p>
  829. <p>The second rule of Typewriter club is DO NOT OIL THE SEGMENT.</p>
  830. <p>Do not ask the <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2024/11/30/on-the-value-of-typewriters/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">value of a typewriter</a>. They are all invaluable.</p>
  831. <p>The only rare typewriter is a an unloved typewriter.</p>
  832. <p>Always talk about typewriter club. Every chance you get. To family, friends, acquaintances, complete strangers…</p>
  833. <p>If you&#8217;re new to typewriter club, you have to type.</p>
  834. <p>Any reason is a good reason to buy and use a typewriter.</p>
  835. <p>If you have only one typewriter, you must refer to it as &#8220;my FIRST typewriter&#8221;.</p>
  836. <p>More than one machine is allowed to be your &#8220;favorite&#8221;.</p>
  837. <p>The last typewriter you bought is the greatest one. Until the next one.</p>
  838. <p>Never leave a typewriter outside, in a barn, or in a damp basement to rust.</p>
  839. <p>Typewriters are to type with. While they can be used as mood-setting decor, they are meant to be used.</p>
  840. <p>Always leave a typewriter in better condition than you found it.</p>
  841. <p>&#8220;The hardest part of typewriter repair is believing you can do it. Everything else is just instructions plus a careful, thoughtful hand.&#8221; —Rt. Rev. Theodore Munk</p>
  842. <p>A typewriter is not broken unless it is clean and broken.</p>
  843. <p>We form things; we do not &#8220;bend&#8221; them.</p>
  844. <p>Parts of a typewriter should only be removed permanently in order to repair another typewriter.</p>
  845. <p>If you see a typewriter, you should take photos and upload the details to the <a href="https://typewriterdatabase.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Typewriter Database</a> for other typewriter lovers.</p>
  846. <p>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 &#8220;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.&#8221;</p>
  847. <p>If anyone asks you about your typewriter, you must spend at least five minutes talking to them about it.</p>
  848. <p>Blessed are those who give typewriters to children for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.</p>
  849. <p>Trustworthy and legitimate typewriter sellers never use the phrases &#8220;it works&#8221; or &#8220;it just needs a new ribbon.&#8221;</p>
  850. <p>Remember that typewriters are dangerous. They can be used for samizdat. As Woody Guthrie knew: &#8220;This machine kills fascists.&#8221;</p>
  851. <p>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.</p>
  852. <p>Keychoppers shall have the extremities they used to chop keys chopped off.</p>
  853. <p>&#8220;In death, they have a name.&#8221; Lenore Fenton. Lenore Fenton. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2024/10/24/learning-typewriter-maintenance-and-repair/#United%20States%20Navy%20Training%20Films" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lenore Fenton</a>!</p>
  854. <hr />
  855. <p>Special thanks to the <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1ktb7ty/what_are_the_rules_of_typewriter_club/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Typewriter Club friends</a> at <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/new/">r/typewriters</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
  857. <wfw:commentRss>https://boffosocko.com/2025/05/24/the-rules-for-typewriter-club/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  858. <slash:comments>15</slash:comments>
  861. <friends:post-format>standard</friends:post-format>
  862. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">55830441</post-id> </item>
  863. <item>
  864. <title></title>
  865. <link>https://boffosocko.com/2025/05/23/typewriter-pairing-royal-quiet-de-luxe-and-aberlour-scotch/</link>
  866. <comments>https://boffosocko.com/2025/05/23/typewriter-pairing-royal-quiet-de-luxe-and-aberlour-scotch/#comments</comments>
  868. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Aldrich]]></dc:creator>
  869. <pubDate>Sat, 24 May 2025 05:13:36 +0000</pubDate>
  870. <category><![CDATA[Drink]]></category>
  871. <category><![CDATA[Photo]]></category>
  872. <category><![CDATA[Social Stream]]></category>
  873. <category><![CDATA[Typewriters]]></category>
  874. <category><![CDATA[Aberlour Scotch]]></category>
  875. <category><![CDATA[Royal Quiet De Luxe]]></category>
  876. <category><![CDATA[typewriter pairings]]></category>
  877. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://boffosocko.com/?p=55830389</guid>
  878.  
  879. <description><![CDATA[
  880. <div>
  881. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/05/23/typewriter-pairing-royal-quiet-de-luxe-and-aberlour-scotch/"><img title="wp-17480544901547434514805643779102" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/wp-17480544901547434514805643779102.jpg?fit=750%2C477&ssl=1" alt="Typed index card in blue ink which reads 2025-05-23 Tonight&#039;s typewriter pairing is a 1949 Royal Quiet De Luxe and a shot of Aberlour Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky (12 years old). Both are solid classics with strength. The light peaty aroma of the Scotch matches pretty well with the scents of machine oil, ink, paper and light must of the typewri ter. Both are great choices separately. Together they seem a brilliant way to start a long weekend." width="750" height="477" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  882. </div>
  883. ]]></description>
  884. <content:encoded><![CDATA[
  885. <div>
  886. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/05/23/typewriter-pairing-royal-quiet-de-luxe-and-aberlour-scotch/"><img title="wp-17480544901547434514805643779102" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/wp-17480544901547434514805643779102.jpg?fit=750%2C477&ssl=1" alt="Typed index card in blue ink which reads 2025-05-23 Tonight&#039;s typewriter pairing is a 1949 Royal Quiet De Luxe and a shot of Aberlour Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky (12 years old). Both are solid classics with strength. The light peaty aroma of the Scotch matches pretty well with the scents of machine oil, ink, paper and light must of the typewri ter. Both are great choices separately. Together they seem a brilliant way to start a long weekend." width="750" height="477" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  887. </div>
  888. <p></p>
  889. <p></p>]]></content:encoded>
  891. <wfw:commentRss>https://boffosocko.com/2025/05/23/typewriter-pairing-royal-quiet-de-luxe-and-aberlour-scotch/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  892. <slash:comments>7</slash:comments>
  895. <friends:post-format>status</friends:post-format>
  896. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">55830389</post-id> </item>
  897. <item>
  898. <title></title>
  899. <link>https://boffosocko.com/2025/05/23/acquisition-hunt-manufacturing-company-steel-desk-drawer-paper-organizer/</link>
  900. <comments>https://boffosocko.com/2025/05/23/acquisition-hunt-manufacturing-company-steel-desk-drawer-paper-organizer/#comments</comments>
  902. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Aldrich]]></dc:creator>
  903. <pubDate>Fri, 23 May 2025 19:54:31 +0000</pubDate>
  904. <category><![CDATA[Acquisition]]></category>
  905. <category><![CDATA[Social Stream]]></category>
  906. <category><![CDATA[Typewriters]]></category>
  907. <category><![CDATA[analog office equipment]]></category>
  908. <category><![CDATA[Hunt Manufacturing Co.]]></category>
  909. <category><![CDATA[Lit-Ning Products]]></category>
  910. <category><![CDATA[paper organizers]]></category>
  911. <category><![CDATA[typing]]></category>
  912. <category><![CDATA[typing tools]]></category>
  913. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://boffosocko.com/?p=55830377</guid>
  914.  
  915. <description><![CDATA[
  916. <div>
  917. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/05/23/acquisition-hunt-manufacturing-company-steel-desk-drawer-paper-organizer/"><img title="Hunt Manufacturing Company paper desk organizer" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/wp-1748027426190588772236607378994.jpg?fit=563%2C750&ssl=1" alt="Angle down from just above a paper organizer. We can see a variety of blank paper types and sizes filed into the angled slots . In the very back we see a paint chip brush for dusting a typewriter as well as a couple different eraser shields for typing and error correction." width="563" height="750" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  918. </div>
  919. In an effort to slowly improve my analog office proficiency and productivity, I have heeded Lenore Fenton&#8217;s advice to have all my supplies organized at my fingertips. Toward that end I&#8217;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 &#8230; <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/05/23/acquisition-hunt-manufacturing-company-steel-desk-drawer-paper-organizer/" class="more-link">Continue reading <span class="screen-reader-text"></span></a>]]></description>
  920. <content:encoded><![CDATA[
  921. <section class="response h-product h-cite">
  922. <header>
  923. <span class="kind-display-text">Acquired</span> <a href="https://boffosocko.com/?p=55830377" class="p-name u-url">Steel Desk Drawer Paper Organizer</a> <em>(<span class="p-brand">Hunt Manufacturing Co. (Fresno, CA), Lit-Ning Products Division</span>)</em></header>
  924. <blockquote class="e-summary">Six slots for organizing your typing papers and envelopes as well as space for your stapler, tape dispenser, and various other desk drawer implements.</blockquote></section>
  925.  
  926.  
  927. <div>
  928. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/05/23/acquisition-hunt-manufacturing-company-steel-desk-drawer-paper-organizer/"><img title="Hunt Manufacturing Company paper desk organizer" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/wp-1748027426190588772236607378994.jpg?fit=563%2C750&ssl=1" alt="Angle down from just above a paper organizer. We can see a variety of blank paper types and sizes filed into the angled slots . In the very back we see a paint chip brush for dusting a typewriter as well as a couple different eraser shields for typing and error correction." width="563" height="750" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  929. </div>
  930. <p>In an effort to slowly improve my analog office proficiency and productivity, I have heeded <a href="https://youtu.be/JUJfCfqgsX0?si=z8-lodSffOJ1oUNU&amp;t=232" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lenore Fenton&#8217;s advice</a> to have all my supplies organized at my fingertips. Toward that end I&#8217;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&#8217;ll see photos of it sitting on my desktop right next to my typewriter.) </p>
  931. <p>In the 1943 film <em>Basic Typing Methods</em>, in the very opening seconds of the film, you&#8217;ll see the woman in the foreground pulling paper quickly from her desk drawer for typing. While it&#8217;s not immediately visible, she&#8217;s surely got a similar paper organizer in her drawer. (Pardon the heavily gendered references in the film.)</p>
  932. <p><iframe loading="lazy" title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/ztyzGit1dTI?si=ShK0Ff-ccSCBIid7&amp;start=28" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
  933. <p></p>
  934. <p></p>
  935. <p></p>
  936. <p>Acquired at the local Acts Thrift shop for about $2.00, this was a no-brainer purchase.</p>]]></content:encoded>
  938. <wfw:commentRss>https://boffosocko.com/2025/05/23/acquisition-hunt-manufacturing-company-steel-desk-drawer-paper-organizer/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  939. <slash:comments>5</slash:comments>
  942. <friends:post-format>status</friends:post-format>
  943. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">55830377</post-id> </item>
  944. <item>
  945. <title>What are the &#8220;Rules of Typewriter Club&#8221;?</title>
  946. <link>https://boffosocko.com/2025/05/22/the-rules-of-typewriter-club/</link>
  947. <comments>https://boffosocko.com/2025/05/22/the-rules-of-typewriter-club/#comments</comments>
  949. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Aldrich]]></dc:creator>
  950. <pubDate>Fri, 23 May 2025 04:48:54 +0000</pubDate>
  951. <category><![CDATA[Social Stream]]></category>
  952. <category><![CDATA[Typewriters]]></category>
  953. <category><![CDATA[Fight Club]]></category>
  954. <category><![CDATA[Typewriter Club]]></category>
  955. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://boffosocko.com/?p=55830361</guid>
  956.  
  957. <description><![CDATA[
  958. <div>
  959. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/05/22/the-rules-of-typewriter-club/"><img title="Typewriter collection set up for a type-in" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/wp-1715623153974668920892920990135.jpg?fit=750%2C563&ssl=1" alt="Two rows of four typewriters each lined up on opposite sides of a table." width="750" height="563" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  960. </div>
  961. 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&#8217;ll kick things off with a frequent admonishment: The first rule of Typewriter Club: Don&#8217;t &#8220;lubricate&#8221; the segment with WD-40. The second &#8230; <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/05/22/the-rules-of-typewriter-club/" class="more-link">Continue reading <span class="screen-reader-text">What are the &#8220;Rules of Typewriter Club&#8221;?</span></a>]]></description>
  962. <content:encoded><![CDATA[
  963. <div>
  964. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/05/22/the-rules-of-typewriter-club/"><img title="Typewriter collection set up for a type-in" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/wp-1715623153974668920892920990135.jpg?fit=750%2C563&ssl=1" alt="Two rows of four typewriters each lined up on opposite sides of a table." width="750" height="563" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  965. </div>
  966. <p>In the vein of <em>Fight Club</em>, 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?</p>
  967. <p>I&#8217;ll kick things off with a frequent admonishment:</p>
  968. <blockquote><p>
  969. The first rule of Typewriter Club: Don&#8217;t &#8220;lubricate&#8221; the segment with WD-40.<br />
  970. The second rule of Typewriter Club: DO NOT lubricate the segment with WD-40!
  971. </p></blockquote>
  972. <p>Feel free to follow this post and upvote your favorites so we can rank a potential final list.</p>]]></content:encoded>
  974. <wfw:commentRss>https://boffosocko.com/2025/05/22/the-rules-of-typewriter-club/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  975. <slash:comments>26</slash:comments>
  978. <friends:post-format>standard</friends:post-format>
  979. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">55830361</post-id> </item>
  980. <item>
  981. <title></title>
  982. <link>https://boffosocko.com/2025/05/17/acquisition-1966-underwood-touch-master-five-standard-typewriter/</link>
  983. <comments>https://boffosocko.com/2025/05/17/acquisition-1966-underwood-touch-master-five-standard-typewriter/#comments</comments>
  985. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Aldrich]]></dc:creator>
  986. <pubDate>Sun, 18 May 2025 05:01:48 +0000</pubDate>
  987. <category><![CDATA[Acquisition]]></category>
  988. <category><![CDATA[Social Stream]]></category>
  989. <category><![CDATA[Typewriters]]></category>
  990. <category><![CDATA[Finding Forrester]]></category>
  991. <category><![CDATA[typewriter collection]]></category>
  992. <category><![CDATA[Underwood Touch-master Five]]></category>
  993. <category><![CDATA[Underwood typewriters]]></category>
  994. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://boffosocko.com/?p=55830307</guid>
  995.  
  996. <description><![CDATA[
  997. <div>
  998. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/05/17/acquisition-1966-underwood-touch-master-five-standard-typewriter/"><img title="front of 1966 Underwood Touch-Master Five standard typewriter" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/wp-17475414509914810605363925520582.jpg?fit=750%2C563&ssl=1" alt="Front view of a light gray 1966 Underwood Touch-Master Five standard typewriter" width="750" height="563" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  999. </div>
  1000. Acquired used at a second hand store for the As-Seen-On-TV price of $19.99 and in stunning condition. It&#8217;ll need a clean, but this is in almost perfect cosmetic condition. It&#8217;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 &#8230; <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/05/17/acquisition-1966-underwood-touch-master-five-standard-typewriter/" class="more-link">Continue reading <span class="screen-reader-text"></span></a>]]></description>
  1001. <content:encoded><![CDATA[
  1002. <section class="response h-product h-cite">
  1003. <header>
  1004. <span class="kind-display-text">Acquired</span> <a href="https://typewriterdatabase.com/1966-underwood-touchmaster-five.25532.typewriter" class="p-name u-url">1966 Underwood Touch-Master Five Standard Typewriter</a> <em>(<span class="p-brand">Olivetti-Underwood</span>)</em></header>
  1005. <blockquote class="e-summary">Serial Number: 13-9707863<br>
  1006. Distinctive elite typeface, 12 CPI, 6 lines/inch, standard, bichrome, segment shift, tabulator, American keyboard, 44 keys<br/>
  1007. Body: light gray in steel; Keys: dark gray with white letters in plastic<br/>
  1008. Manufactured in the U.S.A</blockquote></section>
  1009.  
  1010.  
  1011. <div>
  1012. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/05/17/acquisition-1966-underwood-touch-master-five-standard-typewriter/"><img title="front of 1966 Underwood Touch-Master Five standard typewriter" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/wp-17475414509914810605363925520582.jpg?fit=750%2C563&ssl=1" alt="Front view of a light gray 1966 Underwood Touch-Master Five standard typewriter" width="750" height="563" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  1013. </div>
  1014. <p>Acquired used at a second hand store for the As-Seen-On-TV price of $19.99 and in stunning condition. It&#8217;ll need a clean, but this is in almost perfect cosmetic condition. It&#8217;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.</p>
  1015. <p>As William Forrester admonished Jamal to do on his Touch-Master Five, I&#8217;ll &#8220;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VSXqgvl8dQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Punch the keys, for God&#8217;s sake!</a>&#8221;</p>
  1016. <p></p>
  1017. <p></p>
  1018. <p></p>
  1019. <p></p>
  1020. <p></p>
  1021. <p></p>
  1022. <p></p>
  1023. <p></p>
  1024. <p></p>]]></content:encoded>
  1026. <wfw:commentRss>https://boffosocko.com/2025/05/17/acquisition-1966-underwood-touch-master-five-standard-typewriter/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  1027. <slash:comments>5</slash:comments>
  1030. <friends:post-format>status</friends:post-format>
  1031. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">55830307</post-id> </item>
  1032. <item>
  1033. <title></title>
  1034. <link>https://boffosocko.com/2025/05/15/55830254/</link>
  1035. <comments>https://boffosocko.com/2025/05/15/55830254/#comments</comments>
  1037. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Aldrich]]></dc:creator>
  1038. <pubDate>Fri, 16 May 2025 06:39:12 +0000</pubDate>
  1039. <category><![CDATA[Social Stream]]></category>
  1040. <category><![CDATA[Typewriters]]></category>
  1041. <category><![CDATA[type-ins]]></category>
  1042. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://boffosocko.com/?p=55830254</guid>
  1043.  
  1044. <description><![CDATA[
  1045. <div>
  1046. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/05/15/55830254/"><img title="typing up notes" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/wp-1747377405852294695431250718303.jpg?fit=750%2C563&ssl=1" alt="Yellow Royal FP typewriter on a wooden table next to some index card notes and a crystal glass containing a Negroni." width="750" height="563" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  1047. </div>
  1048. Spent some time tonight typing up notes from the type-in on Saturday for the typosphere. Should have a post about it all soon.]]></description>
  1049. <content:encoded><![CDATA[
  1050. <div>
  1051. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/05/15/55830254/"><img title="typing up notes" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/wp-1747377405852294695431250718303.jpg?fit=750%2C563&ssl=1" alt="Yellow Royal FP typewriter on a wooden table next to some index card notes and a crystal glass containing a Negroni." width="750" height="563" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  1052. </div>
  1053. <p>Spent some time tonight typing up notes from the type-in on Saturday for the typosphere. Should have a post about it all soon.</p>]]></content:encoded>
  1055. <wfw:commentRss>https://boffosocko.com/2025/05/15/55830254/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  1056. <slash:comments>3</slash:comments>
  1059. <friends:post-format>status</friends:post-format>
  1060. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">55830254</post-id> </item>
  1061. <item>
  1062. <title></title>
  1063. <link>https://boffosocko.com/2025/05/12/spring-flowers-next-to-the-1961-royal-fp-typewriter/</link>
  1064. <comments>https://boffosocko.com/2025/05/12/spring-flowers-next-to-the-1961-royal-fp-typewriter/#comments</comments>
  1066. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Aldrich]]></dc:creator>
  1067. <pubDate>Tue, 13 May 2025 01:55:30 +0000</pubDate>
  1068. <category><![CDATA[Photo]]></category>
  1069. <category><![CDATA[Social Stream]]></category>
  1070. <category><![CDATA[Typewriters]]></category>
  1071. <category><![CDATA[flowers]]></category>
  1072. <category><![CDATA[Mother's Day]]></category>
  1073. <category><![CDATA[Royal FP]]></category>
  1074. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://boffosocko.com/?p=55830231</guid>
  1075.  
  1076. <description><![CDATA[
  1077. <div>
  1078. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/05/12/spring-flowers-next-to-the-1961-royal-fp-typewriter/"><img title="Royal FP typewriter and flowers" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/wp-17471008187469151194207286058863-1.jpg?fit=750%2C563&ssl=1" alt="Yellow Royal FP on a dining room table next to a blue vase full of yellow flowers. In the background we see a book case with some books and ceramics on it. A framed yellowed map hangs on the wall in the background." width="750" height="563" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  1079. </div>
  1080. Spring flowers next to the 1961 Royal FP typewriter.]]></description>
  1081. <content:encoded><![CDATA[
  1082. <div>
  1083. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/05/12/spring-flowers-next-to-the-1961-royal-fp-typewriter/"><img title="Royal FP typewriter and flowers" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/wp-17471008187469151194207286058863-1.jpg?fit=750%2C563&ssl=1" alt="Yellow Royal FP on a dining room table next to a blue vase full of yellow flowers. In the background we see a book case with some books and ceramics on it. A framed yellowed map hangs on the wall in the background." width="750" height="563" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  1084. </div>
  1085. <p>Spring flowers next to the 1961 Royal FP typewriter.</p>
  1086. <p></p>]]></content:encoded>
  1088. <wfw:commentRss>https://boffosocko.com/2025/05/12/spring-flowers-next-to-the-1961-royal-fp-typewriter/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  1089. <slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
  1092. <friends:post-format>status</friends:post-format>
  1093. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">55830231</post-id> </item>
  1094. <item>
  1095. <title></title>
  1096. <link>https://boffosocko.com/2025/05/08/acquisition-196x-remington-streamliner-portable-typewriter/</link>
  1097. <comments>https://boffosocko.com/2025/05/08/acquisition-196x-remington-streamliner-portable-typewriter/#comments</comments>
  1099. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Aldrich]]></dc:creator>
  1100. <pubDate>Thu, 08 May 2025 18:52:30 +0000</pubDate>
  1101. <category><![CDATA[Acquisition]]></category>
  1102. <category><![CDATA[Social Stream]]></category>
  1103. <category><![CDATA[Typewriters]]></category>
  1104. <category><![CDATA[Remington Streamliner]]></category>
  1105. <category><![CDATA[Remington typewriters]]></category>
  1106. <category><![CDATA[typewriter collection]]></category>
  1107. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://boffosocko.com/?p=55830194</guid>
  1108.  
  1109. <description><![CDATA[
  1110. <div>
  1111. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/05/08/acquisition-196x-remington-streamliner-portable-typewriter/"><img title="front of 196X Remington Streamliner typewriter" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/wp-17466622931291677379567346618550.jpg?fit=750%2C563&ssl=1" alt="A 196X Remington Streamliner typewriter viewed from the front." width="750" height="563" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  1112. </div>
  1113. Acquired 2024-09-04. In generally good shape. The case is in exceptional shape given that these usually aren&#8217;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&#8217;s slightly more &#8230; <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/05/08/acquisition-196x-remington-streamliner-portable-typewriter/" class="more-link">Continue reading <span class="screen-reader-text"></span></a>]]></description>
  1114. <content:encoded><![CDATA[
  1115. <section class="response h-product h-cite">
  1116. <header>
  1117. <span class="kind-display-text">Acquired</span> <a href="https://typewriterdatabase.com/typewriter_editor.php?id=25488" class="p-name u-url">196X Remington Streamliner Portable Typewriter</a> <em>(<span class="p-brand">Remington-Rand, Inc.</span>)</em></header>
  1118. <blockquote class="e-summary">Serial number: AX-168959<br/>Pica typeface,  10 characters per inch, monochrome, carriage shift</blockquote></section>
  1119.  
  1120.  
  1121. <div>
  1122. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/05/08/acquisition-196x-remington-streamliner-portable-typewriter/"><img title="front of 196X Remington Streamliner typewriter" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/wp-17466622931291677379567346618550.jpg?fit=750%2C563&ssl=1" alt="A 196X Remington Streamliner typewriter viewed from the front." width="750" height="563" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  1123. </div>
  1124. <p>Acquired 2024-09-04. In generally good shape.</p>
  1125. <p>The case is in exceptional shape given that these usually aren&#8217;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&#8217;s slightly more mint green than the mint blue of the other Streamliner I&#8217;ve got which has a somewhat smaller serial number.</p>
  1126. <p>I&#8217;ve cleaned it up a tad this week to take to the type-in at Vroman&#8217;s Bookstore this weekend. It still needs a tweak to the line selector, but isn&#8217;t terrifically noticeable and I might be able to fix it before then.</p>
  1127. <p>        </p>]]></content:encoded>
  1129. <wfw:commentRss>https://boffosocko.com/2025/05/08/acquisition-196x-remington-streamliner-portable-typewriter/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  1130. <slash:comments>4</slash:comments>
  1133. <friends:post-format>standard</friends:post-format>
  1134. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">55830194</post-id> </item>
  1135. <item>
  1136. <title></title>
  1137. <link>https://boffosocko.com/2025/05/06/a-segment-of-standard-typewriters/</link>
  1138. <comments>https://boffosocko.com/2025/05/06/a-segment-of-standard-typewriters/#comments</comments>
  1140. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Aldrich]]></dc:creator>
  1141. <pubDate>Wed, 07 May 2025 00:19:34 +0000</pubDate>
  1142. <category><![CDATA[Events]]></category>
  1143. <category><![CDATA[Typewriters]]></category>
  1144. <category><![CDATA[standard typewriters]]></category>
  1145. <category><![CDATA[type-ins]]></category>
  1146. <category><![CDATA[typewriter collecting]]></category>
  1147. <category><![CDATA[typewriter collection]]></category>
  1148. <category><![CDATA[Vroman's Bookstore]]></category>
  1149. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://boffosocko.com/?p=55830139</guid>
  1150.  
  1151. <description><![CDATA[
  1152. <div>
  1153. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/05/06/a-segment-of-standard-typewriters/"><img title="A segment of standard typewriters." src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_20250506_123256_487-scaled.webp?fit=750%2C638&ssl=1" alt="Two typewriters on a wooden bench in front of a large book case. Surrounding it are 7 more standard typewriters of various makes and models" width="750" height="638" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  1154. </div>
  1155. 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): &#8217;51 Remington Super-Riter, &#8217;56 Remington Standard, &#8217;55 Royal HH, &#8217;58 Royal FP (gray, 16&#8243; &#8230; <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/05/06/a-segment-of-standard-typewriters/" class="more-link">Continue reading <span class="screen-reader-text"></span></a>]]></description>
  1156. <content:encoded><![CDATA[
  1157. <div>
  1158. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/05/06/a-segment-of-standard-typewriters/"><img title="A segment of standard typewriters." src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_20250506_123256_487-scaled.webp?fit=750%2C638&ssl=1" alt="Two typewriters on a wooden bench in front of a large book case. Surrounding it are 7 more standard typewriters of various makes and models" width="750" height="638" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  1159. </div>
  1160. <p>My current collection of 9 standard typewriters clocks in at 289.6 pounds (131.6 kg). Which one(s) should I take to the <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/03/25/youre-invited-to-a-southern-california-type-in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">type-in at Vromans Bookstore</a> this Saturday, May 10th at 1:00pm?</p>
  1161. <p>Which machines are <em>you</em> bringing?</p>
  1162. <p>Front row (left to right): &#8217;51 Remington Super-Riter, &#8217;56 Remington Standard, &#8217;55 Royal HH, &#8217;58 Royal FP (gray, 16&#8243; carriage), &#8217;57 Royal FP (gray)<br />
  1163. Back row (left to right): &#8217;45 Remington 17, &#8217;50 Royal KMG, &#8217;61 Royal FP (yellow), &#8217;77 Olympia SG3</p>]]></content:encoded>
  1165. <wfw:commentRss>https://boffosocko.com/2025/05/06/a-segment-of-standard-typewriters/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  1166. <slash:comments>6</slash:comments>
  1169. <friends:post-format>status</friends:post-format>
  1170. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">55830139</post-id> </item>
  1171. <item>
  1172. <title></title>
  1173. <link>https://boffosocko.com/2025/05/03/invitation-to-a-type-in-on-may-10-2025/</link>
  1174. <comments>https://boffosocko.com/2025/05/03/invitation-to-a-type-in-on-may-10-2025/#comments</comments>
  1176. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Aldrich]]></dc:creator>
  1177. <pubDate>Sat, 03 May 2025 15:10:11 +0000</pubDate>
  1178. <category><![CDATA[Social Stream]]></category>
  1179. <category><![CDATA[Typewriters]]></category>
  1180. <category><![CDATA[type-ins]]></category>
  1181. <category><![CDATA[Vroman's Bookstore]]></category>
  1182. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://boffosocko.com/?p=55830123</guid>
  1183.  
  1184. <description><![CDATA[
  1185. <div>
  1186. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/05/03/invitation-to-a-type-in-on-may-10-2025/"><img title="wp-17462493542343590789839430350235" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/wp-17462493542343590789839430350235.jpg?fit=750%2C508&ssl=1" alt="Typed index card in blue and green ink that reads: You&#039;re invited to a Type-In! / Saturday, May 10, 2025 / 1:00 PM onwards / Vroman&#039;s Bookstore / 695 E. Colorado Blvd., / Pasadena, CA 91101 / Typewriters Optional / Bring a Friend for an afternoon of fun / Details and RSVP / https://boffosocko.com/type-in/" width="750" height="508" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  1187. </div>
  1188. ]]></description>
  1189. <content:encoded><![CDATA[
  1190. <div>
  1191. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/05/03/invitation-to-a-type-in-on-may-10-2025/"><img title="wp-17462493542343590789839430350235" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/wp-17462493542343590789839430350235.jpg?fit=750%2C508&ssl=1" alt="Typed index card in blue and green ink that reads: You&#039;re invited to a Type-In! / Saturday, May 10, 2025 / 1:00 PM onwards / Vroman&#039;s Bookstore / 695 E. Colorado Blvd., / Pasadena, CA 91101 / Typewriters Optional / Bring a Friend for an afternoon of fun / Details and RSVP / https://boffosocko.com/type-in/" width="750" height="508" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  1192. </div>
  1193. <p></p>]]></content:encoded>
  1195. <wfw:commentRss>https://boffosocko.com/2025/05/03/invitation-to-a-type-in-on-may-10-2025/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  1196. <slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
  1199. <friends:post-format>status</friends:post-format>
  1200. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">55830123</post-id> </item>
  1201. <item>
  1202. <title>Card Indexes in Wedding Crashers</title>
  1203. <link>https://boffosocko.com/2025/04/30/card-indexes-in-wedding-crashers/</link>
  1204. <comments>https://boffosocko.com/2025/04/30/card-indexes-in-wedding-crashers/#comments</comments>
  1206. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Aldrich]]></dc:creator>
  1207. <pubDate>Thu, 01 May 2025 06:37:14 +0000</pubDate>
  1208. <category><![CDATA[Note taking]]></category>
  1209. <category><![CDATA[card index as database]]></category>
  1210. <category><![CDATA[card indexes in media]]></category>
  1211. <category><![CDATA[Wedding Crashers]]></category>
  1212. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://boffosocko.com/?p=55830079</guid>
  1213.  
  1214. <description><![CDATA[
  1215. <div>
  1216. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/04/30/card-indexes-in-wedding-crashers/"><img title="Hero Wedding Crashers ZK" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Hero-Wedding-Crashers-ZK.jpg?fit=750%2C409&ssl=1" alt="Card Indexes in Wedding Crashers" width="750" height="409" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  1217. </div>
  1218. 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&#8217;t help but wondering if their work leverages one of the variety of card index filing systems? Were they commonplacers? Zettelkasten users? &#8230; <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/04/30/card-indexes-in-wedding-crashers/" class="more-link">Continue reading <span class="screen-reader-text">Card Indexes in Wedding Crashers</span></a>]]></description>
  1219. <content:encoded><![CDATA[
  1220. <div>
  1221. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/04/30/card-indexes-in-wedding-crashers/"><img title="Hero Wedding Crashers ZK" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Hero-Wedding-Crashers-ZK.jpg?fit=750%2C409&ssl=1" alt="Card Indexes in Wedding Crashers" width="750" height="409" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  1222. </div>
  1223. <p>While watching <em>Wedding Crashers</em> (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.</p>
  1224. <p>One can&#8217;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.</p>
  1225. <p>It&#8217;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.</p>
  1226. <p>If you&#8217;re just starting out on your indexing journey, you can purchase the same boxes that Wilson and Vaughn are using: the <a href="https://amzn.to/3RIHb4M" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Globe-Weis/Pendaflex Fiberboard Index card storage box in &#8220;Black Agate&#8221;</a>. If you need something bigger or different than one of these, try out the <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2022/12/26/the-ultimate-guide-to-zettelkasten-index-card-storage/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ultimate Guide to Zettelkasten Card Index Storage</a>.</p>
  1227. <p><figure id="attachment_55830080" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-55830080" style="width: 1920px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-55830080" class="wp-caption-text">Vince Vaughn obviously explaining the most important points of knowledge management in the office: a zettelkasten (or card index), bubblegum, and plenty of bourbon.</figcaption></figure> <figure id="attachment_55830081" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-55830081" style="width: 1916px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-55830081" class="wp-caption-text">On a side desk in his office Jeremy Gray has a 3&#215;5&#8243; and a 4&#215;6&#8243; card index near all of his most important reference volumes.</figcaption></figure> <figure id="attachment_55830082" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-55830082" style="width: 1920px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-55830082" class="wp-caption-text">Along with shelves full of reference books, John Beckwith has a huge collection of card index boxes of various sizes including 3 3&#215;5&#8243; boxes, 3 4&#215;6&#8243; boxes, and even one 5&#215;8&#8243; box.</figcaption></figure></p>
  1228. <h2>A Zettelkasten for Wedding Crashers</h2>
  1229. <p>Of course, the real aficionado of <em>Wedding Crashers</em> will suspect that at least one of Jeremy&#8217;s card indexes is full of weddings they&#8217;ve crashed, related research, and maybe women he&#8217;s encountered. Maybe names and legends of the people they&#8217;re pretending to be (&#8220;We lost a lot of good men out there.&#8221; &#8220;Guess who&#8217;s a broken man?&#8221;) Naturally there would also be a huge section with the numbered rules of wedding crashing as handed down by pioneer Chazz Rheinhold.</p>
  1230. <p></p>]]></content:encoded>
  1232. <wfw:commentRss>https://boffosocko.com/2025/04/30/card-indexes-in-wedding-crashers/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  1233. <slash:comments>4</slash:comments>
  1236. <friends:post-format>standard</friends:post-format>
  1237. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">55830079</post-id> </item>
  1238. <item>
  1239. <title></title>
  1240. <link>https://boffosocko.com/2025/04/30/acquired-a-1960-smith-corona-skyriter-ultraportable-typewriter/</link>
  1241. <comments>https://boffosocko.com/2025/04/30/acquired-a-1960-smith-corona-skyriter-ultraportable-typewriter/#comments</comments>
  1243. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Aldrich]]></dc:creator>
  1244. <pubDate>Wed, 30 Apr 2025 19:56:23 +0000</pubDate>
  1245. <category><![CDATA[Acquisition]]></category>
  1246. <category><![CDATA[Social Stream]]></category>
  1247. <category><![CDATA[Typewriters]]></category>
  1248. <category><![CDATA[Smith-Corona Skyriter]]></category>
  1249. <category><![CDATA[Smith-Corona typewriters]]></category>
  1250. <category><![CDATA[typewriter collection]]></category>
  1251. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://boffosocko.com/?p=55830072</guid>
  1252.  
  1253. <description><![CDATA[
  1254. <div>
  1255. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/04/30/acquired-a-1960-smith-corona-skyriter-ultraportable-typewriter/"><img title="frontal view of 1960 Smith-Corona Skyriter typewriter" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/wp-17460398658973866127513487051376.jpg?fit=750%2C563&ssl=1" alt="Frontal view of 1960 Smith-Corona Skyriter typewriter. It has a cream colored keys with a brown spacebar and a silver name plate with the brand written on it. The front left &quot;chin&quot; of the machine has a small dent with some paint missing." width="750" height="563" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  1256. </div>
  1257. 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 &#8230; <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/04/30/acquired-a-1960-smith-corona-skyriter-ultraportable-typewriter/" class="more-link">Continue reading <span class="screen-reader-text"></span></a>]]></description>
  1258. <content:encoded><![CDATA[
  1259. <section class="response h-product h-cite">
  1260. <header>
  1261. <span class="kind-display-text">Acquired</span> <a href="https://typewriterdatabase.com/1960-smith-corona-skyriter.25446.typewriter" class="p-name u-url">1960 Smith-Corona Skyriter ultraportable typewriter</a> <em>(<span class="p-brand">Smith-Corona</span>)</em></header>
  1262. <blockquote class="e-summary">Serial Number: 3Y 2279770<br/>
  1263. Brown crinkle paint; white plastic keys; SCM Elite No. 66 typeface; US keyboard</blockquote></section>
  1264.  
  1265.  
  1266. <div>
  1267. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/04/30/acquired-a-1960-smith-corona-skyriter-ultraportable-typewriter/"><img title="frontal view of 1960 Smith-Corona Skyriter typewriter" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/wp-17460398658973866127513487051376.jpg?fit=750%2C563&ssl=1" alt="Frontal view of 1960 Smith-Corona Skyriter typewriter. It has a cream colored keys with a brown spacebar and a silver name plate with the brand written on it. The front left &quot;chin&quot; of the machine has a small dent with some paint missing." width="750" height="563" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  1268. </div>
  1269. <p>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.</p>
  1270. <p>         </p>]]></content:encoded>
  1272. <wfw:commentRss>https://boffosocko.com/2025/04/30/acquired-a-1960-smith-corona-skyriter-ultraportable-typewriter/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  1273. <slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
  1276. <friends:post-format>status</friends:post-format>
  1277. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">55830072</post-id> </item>
  1278. <item>
  1279. <title></title>
  1280. <link>https://boffosocko.com/2025/04/09/ridgid-6-gal-150-psi-portable-electric-pancake-air-compressor/</link>
  1281. <comments>https://boffosocko.com/2025/04/09/ridgid-6-gal-150-psi-portable-electric-pancake-air-compressor/#comments</comments>
  1283. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Aldrich]]></dc:creator>
  1284. <pubDate>Thu, 10 Apr 2025 03:49:10 +0000</pubDate>
  1285. <category><![CDATA[Typewriters]]></category>
  1286. <category><![CDATA[air compressors]]></category>
  1287. <category><![CDATA[Eaton Fire recovery]]></category>
  1288. <category><![CDATA[typewriter repair]]></category>
  1289. <category><![CDATA[typewriter tools]]></category>
  1290. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://boffosocko.com/?p=55829638</guid>
  1291.  
  1292. <description><![CDATA[
  1293. <div>
  1294. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/04/09/ridgid-6-gal-150-psi-portable-electric-pancake-air-compressor/"><img title="RIGID air compressor" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/wp-17442506288552612323842198267147.jpg?fit=750%2C563&ssl=1" alt="An orange and black box with the name RIGID on it fills an orange wire shopping cart." width="750" height="563" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  1295. </div>
  1296. Picked up for some work related to the Eaton Fire recovery, but it also means I&#8217;ve upped my game on tools for typewriter repair.]]></description>
  1297. <content:encoded><![CDATA[
  1298. <section class="response h-product h-cite">
  1299. <header>
  1300. <span class="kind-display-text">Acquired</span> <a href="https://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-6-Gal-150-PSI-Portable-Electric-Pancake-Air-Compressor-02106416/330282430" class="p-name u-url">RIDGID 6 Gal. 150 PSI Portable Electric Pancake Air Compressor</a> <em>(<span class="p-brand">The Home Depot</span>)</em></header>
  1301. <blockquote class="e-summary">Support small framing, roofing, blowing and other general inflation tasks.</blockquote></section>
  1302.  
  1303.  
  1304. <div>
  1305. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/04/09/ridgid-6-gal-150-psi-portable-electric-pancake-air-compressor/"><img title="RIGID air compressor" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/wp-17442506288552612323842198267147.jpg?fit=750%2C563&ssl=1" alt="An orange and black box with the name RIGID on it fills an orange wire shopping cart." width="750" height="563" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  1306. </div>
  1307. <p>Picked up for some work related to the Eaton Fire recovery, but it also means I&#8217;ve upped my game on <a href="https://boffosocko.com/tag/typewriter-tools/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tools</a> for <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2024/10/24/learning-typewriter-maintenance-and-repair/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">typewriter repair</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
  1309. <wfw:commentRss>https://boffosocko.com/2025/04/09/ridgid-6-gal-150-psi-portable-electric-pancake-air-compressor/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  1310. <slash:comments>8</slash:comments>
  1313. <friends:post-format>status</friends:post-format>
  1314. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">55829638</post-id> </item>
  1315. <item>
  1316. <title>Game: Name that naked typewriter</title>
  1317. <link>https://boffosocko.com/2025/04/03/game-name-that-naked-typewriter/</link>
  1318. <comments>https://boffosocko.com/2025/04/03/game-name-that-naked-typewriter/#comments</comments>
  1320. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Aldrich]]></dc:creator>
  1321. <pubDate>Thu, 03 Apr 2025 21:06:33 +0000</pubDate>
  1322. <category><![CDATA[Social Stream]]></category>
  1323. <category><![CDATA[Typewriters]]></category>
  1324. <category><![CDATA[naked typewriters]]></category>
  1325. <category><![CDATA[Royal FP]]></category>
  1326. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://boffosocko.com/?p=55829447</guid>
  1327.  
  1328. <description><![CDATA[
  1329. <div>
  1330. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/04/03/game-name-that-naked-typewriter/"><img title="naked Royal FP typewriter" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/wp-17437131175257626569211262122885.jpg?fit=750%2C563&ssl=1" alt="A typewriter with the hood and body panels removed making it appear &quot;naked&quot;." width="750" height="563" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  1331. </div>
  1332. To be clear, I know what this is. (It&#8217;s a typewriter I&#8217;m most of the way through cleaning and restoring.) Just for fun for the regulars and the collectors, let&#8217;s see who can come closest to a make, model and year for this lovely machine I recently acquired for restoration. Please, no more than two &#8230; <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/04/03/game-name-that-naked-typewriter/" class="more-link">Continue reading <span class="screen-reader-text">Game: Name that naked typewriter</span></a>]]></description>
  1333. <content:encoded><![CDATA[
  1334. <div>
  1335. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/04/03/game-name-that-naked-typewriter/"><img title="naked Royal FP typewriter" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/wp-17437131175257626569211262122885.jpg?fit=750%2C563&ssl=1" alt="A typewriter with the hood and body panels removed making it appear &quot;naked&quot;." width="750" height="563" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  1336. </div>
  1337. <p>To be clear, I know what this is. (It&#8217;s a typewriter I&#8217;m most of the way through cleaning and restoring.)</p>
  1338. <p>Just for fun for the regulars and the collectors, let&#8217;s see who can come closest to a make, model and year for this lovely machine I recently acquired for restoration. Please, no more than two guesses per player.</p>
  1339. <p>Answer to be posted Saturday.</p>
  1340. <p></p>]]></content:encoded>
  1342. <wfw:commentRss>https://boffosocko.com/2025/04/03/game-name-that-naked-typewriter/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  1343. <slash:comments>16</slash:comments>
  1346. <friends:post-format>standard</friends:post-format>
  1347. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">55829447</post-id> </item>
  1348. <item>
  1349. <title></title>
  1350. <link>https://boffosocko.com/2025/04/02/atl-vs-lad-2025-03-31-scorecard/</link>
  1351. <comments>https://boffosocko.com/2025/04/02/atl-vs-lad-2025-03-31-scorecard/#comments</comments>
  1353. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Aldrich]]></dc:creator>
  1354. <pubDate>Wed, 02 Apr 2025 20:20:17 +0000</pubDate>
  1355. <category><![CDATA[Social Stream]]></category>
  1356. <category><![CDATA[Typewriters]]></category>
  1357. <category><![CDATA[Atlanta Braves]]></category>
  1358. <category><![CDATA[baseball scorecard]]></category>
  1359. <category><![CDATA[Los Angeles Dodgers]]></category>
  1360. <category><![CDATA[one typed page]]></category>
  1361. <category><![CDATA[Royal KMG]]></category>
  1362. <category><![CDATA[Thirty81 Press]]></category>
  1363. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://boffosocko.com/?p=55829322</guid>
  1364.  
  1365. <description><![CDATA[
  1366. <div>
  1367. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/04/02/atl-vs-lad-2025-03-31-scorecard/"><img title="ATL v LAD typed scorecard 2025-03-31" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/wp-17436147852318467990724481904005.jpg?fit=590%2C750&ssl=1" alt="A typed baseball scorecard for the Atlanta Braves vs. Los Angeles Dodgers game from 2025-03-31 which the Dodgers won 6-1" width="590" height="750" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  1368. </div>
  1369. My first baseball scorecard in ages, but also my first typed scorecard with format courtesy of Lou Spirito of Thirty81 Press. Besides a few examples by Lou himself and one I saw from Tom Hanks on March 29th, I may be the third person doing this?! It pulls together two spectacular pastimes and creates a &#8230; <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/04/02/atl-vs-lad-2025-03-31-scorecard/" class="more-link">Continue reading <span class="screen-reader-text"></span></a>]]></description>
  1370. <content:encoded><![CDATA[
  1371. <div>
  1372. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/04/02/atl-vs-lad-2025-03-31-scorecard/"><img title="ATL v LAD typed scorecard 2025-03-31" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/wp-17436147852318467990724481904005.jpg?fit=590%2C750&ssl=1" alt="A typed baseball scorecard for the Atlanta Braves vs. Los Angeles Dodgers game from 2025-03-31 which the Dodgers won 6-1" width="590" height="750" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  1373. </div>
  1374. <p></p>
  1375. <p>My first baseball scorecard in ages, but also my first typed scorecard with format courtesy of Lou Spirito of <a href="https://thirty81press.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Thirty81 Press</a>. Besides a few examples by Lou himself and one I saw from <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DHzRTBpSi8i/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tom Hanks on March 29th</a>, I may be the third person doing this?! It pulls together two spectacular pastimes and creates a lot of fun!</p>]]></content:encoded>
  1377. <wfw:commentRss>https://boffosocko.com/2025/04/02/atl-vs-lad-2025-03-31-scorecard/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  1378. <slash:comments>6</slash:comments>
  1381. <friends:post-format>status</friends:post-format>
  1382. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">55829322</post-id> </item>
  1383. <item>
  1384. <title>First Time Typewriter Purchases with Specific Recommendations for Writers</title>
  1385. <link>https://boffosocko.com/2025/03/29/first-time-typewriter-purchases-with-specific-recommendations-for-writers/</link>
  1386. <comments>https://boffosocko.com/2025/03/29/first-time-typewriter-purchases-with-specific-recommendations-for-writers/#comments</comments>
  1388. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Aldrich]]></dc:creator>
  1389. <pubDate>Sat, 29 Mar 2025 21:26:50 +0000</pubDate>
  1390. <category><![CDATA[Typewriters]]></category>
  1391. <category><![CDATA[portable typewriters]]></category>
  1392. <category><![CDATA[standard typewriters]]></category>
  1393. <category><![CDATA[typewriter market]]></category>
  1394. <category><![CDATA[typewriter recommendations]]></category>
  1395. <category><![CDATA[typewriter recommendations for writers]]></category>
  1396. <category><![CDATA[typewriter repair]]></category>
  1397. <category><![CDATA[typewriter shops]]></category>
  1398. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://boffosocko.com/?p=55829214</guid>
  1399.  
  1400. <description><![CDATA[
  1401. <div>
  1402. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/03/29/first-time-typewriter-purchases-with-specific-recommendations-for-writers/"><img title="Olympia SM3 hero shot in my home office" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/wp-17255585667296859377571431917910.jpg?fit=750%2C563&ssl=1" alt="Green Olympia SM3 on a desk in front of a Steelcase card index, a Macey Co. Card index, a barrister bookcase, and a small side table with a brown Royal HHE typewriter" width="750" height="563" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  1403. </div>
  1404. I regularly see writers (or their friends or significant others considering buying them presents) interested in purchasing their first typewriter as a (distraction-free) writing tool. Naturally, unless they grew up with them or have other direct experience, the primary questions are: how much are they?, which ones are the better professional tools?, and where can &#8230; <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/03/29/first-time-typewriter-purchases-with-specific-recommendations-for-writers/" class="more-link">Continue reading <span class="screen-reader-text">First Time Typewriter Purchases with Specific Recommendations for Writers</span></a>]]></description>
  1405. <content:encoded><![CDATA[
  1406. <div>
  1407. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/03/29/first-time-typewriter-purchases-with-specific-recommendations-for-writers/"><img title="Olympia SM3 hero shot in my home office" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/wp-17255585667296859377571431917910.jpg?fit=750%2C563&ssl=1" alt="Green Olympia SM3 on a desk in front of a Steelcase card index, a Macey Co. Card index, a barrister bookcase, and a small side table with a brown Royal HHE typewriter" width="750" height="563" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  1408. </div>
  1409. <p>I regularly see writers (or their friends or significant others considering buying them presents) interested in purchasing their first typewriter as a (distraction-free) writing tool. Naturally, unless they grew up with them or have other direct experience, the primary questions are: how much are they?, which ones are the better professional tools?, and where can they get them?</p>
  1410. <p>Having written up some suggestions in the past as well as a bit about the state of the current typewriter market, I thought I&#8217;d put the two together for future queries as the broad advice doesn&#8217;t change very much. This article might also be generally useful for anyone considering their first typewriter, or even getting into typewriter collecting in general. </p>
  1411. <p>This won&#8217;t cover any of the electric typebar typewriters or the later wedge typewriters, thermal typewriters, or electronic word processors which are similar, but potentially different beasts and markets.</p>
  1412. <h2>In the Typewriter Market Condition is King</h2>
  1413. <p>When it comes to manual typewriters, condition is king and a big determinant of the overall price. Sadly this fact is wholly unknown by the vast majority of people selling the typewriter they found in grandma&#8217;s attic. Knowing this fact will arm you for a much better purchasing experience as well as when it comes down to actually using them.</p>
  1414. <p>Sure there are a small handful of very popular portable typewriters like the Hermes 3000 or the Olympia SM3 which can go for a few hundred dollars even in bad condition, but for the most part a reasonably solid typewriter can be had for $10-75.</p>
  1415. <p>Too many people will also use the useless word &#8220;rare&#8221; to describe their typewriter for sale. This really only applies to some of the earliest typewriters from before 1920 which broadly aren&#8217;t as available now. Almost everything made from the 1930s on was mass produced in the hundreds of thousands or even millions, so applying the word rare is silly. Some colors or typefaces may be uncommon, but they are not rare and it usually doesn&#8217;t take too long to find multiple versions of the same thing for sale. None of the recommendations suggested here would ever be considered rare or even uncommon by any standard.</p>
  1416. <h2>Balance of Budget, Time, and Facility with Cleaning machines</h2>
  1417. <p>Your first typewriter is sure to be the balance of several variables including your particular budget, the amount of time you want to invest finding and then potentially fixing up your machine, and the facility you may have (or not) for cleaning and potentially repairing your typewriter yourself. Self-repair is certainly doable and there are significant resources for helping out the novice, but it does take some time, patience, and a few tools. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/23/typewriter-repair-costs-and-valuation-professional-shops-versus-collectors-versus-first-time-buyers/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">If, as a beginner, you think that cleaning and repairing your own machine is the best use of your time</a>, go for it, but you may be opening up a can of worms that&#8217;s really not worth it. </p>
  1418. <h3>Budget Range</h3>
  1419. <p>I&#8217;ll split the typewriter space up into the budget ranges based on what the buyer may have for potentially spending on a typewriter. This is NOT a split of historical budget ranges indicating the quality of the typewriters themselves. For example, in its day, an Olympia SG3 would have been at the higher end of the typewriter market while the highly mass produced Brother JP-1 typewriters would have been considered budget models by comparison. Today, with careful shopping, you could foreseeably purchase both in equivalent condition for the same $25, though to the user, the Olympia SG3 will obviously be more performant particularly for longer typing sessions.</p>
  1420. <p>Low budget  is $10-75. For this range, one can get a typewriter that is generally functional, but which assuredly needs to be cleaned, properly lubricated, and possibly adjusted. (Remember: lesser condition usually means lower price.) To stay within this range, you&#8217;re going to need to be both willing and able to do some basic cleaning and potentially minor repairs yourself. </p>
  1421. <p>This isn&#8217;t to say that you wouldn&#8217;t stumble across a near mint Olympia SM3 that you can pick up at a yard sale for $15 and it needs no work at all, but it won&#8217;t be an every day occurrence. You&#8217;ll likely need to invest some reasonable time in searching for such a thing.</p>
  1422. <p>Medium budget might be $76-349. In this range you should be able to acquire a reasonable machine which you might then take to a local repair shop to get a reasonable servicing and repair or adjust any issues your &#8220;new-to-you&#8221; typewriter may have. This range should cover the cost of the machine as well as the servicing in most cases. Most repair shops charge in the $40-75/hour range and can do some miracles in just a few hours.</p>
  1423. <p>High budget is generally in the $350-600 range and for this amount you should be receiving a vintage machine in good to excellent cosmetic condition which has been thoroughly cleaned, oiled, and adjusted. It should function as well as it possibly can for regular daily use.</p>
  1424. <p>It&#8217;s quite likely that you&#8217;ll currently find some solid value in this range as some repair shops will be selling machines like the Hermes 3000 in excellent shape while online auctions for them in dreadful shape are almost as expensive.</p>
  1425. <p>Beyond the high range, you&#8217;re going to be looking at more exotic machines which are much less common, which have had higher levels of restoration work (usually all the rubber replaced and the platens recovered), or which have less common typefaces (script, Vogue, Techno, Gothic, etc.). As this tends to be more rarified space of collectors or those with very specific tastes, I won&#8217;t delve deeper here.</p>
  1426. <h2>Typewriter Recommendations</h2>
  1427. <p>In another article, I&#8217;ve gone <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/03/21/standard-typewriters-versus-portable-typewriters-and-ultraportable-typewriters/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">deeper into the difference between standard typewriters, portable typewriters, and ultraportable typewriters</a>. In this section, I&#8217;ll focus primarily on recommendations for writers who are looking for one (or maybe two) high quality typewriters for regular (daily or weekly) and heavy (several hours a day) use. This means these machines will tend toward the higher end of quality and manufacturing in the middle of the 20th century at the peak of typewriter engineering and manufacturing from the 1930s into the 1970s.</p>
  1428. <p>While some of these recommendations may be useful to collectors, there is such a much wider space of collectible typewriters and reasons for collecting them, that such an analysis is a much bigger topic. For those just dipping their feet into the world of collecting, I&#8217;ll recommend Richard Polt&#8217;s excellent book <a href="https://amzn.to/4juPJrZ" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>The Typewriter Revolution</em></a> (Countryman Press, 2015).</p>
  1429. <h3>Standard Typewriters</h3>
  1430. <p>If you&#8217;re a serious writer, you&#8217;re sure to find a smoother and better experience with a <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/03/21/standard-typewriters-versus-portable-typewriters-and-ultraportable-typewriters/">standard typewriter</a>, but they&#8217;re slightly larger and heavier (~30 pounds vs. ~15-22 pounds) than the portables. The benefit is that they almost always have the broadest range of features that a writer will ever need. These are usually the ones I recommend if you&#8217;re typing for several hours on end and have a dedicated space for your writing. Standards aren&#8217;t as popular with most collectors, so they also tend to be less expensive as a general rule.</p>
  1431. <p>I personally really love my fully restored Royal KMG, Royal HH, and Royal FP, as well as my Olympia SG3, my Remington Standard, Remington Super-Riter, and Remington 17 which are all rock solid writing machines. I&#8217;m still on the hunt for an Olympia SG1, which many collectors consider to be one of the best typewriters ever manufactured.</p>
  1432. <p>Here are some of the other more common standards for serious writers to consider by a knowledgeable restorer:</p>
  1433. <div class="jetpack-video-wrapper"><iframe loading="lazy" title="Tested 100s of heavy desk typewriters, Here is the top 5 revealed." width="660" height="371" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3r3533cSZ38?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
  1434. <h3>Portable Typewriters</h3>
  1435. <p>I&#8217;d generally endorse most of the advice on the lighter, portable models you&#8217;ll find in the following resources. They are geared specifically toward writers, and all three have lots experience and reasonable bona fides to make such recommendations.</p>
  1436. <ul>
  1437. <li value="1"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9dXflhDed0">
  1438. <li value="2"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKMt-aCHZZk">
  1439. <li value="3"><a href="https://typewriterreview.com/2020/01/10/top-10-writerly-typewriters/">
  1440. </ul>
  1441. <p>In this space, you may want to take some care for the particular models you consider as not all of them will have features like a tabulator (tab stops) to make indenting text easier, especially if you&#8217;re a screenwriter or playwright who needs this sort of functionality every few lines. (A tab button on the keyboard is a solid enough indicator that a machine has this functionality.)</p>
  1442. <p>Among the most commonly recommended portable typewriters are the Olympia SM2, SM3, and SM4 (all very similar, but slightly different in their tabulator functionality or lack thereof in the case of the SM2), Hermes 3000, Olympia SM7, Olympia SM9, the Smith-Corona Super and Smith-Corona Silent Super (5 Series machines), the Adler Tippa and Tippa S, the Royal Quiet De Luxe, and the Remington Quiet-Riter.</p>
  1443. <h3>Ultraportable typewriters</h3>
  1444. <p>While these can be interesting and pretty as well as easy to carry, most serious writers are not going to love typing on them for extended periods. They might be a nice secondary machine for traveling around and getting something done, but I wouldn&#8217;t recommend one as a first or second machine for most writers.</p>
  1445. <h2>Typewriters you assuredly don&#8217;t want</h2>
  1446. <p>Many newcomers will ask if a particular typewriter is a &#8220;bad&#8221; one or is generally known to have problems (aka a &#8220;lemon&#8221;).  This is usually folly as most typewriters built into the 1980s were generally solid and not just meant to last, but were built to be repaired. Naturally the ones built of steel in the 50s-60s will be the most sturdy and the aesthetics will vary dramatically over the decades.</p>
  1447. <p>The one major caveat you&#8217;ll hear from almost any typewriter enthusiast and collector is to warn people against purchasing one of the brand new Shanghai Weilv Mechanism Company typewriters which variously go under the names: Rover, the Royal Epoch, We R Memory Keepers, Royal Classic, Maplefield, and The Oliver Typewriter Company. I&#8217;ve <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/09/the-typewriter-you-probably-dont-want-to-buy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">written about these manual typewriters elsewhere</a> and included some reviews and things to know about and be wary of if you&#8217;re planning on buying something new instead of something either vintage or antique (over 100 years old). Professional writers will abhor these machines.</p>
  1448. <h2>Where to buy a typewriter?</h2>
  1449. <h3>Repair shops</h3>
  1450. <p>Your very best bet for a first typewriter (and even subsequent ones) is to go to a repair shop that also sells machines. Doing this will give you the chance to put your hands on them, try them out, ask lots of questions, then buy your favorite from a variety of machines. Your shopping time is worth money and productivity, so buy something you like out of the gate and you&#8217;ll save a lot in the long run. You&#8217;ll probably be happier and better off in the long run with something in the $200-600 range serviced from a repair shop. It will also give you something you can start using right away to get work done rather than faffing about with cleaning or potential small repairs, which can take up valuable time for the new and uninitiated.</p>
  1451. <p>Here, Richard Polt has done some excellent work at aggregating a huge number of  <a href="https://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/tw-repair.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">typewriter repair shops arranged by country and location</a>. </p>
  1452. <h3>Online Shops</h3>
  1453. <p>There are a variety of online shops, many associated with repair shops, as well as individual sellers and antique stores that sell typewriters on independent websites. These can be particularly good as they&#8217;ll often have a level of expertise and experience in cleaning, repairing, restoring, and shipping typewriters. </p>
  1454. <p>I personally don&#8217;t have direct experience with any that I would specifically recommend, but they&#8217;re definitely out there and are usually marked by providing an abundance of photos and useful information about their wares.</p>
  1455. <h3>Online Auctions and Sales Sites</h3>
  1456. <p>An important caveat: The <em>vast majority of sellers</em> in the typewriter market with machines in the $40-300 range have exactly as much knowledge about them as you probably do (which for the non-collector/non-repair shop audience is to say little to none), so be incredibly wary of accepting claims that &#8220;it works&#8221; or &#8220;it just needs a new ribbon&#8221; without video and photographic proof. Most are pricing their less-than-stellar typewriters based on the higher prices repair shops are selling their best serviced machines for. Don&#8217;t fall victim to this ubiquitous ruse because the seller doesn&#8217;t know better.</p>
  1457. <p>In this segment of the market you&#8217;ll find a huge range of potential sellers from some incredibly professional typewriter repair and restoration specialists who deal primarily online to clearing house thrift stores all the way down to typewriter flippers (those who buy a dusty, half-functioning typewriter at a yard sale for $5 and then list it on Etsy for a 1000% markup without doing any additional work) who use AI to write flashy, nostalgic descriptions of typewriters that bear no resemblance of the particular machine they&#8217;re selling and then to your neighborhood gadfly trying to sell grandma&#8217;s vintage 1950&#8217;s Smith-Corona Silent as a $3,000 antique because he &#8220;knows what he&#8217;s got&#8221; yet somehow misstates the date of manufacture as well as the model. (And if you happen to be reading this Marvin, no typewriter on the planet has the serial number H123456L, that&#8217;s the setting indicator for the touch control functionality.)</p>
  1458. <p>This means you might spend some time checking out how specialized the particular seller is in typewriters by looking at their past sales. Do they only sell typewriters, do they sell lots of things, or are they new accounts with only one item?  The best ones will have lots of good photos of machines and cases from a variety of angles including close ups of the typeslugs, typesamples of the machine&#8217;s output, and even video of the machine in use. Serious typewriter sales people will list the serial numbers and the dates of manufacture, though many less serious sellers and &#8220;typewriter flippers&#8221; will have posted their machines to an online forum to crowdsource this information which they wouldn&#8217;t otherwise have.</p>
  1459. <p>This segment most deserves the warning: <strong>caveat emptor</strong> (buyer beware). If someone is selling a $500 machine that &#8220;works&#8221; without any proof and who says it &#8220;just needs new ribbon&#8221; (a simple purchase of $10 or less) hopefully shouldn&#8217;t be fooling anyone but themselves, yet I know it happens.</p>
  1460. <p>Facebook Marketplace is almost always local individuals, but can also include some pro shops from time to time. Prices can often be 2-3x what they ought to be, but you can visit machines in person, try them out, and negotiate things down based on the actual condition.</p>
  1461. <p>Craigslist.com is a reasonable space and often very much like Facebook Marketplace with a poorer UI.</p>
  1462. <p>eBay is an online auction space where some very professional repair people auction off their work along with thrift stores, antique stores, and the general public. It requires a bit of due diligence to suss out what&#8217;s being offered and the condition, but usually doesn&#8217;t allow the ability to actually test out the machine and see the exact condition first hand. There is a bit of protection if the shipped product doesn&#8217;t live up to the hype. Be careful of inexpensive &#8220;buy now&#8221; listings with exorbitant shipping prices in the $100+ range.</p>
  1463. <p>Etsy can have some excellent listings from a range of sellers, but it also tends toward the more expensive pricing end of the spectrum for what you end up receiving. Again, you can&#8217;t try before you buy here.</p>
  1464. <p>Offerup is a broad platform similar to Marketplace and Craigslist with some reasonable listings. Sadly some of the listings can be old and out of date or the seller is no longer paying attention to their account.</p>
  1465. <p>ShopGoodwill.com is a platform run by Goodwill that usually has a wide variety of dozens of machines every day from across the country. In addition to not being able to try before you buy, it can be very hit or miss to attempt to judge a machine&#8217;s condition solely on just a few photos. The level of expertise on typewriters is generally abysmally low here, so the level of detail about the machines for the non-expert is equally low and the packaging and shipment can be a problem in 10-20% of orders. This being said, one can get some excellent deals on standards on a regular basis in the $10-30 range and portables in the $30-60 range, particularly if you purchase from a local Goodwill that will allow the arrangement of an in-person pick up. This gets around $20-50 shipping fees and the potentiality of damage in shipping. Some of the higher end portables like the Olympia SM3 will go for $120 in unknown condition while the Hermes 3000 can go for $250 or more. At these rates, you&#8217;re far more likely to get better value by buying at a local repair shop.</p>
  1466. <p>Surely there are many other online options not listed here. I&#8217;m sure people will mention a few with caveats and reviews in the comments.</p>
  1467. <h3>Yard Sales &amp; Estate Sales</h3>
  1468. <p>You can find some really great machines at yard sales and estate sales, but the trade off is the time and effort you need to invest in searching for them, particularly if you have an idea of something specific you&#8217;re looking for. Here you&#8217;re trading the cheapness of a working $10-20 machine for a lot of searching time. Naturally this option probably isn&#8217;t the best one to take if you&#8217;re getting a typewriter as a gift for someone&#8217;s birthday this weekend. You&#8217;ll want to plan ahead and give yourself several weeks or months to hunt around for the right thing.</p>
  1469. <p>Sometimes sellers will think their machines are more valuable, but usually the $50-100+ machines can be negotiated down to a more reasonable $5-25 range. Usually if it&#8217;s out, it&#8217;s something they want to sell or get rid of.</p>
  1470. <p>With this route you can also directly put your hands on machines and at least test things out pretty thoroughly before committing to buying. If something is dirty or broken, you&#8217;ll see that pretty quickly compared to attempting to buy something poorly listed online. Be sure to bring your own paper and maybe even ribbon for testing if this is what you&#8217;re shopping for.</p>
  1471. <h3>Thrift Stores and Antique Stores</h3>
  1472. <p>These can be a great source for inexpensive and functional machines. Depending on the outlet, Antique stores will have a somewhat larger markup and won&#8217;t negotiate down as much as they ought to. </p>
  1473. <h3>Type-ins</h3>
  1474. <p>While in person <a href="https://type-in.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">type-ins</a> aren&#8217;t terribly frequent, they can be great places to meet other typewriter afficionados and get the chance to try out others&#8217; machines to see what sort of typewriter feels best to you. It&#8217;s not uncommon for participants to buy, sell, and trade typewriters at these events.</p>
  1475. <h2>Typewriter Service</h2>
  1476. <p>Beyond the <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2024/10/24/learning-typewriter-maintenance-and-repair/#United%20States%20Navy%20Training%20Films" target="_blank" rel="noopener">basic regular maintenance</a> of keeping dust out of your machine and occasionally changing your ribbon, you may require the <a href="https://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/tw-repair.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">service of a professional shop</a> for your initial purchase. This can be a relatively quick and inexpensive way to bring a machine up to fighting shape after decades of dusty disuse. It also does a lot more to support the broader art and craft of repair and the typewriter community.</p>
  1477. <p>If you&#8217;re handy and have even a bit of a mechanical bent, you can take advantage of a wide variety of online repair manuals <sup>[<a href="https://typewriterdatabase.com/manuals.php" target="_blank" rel="noopener">1</a>][<a href="https://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/tw-manuals.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2</a>]</sup> and <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2024/08/09/on-colloquial-advice-for-degreasing-cleaning-and-oiling-manual-typewriters/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cleaning advice</a>, <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2024/10/24/learning-typewriter-maintenance-and-repair/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">repair resources</a> and <a href="https://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">advice</a> including a huge number of <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2024/10/24/learning-typewriter-maintenance-and-repair/#Videos" target="_blank" rel="noopener">YouTube tutorials</a> for almost every typewriter out there. Doing this can be incredibly cost effective, but it always helps to have a relationship with your local shop for potential repair parts or maybe even a loaner if you need one.</p>
  1478. <p></p>
  1479. <h2>Other Inspiration and Information</h2>
  1480. <p>If you&#8217;ve got a favorite 20th century author of which you&#8217;re enamored and can&#8217;t make up your mind about a particular machine, perhaps you might consider a similar typewriter make and model to the one that person wrote with? Richard Polt keeps a <a href="https://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/typers.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">long list of writers, authors, and poets along with the typewriters they were historically known to have used</a> along with photographs. </p>
  1481. <p>If nothing else, it can also be inspiring as writer (or if you&#8217;re giving it as a gift) for the new typewriter&#8217;s owner to have an idea of other writers who have used that machine in the past. </p>
  1482. <p>As an example, I find it inspiring that the <a href="https://typewriterdatabase.com/Royal.KMG.72.bmys" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Royal KMG</a> I use regularly was manufactured from 1949-1952, and was known to have also been used by writers including Saul Bellow, Edward Abbey, Joan Didion, Elia Kazan, Arthur Miller, Mister Rogers, Rod Sterling, Carl Reiner, Grace Metalious, Wallace Stenger, John Ashbery, and George Sheehan. </p>
  1483. <p>Most typewriters aren&#8217;t sold with their original manuals, and if this is your case, then you might try checking out <a href="https://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/tw-manuals.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dr. Polt&#8217;s site to see if yours is available</a>. </p>
  1484. <p>Beyond this, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJtHauPh529XYHI5QNj5w9PUdi89pOXsS" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Just My Typewriter has a few short videos that&#8217;ll give you a crash course on Typewriter 101</a>. This includes some short videos on buying them (what to check for), using them, and even cleaning them. I&#8217;ve also <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/06/06/typewriter-use-and-maintenance-for-beginning-to-intermediate-typists/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">compiled a list of some period typewriter usage and typewriter maintenance films</a> to level up your typewriter &#8220;game&#8221;.</p>
  1485. <h3>A Note about Shipping Typewriters</h3>
  1486. <p>For the first time buyer, particularly with time constraints, it may seem like shipping a great looking machine is an excellent idea for the pittance of $20-40. Poor packaging of typewriters by untrained or ill-educated online shops is one of the leading deaths of typewriters. Even reasonably well packed machines can be dramatically damaged in shipment, so unless you&#8217;re purchasing from a shop that has lots of experience in shipping typewriters, save the money and hassle and buy something locally that you can pick up.</p>
  1487. <p>If you want to go deeper into the world of typewriters, collecting, using, repairing or even talking about them, I keep a <a href="https://boffosocko.com/research/typewriter-collection/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">list of useful typewriter resources</a>.</p>
  1488. <h2>Questions?</h2>
  1489. <p>Hopefully this has been a reasonably thorough precis of all the things I wish I had known before buying my first typewriter and encapsulates a lot of basic typewriter knowledge I&#8217;ve accumulated throughout the first fifty machines spanning my typewriter collection. If you have additional questions, feel free to ask below.</p>
  1490. <p>In the meanwhile, just jump in and start looking around. Good luck and happy hunting!</p>]]></content:encoded>
  1492. <wfw:commentRss>https://boffosocko.com/2025/03/29/first-time-typewriter-purchases-with-specific-recommendations-for-writers/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  1493. <slash:comments>7</slash:comments>
  1496. <friends:post-format>standard</friends:post-format>
  1497. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">55829214</post-id> </item>
  1498. <item>
  1499. <title></title>
  1500. <link>https://boffosocko.com/2025/03/27/1951-remington-super-riter-standard-typewriter/</link>
  1501. <comments>https://boffosocko.com/2025/03/27/1951-remington-super-riter-standard-typewriter/#comments</comments>
  1503. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Aldrich]]></dc:creator>
  1504. <pubDate>Fri, 28 Mar 2025 03:12:38 +0000</pubDate>
  1505. <category><![CDATA[Acquisition]]></category>
  1506. <category><![CDATA[Social Stream]]></category>
  1507. <category><![CDATA[Typewriters]]></category>
  1508. <category><![CDATA[Fold-A-Matic]]></category>
  1509. <category><![CDATA[Remington Super-Riter]]></category>
  1510. <category><![CDATA[Remington typewriters]]></category>
  1511. <category><![CDATA[typewriter collection]]></category>
  1512. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://boffosocko.com/?p=55829165</guid>
  1513.  
  1514. <description><![CDATA[
  1515. <div>
  1516. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/03/27/1951-remington-super-riter-standard-typewriter/"><img title="Frontal view of a 1951 Remington Super-Riter" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/wp-17431094763461731630768745761424.jpg?fit=750%2C563&ssl=1" alt="Frontal view down onto a 1951 Remington Super-Riter typewriter in brown crinkle paint. It is absolutely covered in dirt and dust from what seems like decades sitting in a barn." width="750" height="563" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  1517. </div>
  1518. Dirty as all get out, but seems to function nearly flawlessly. A full clean, oil, and adjust is mandatory as will be new ribbon, but in surprisingly solid condition for all the accumulated filth. Not all bad for a thrift purchase of $11.00.]]></description>
  1519. <content:encoded><![CDATA[
  1520. <section class="response h-product h-cite">
  1521. <header>
  1522. <span class="kind-display-text">Acquired</span> <a href="https://typewriterdatabase.com/1951-remington-superriter.25210.typewriter" class="p-name u-url">1951 Remington Super-Riter Standard Typewriter</a> by <span class="h-card p-author">Remington Rand, Inc.</span></header>
  1523. <blockquote class="e-summary">S/N: J2013204<br>
  1524. Remington Pica 534, 10 pitch typeface; 6 lines/inch</blockquote></section>
  1525.  
  1526.  
  1527. <div>
  1528. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/03/27/1951-remington-super-riter-standard-typewriter/"><img title="Frontal view of a 1951 Remington Super-Riter" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/wp-17431094763461731630768745761424.jpg?fit=750%2C563&ssl=1" alt="Frontal view down onto a 1951 Remington Super-Riter typewriter in brown crinkle paint. It is absolutely covered in dirt and dust from what seems like decades sitting in a barn." width="750" height="563" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  1529. </div>
  1530. <p>Dirty as all get out, but seems to function nearly flawlessly. A full clean, oil, and adjust is mandatory as will be new ribbon, but in surprisingly solid condition for all the accumulated filth. Not all bad for a thrift purchase of $11.00.</p>
  1531. <p></p>
  1532. <p></p>]]></content:encoded>
  1534. <wfw:commentRss>https://boffosocko.com/2025/03/27/1951-remington-super-riter-standard-typewriter/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  1535. <slash:comments>6</slash:comments>
  1538. <friends:post-format>status</friends:post-format>
  1539. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">55829165</post-id> </item>
  1540. <item>
  1541. <title></title>
  1542. <link>https://boffosocko.com/2025/03/27/industrial-typewriter-cleaning/</link>
  1543. <comments>https://boffosocko.com/2025/03/27/industrial-typewriter-cleaning/#comments</comments>
  1545. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Aldrich]]></dc:creator>
  1546. <pubDate>Thu, 27 Mar 2025 23:15:38 +0000</pubDate>
  1547. <category><![CDATA[Social Stream]]></category>
  1548. <category><![CDATA[Typewriters]]></category>
  1549. <category><![CDATA[Eaton Fire]]></category>
  1550. <category><![CDATA[hydroxyl generator]]></category>
  1551. <category><![CDATA[typewriter cleaning]]></category>
  1552. <category><![CDATA[typewriter restoration]]></category>
  1553. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://boffosocko.com/?p=55829161</guid>
  1554.  
  1555. <description><![CDATA[
  1556. <div>
  1557. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/03/27/industrial-typewriter-cleaning/"><img title="Removing the musty smell from a typewriter." src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/wp-1743109377009260615656178397926.jpg?fit=563%2C750&ssl=1" alt="A 1950s Smith Corona portable in a case sitting on a wooden floor in front of a large green box fan/Hydroxyl Generator" width="563" height="750" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  1558. </div>
  1559. Industrial typewriter cleaning Following the Eaton Fire catastrophe, our house is finally being cleaned. While the duct cleaners were here, I thought I&#8217;d break out a dirty Olympia SG3 and use the 175psi air compressor and industrial 300 pound air filtration to &#8220;dust&#8221; my machine. I now want one of these for the typewriter workshop! &#8230; <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/03/27/industrial-typewriter-cleaning/" class="more-link">Continue reading <span class="screen-reader-text"></span></a>]]></description>
  1560. <content:encoded><![CDATA[
  1561. <div>
  1562. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/03/27/industrial-typewriter-cleaning/"><img title="Removing the musty smell from a typewriter." src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/wp-1743109377009260615656178397926.jpg?fit=563%2C750&ssl=1" alt="A 1950s Smith Corona portable in a case sitting on a wooden floor in front of a large green box fan/Hydroxyl Generator" width="563" height="750" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  1563. </div>
  1564. <h2>Industrial typewriter cleaning</h2>
  1565. <p>Following the Eaton Fire catastrophe, our house is finally being cleaned. While the duct cleaners were here, I thought I&#8217;d break out a dirty Olympia SG3 and use the 175psi air compressor and industrial 300 pound air filtration to &#8220;dust&#8221; my machine. I now want one of these for the typewriter workshop!</p>
  1566. <p></p>
  1567. <p>People have previously asked about getting rid of the musty smell that some portable typewriters and their cases can have. Some have asked about ozone treatment, but since there&#8217;s a hydroxyl generator in the house for the next week, I thought I&#8217;d run a test on my mustiest and smelliest typewriter. Follow up details to come next week. </p>
  1568. <p></p>]]></content:encoded>
  1570. <wfw:commentRss>https://boffosocko.com/2025/03/27/industrial-typewriter-cleaning/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  1571. <slash:comments>4</slash:comments>
  1574. <friends:post-format>status</friends:post-format>
  1575. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">55829161</post-id> </item>
  1576. <item>
  1577. <title></title>
  1578. <link>https://boffosocko.com/2025/03/26/shipping-typewriters-in-packing-peanuts/</link>
  1579. <comments>https://boffosocko.com/2025/03/26/shipping-typewriters-in-packing-peanuts/#comments</comments>
  1581. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Aldrich]]></dc:creator>
  1582. <pubDate>Thu, 27 Mar 2025 05:00:15 +0000</pubDate>
  1583. <category><![CDATA[Social Stream]]></category>
  1584. <category><![CDATA[Typewriters]]></category>
  1585. <category><![CDATA[packing peanuts]]></category>
  1586. <category><![CDATA[shipping typewriters]]></category>
  1587. <category><![CDATA[typewriter cleaning]]></category>
  1588. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://boffosocko.com/?p=55829117</guid>
  1589.  
  1590. <description><![CDATA[
  1591. <div>
  1592. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/03/26/shipping-typewriters-in-packing-peanuts/"><img title="typewriter in packing peanuts" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/wp-17430513056012126062003608768455.jpg?fit=750%2C563&ssl=1" alt="An Olympia SG3 typewriter packed in a box full of packing peanuts." width="750" height="563" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  1593. </div>
  1594. One of the reasons one doesn&#8217;t ship typewriters in packing peanuts without completely first wrapping the typewriter with something first is that the typewriter will be full of packing peanuts by the time it arrives at its destination. Thirty minutes to clean peanuts out of every part of the machine is annoying.]]></description>
  1595. <content:encoded><![CDATA[
  1596. <div>
  1597. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/03/26/shipping-typewriters-in-packing-peanuts/"><img title="typewriter in packing peanuts" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/wp-17430513056012126062003608768455.jpg?fit=750%2C563&ssl=1" alt="An Olympia SG3 typewriter packed in a box full of packing peanuts." width="750" height="563" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  1598. </div>
  1599. <p>One of the reasons one doesn&#8217;t ship typewriters in packing peanuts without completely first wrapping the typewriter with something first is that the typewriter will be <strong>full</strong> of packing peanuts by the time it arrives at its destination. Thirty minutes to clean peanuts out of every part of the machine is annoying.</p>
  1600. <p></p>]]></content:encoded>
  1602. <wfw:commentRss>https://boffosocko.com/2025/03/26/shipping-typewriters-in-packing-peanuts/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  1603. <slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
  1606. <friends:post-format>status</friends:post-format>
  1607. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">55829117</post-id> </item>
  1608. <item>
  1609. <title></title>
  1610. <link>https://boffosocko.com/2025/03/26/acquisition-1977-olympia-sg3-standard-typewriter/</link>
  1611. <comments>https://boffosocko.com/2025/03/26/acquisition-1977-olympia-sg3-standard-typewriter/#comments</comments>
  1613. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Aldrich]]></dc:creator>
  1614. <pubDate>Thu, 27 Mar 2025 00:01:31 +0000</pubDate>
  1615. <category><![CDATA[Acquisition]]></category>
  1616. <category><![CDATA[Social Stream]]></category>
  1617. <category><![CDATA[Typewriters]]></category>
  1618. <category><![CDATA[Olympia SG3]]></category>
  1619. <category><![CDATA[typewriter collection]]></category>
  1620. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://boffosocko.com/?p=55829108</guid>
  1621.  
  1622. <description><![CDATA[
  1623. <div>
  1624. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/03/26/acquisition-1977-olympia-sg3-standard-typewriter/"><img title="1977 Olympia SG3 Typewriter hero" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/wp-17430300350101746146404391892146.jpg?fit=750%2C563&ssl=1" alt="Dark gray bodied Olympia SG3 typewriter with white hood sitting on a library card catalog. It&#039;s got an orange Olympia logo in the front right corner." width="750" height="563" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  1625. </div>
  1626. In generally solid shape out of the box. Some paint worn off body along the corners and a bit dusty with some white out to clean up. It&#8217;ll need some tweaks to the a few minor spots, but it should clean up to almost new pretty quickly. The one glaring issue is a needed tweak &#8230; <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/03/26/acquisition-1977-olympia-sg3-standard-typewriter/" class="more-link">Continue reading <span class="screen-reader-text"></span></a>]]></description>
  1627. <content:encoded><![CDATA[
  1628. <section class="response h-product h-cite">
  1629. <header>
  1630. <span class="kind-display-text">Acquired</span> <a href="https://typewriterdatabase.com/see.25201.typewriter" class="p-name u-url">1977 Olympia SG3 Standard Typewriter</a> by <span class="h-card p-author">Olympia Werke AG, Wilhelmshaven, Germany</span></header>
  1631. <blockquote class="e-summary">Serial Number: 7-3855889<br/>
  1632. Elite, 12 pitch, 6 lines/inch</blockquote></section>
  1633.  
  1634.  
  1635. <div>
  1636. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/03/26/acquisition-1977-olympia-sg3-standard-typewriter/"><img title="1977 Olympia SG3 Typewriter hero" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/wp-17430300350101746146404391892146.jpg?fit=750%2C563&ssl=1" alt="Dark gray bodied Olympia SG3 typewriter with white hood sitting on a library card catalog. It&#039;s got an orange Olympia logo in the front right corner." width="750" height="563" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  1637. </div>
  1638. <p>In generally solid shape out of the box. Some paint worn off body along the corners and a bit dusty with some white out to clean up. It&#8217;ll need some tweaks to the a few minor spots, but it should clean up to almost new pretty quickly.</p>
  1639. <p>The one glaring issue is a needed tweak to the spacebar to trip the escapement properly. The platen is pretty solid, needs new ribbon, screws on carriage tightened, a ring and cylinder adjustment, right carriage release is sticky, and tabs need some minor attention. Beyond this it is pure butter. What a lovely experience to type on. Who&#8217;d have thought such a thing possible in 1977?</p>
  1640. <p></p>
  1641. <p></p>
  1642. <p></p>
  1643. <p></p>
  1644. <p></p>
  1645. <p></p>]]></content:encoded>
  1647. <wfw:commentRss>https://boffosocko.com/2025/03/26/acquisition-1977-olympia-sg3-standard-typewriter/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  1648. <slash:comments>3</slash:comments>
  1651. <friends:post-format>status</friends:post-format>
  1652. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">55829108</post-id> </item>
  1653. <item>
  1654. <title>You&#8217;re invited to a Southern California Type-In!</title>
  1655. <link>https://boffosocko.com/2025/03/25/youre-invited-to-a-southern-california-type-in/</link>
  1656. <comments>https://boffosocko.com/2025/03/25/youre-invited-to-a-southern-california-type-in/#comments</comments>
  1658. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Aldrich]]></dc:creator>
  1659. <pubDate>Tue, 25 Mar 2025 18:30:51 +0000</pubDate>
  1660. <category><![CDATA[Events]]></category>
  1661. <category><![CDATA[Typewriters]]></category>
  1662. <category><![CDATA[Pasadena]]></category>
  1663. <category><![CDATA[type-ins]]></category>
  1664. <category><![CDATA[Vroman's Bookstore]]></category>
  1665. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://boffosocko.com/?p=55829044</guid>
  1666.  
  1667. <description><![CDATA[
  1668. <div>
  1669. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/03/25/youre-invited-to-a-southern-california-type-in/"><img title="Vroman&#039;s Bookstore entrance" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/wp-17429242581744677944416170346698.jpg?fit=750%2C563&ssl=1" alt="View of the front street entrance of Vroman&#039;s Bookstore. An elegant purple lettered sign hangs over the door. In the foreground is an artistic and quirky plastic red &quot;chair&quot; in front of a Little Free Library box. On the adjacent wall is the window for Tepito Coffee with a yellow lettered sign. Beside this is a painted wall mural featuring a typewriter painted in red with a page coming out of it that reads: I will forever be in love with you. And that&#039;s not fiction." width="750" height="563" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  1670. </div>
  1671. Date Saturday, May 10, 2025 Time 1:00 PM onwards Location Vroman&#8217;s Bookstore 695 E Colorado Blvd. Pasadena, CA 91101 2 blocks West of Lake Avenue, which has both East and Westbound exits off of the 210 Freeway. We&#8217;ll be meeting upstairs on the second floor.  Parking available behind the bookstore as well as on surrounding &#8230; <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/03/25/youre-invited-to-a-southern-california-type-in/" class="more-link">Continue reading <span class="screen-reader-text">You&#8217;re invited to a Southern California Type-In!</span></a>]]></description>
  1672. <content:encoded><![CDATA[
  1673. <div>
  1674. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/03/25/youre-invited-to-a-southern-california-type-in/"><img title="Vroman&#039;s Bookstore entrance" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/wp-17429242581744677944416170346698.jpg?fit=750%2C563&ssl=1" alt="View of the front street entrance of Vroman&#039;s Bookstore. An elegant purple lettered sign hangs over the door. In the foreground is an artistic and quirky plastic red &quot;chair&quot; in front of a Little Free Library box. On the adjacent wall is the window for Tepito Coffee with a yellow lettered sign. Beside this is a painted wall mural featuring a typewriter painted in red with a page coming out of it that reads: I will forever be in love with you. And that&#039;s not fiction." width="750" height="563" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  1675. </div>
  1676. <p><strong>Date</strong><br />
  1677. Saturday, May 10, 2025</p>
  1678. <p><strong>Time</strong><br />
  1679. 1:00 PM onwards</p>
  1680. <p><strong>Location</strong><br />
  1681. <a href="https://vromansbookstore.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Vroman&#8217;s Bookstore</a><br />
  1682. <a href="https://maps.app.goo.gl/qQDFhMWuBazXKXU46" target="_blank" rel="noopener">695 E Colorado Blvd.</a><br />
  1683. Pasadena, CA 91101</p>
  1684. <p>2 blocks West of Lake Avenue, which has both East and Westbound exits off of the 210 Freeway.<br />
  1685. We&#8217;ll be meeting upstairs on the second floor.  Parking available behind the bookstore as well as on surrounding streets. There is a handicapped accessible ramp (from the parking lot in rear) and entrance(s) with an elevator to the second floor as well.</p>
  1686. <p><iframe loading="lazy" style="border: 0;" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m18!1m12!1m3!1d3302.0103509918035!2d-118.1360919!3d34.146077299999995!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x80c2c3680468043b%3A0x9085cc0a2f1ed3d1!2sVroman's%20Bookstore!5e0!3m2!1sen!2sus!4v1742925567909!5m2!1sen!2sus" width="600" height="450" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
  1687. <h2>What is a Type-in?</h2>
  1688. <p><a href="https://type-in.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Type-ins</a> are community-based, family friendly events at which typewriter enthusiasts share their love for the analog art of putting ink onto paper with mechanical marvels of the late 19th through 20th centuries. To do this they bring one or more manual typewriters and their knowledge and love of the machines to share with the community. New friends share stories, history, repair tips, working methods, and other typewriterly ephemera. Typists of all ages and levels of ability are welcome.</p>
  1689. <p><strong>Typewriters optional</strong><br />
  1690. We definitely encourage those without their own machines to attend. With some luck and the kindness of new friends, you should be able to try out a variety of machines which are present in an effort to decide what styles and feel you might consider for purchasing one of your own one day. (Please kindly ask the owners&#8217; permission before trying a machine out.) If you&#8217;ve got multiple typewriters, feel free to bring an extra for a friend.</p>
  1691. <blockquote><p>“Like a jam session for people who like typewriters. You had unions do sit-ins and hippies do be-ins, so I thought, ‘We’ll do a type-in.’”<br />
  1692. —Michael McGettigan, 56, bike shop owner who coined the phrase</p></blockquote>
  1693. <h2>Activities during the afternoon</h2>
  1694. <ul>
  1695. <li>Basic typewriter demonstrations covering: use, maintenance, and repair; how to find/buy typewriters, how to date the year of manufacture of your machine, etc.</li>
  1696. <li>Type up a message about how much your Mother means to you (May 11th is Mother&#8217;s Day)</li>
  1697. <li>Speed typing contest</li>
  1698. <li>Writing! (naturally)
  1699. <ul>
  1700. <li>poetry competition</li>
  1701. <li>letter and postcard writing;  bring some stationery/envelopes/stamps to write letters to friends &amp; loved ones</li>
  1702. <li>Typing prompts for those who need inspiration for writing</li>
  1703. </ul>
  1704. </li>
  1705. <li>Typewriter Art &#8211; composing visual pictures using ink on paper</li>
  1706. <li>Cadavre Exquis &#8211; a dedicated typewriter with paper is set up for participants to compose and write a group story, each taking turns throughout the event at writing one sentence at a time.</li>
  1707. <li>Impromptu lightning talks of 3-5 minutes on topics like &#8220;how to buy a typewriter&#8221;, &#8220;how to get into home typewriter repair&#8221;, &#8220;how to work a typewriter into your daily writing routine&#8221;, &#8220;how to join the Typosphere&#8221; etc.</li>
  1708. <li>Participants are encouraged to type up their experiences of the event for posting to their personal websites (aka the Typosphere).</li>
  1709. <li>Meet new pen pals to start exchanging letters via typewriter and post</li>
  1710. <li>Selfies with the typewriter mural on the front of the bookstore.</li>
  1711. <li>Typewriter repair advice: Have a broken machine and not sure what&#8217;s wrong? Get some advice from the community.</li>
  1712. <li>Bring and share your own ideas&#8230; What do you use your typewriter for?</li>
  1713. </ul>
  1714. <h2>Vroman&#8217;s Bookstore</h2>
  1715. <p>Vroman&#8217;s Bookstore is a Pasadena institution and SoCal&#8217;s oldest indie bookstore since 1894 (almost as old as the invention of the typewriter itself!) While you&#8217;re visiting, be sure to check out not only their book selection, but their gifts and cards; the wide array of notebooks, stationery items and their fantastic fountain pen counter; and their children&#8217;s section. Downstairs stop by their and their excellent <a href="https://vromans1894.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wine bar</a> or <a href="https://www.tepitocoffee.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tepito Coffee Shop</a> which will be open for snacks and beverages throughout the day.</p>
  1716. <p>Looking for Typewriter-related books while you&#8217;re there? Ask for some of the following:</p>
  1717. <ul>
  1718. <li>The Typewriter Revolution: A Typist&#8217;s Companion for the 21st Century by Richard Polt (Countryman Press, 2015)</li>
  1719. <li>Uncommon Type: Some Stories by Tom Hanks (Knopf, 2017)</li>
  1720. <li>Typewriter Beach: A Novel by Meg Waite Clayton (Harper, July 2025)</li>
  1721. <li>Yankees, Typewriters, Scandals, and Cooperstown: A Baseball Memoir by Bill Madden (Triumph, April 2025)</li>
  1722. <li>Olivetti by Allie Millington (Feiwel &amp; Friends, 2024)</li>
  1723. <li>Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin (Simon &amp; Schuster, 2003) as well as other follow up books in the series</li>
  1724. </ul>
  1725. <figure id="attachment_55822975" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-55822975" style="width: 660px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-55822975" class="wp-caption-text">Who&#8217;s ready for a type-in?!?</figcaption></figure>
  1726. <h2>RSVP &amp; Questions</h2>
  1727. <p>Our meeting space, which is frequently used for author talks and book signings, should be adequate, but please RSVP (with your expected number of typewriters) so we can plan for the appropriate amount of tables and chairs.</p>
  1728. <p>Questions? Media queries? Contact: ChrisAldrich@jhu.edu</p>]]></content:encoded>
  1730. <wfw:commentRss>https://boffosocko.com/2025/03/25/youre-invited-to-a-southern-california-type-in/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  1731. <slash:comments>12</slash:comments>
  1734. <friends:post-format>standard</friends:post-format>
  1735. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">55829044</post-id> </item>
  1736. <item>
  1737. <title>Standard Typewriters versus Portable Typewriters and Ultraportable Typewriters</title>
  1738. <link>https://boffosocko.com/2025/03/21/standard-typewriters-versus-portable-typewriters-and-ultraportable-typewriters/</link>
  1739. <comments>https://boffosocko.com/2025/03/21/standard-typewriters-versus-portable-typewriters-and-ultraportable-typewriters/#comments</comments>
  1741. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Aldrich]]></dc:creator>
  1742. <pubDate>Fri, 21 Mar 2025 20:34:16 +0000</pubDate>
  1743. <category><![CDATA[Typewriters]]></category>
  1744. <category><![CDATA[portable typewriters]]></category>
  1745. <category><![CDATA[standard typewriters]]></category>
  1746. <category><![CDATA[typewriter collecting]]></category>
  1747. <category><![CDATA[typewriter features]]></category>
  1748. <category><![CDATA[typewriter manufacturing]]></category>
  1749. <category><![CDATA[typewriter repair]]></category>
  1750. <category><![CDATA[ultraportable typewriters]]></category>
  1751. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://boffosocko.com/?p=55828914</guid>
  1752.  
  1753. <description><![CDATA[
  1754. <div>
  1755. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/03/21/standard-typewriters-versus-portable-typewriters-and-ultraportable-typewriters/"><img title="The Royal KMG and the Quiet De Luxe" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/wp-17300608268008946648238272439230.jpg?fit=750%2C563&ssl=1" alt="A hulking gray 1950 Royal KMG standard typewriter next to it&#039;s much smaller relative, the 1949 Royal Quiet De Luxe as they sit on an oak library card catalog." width="750" height="563" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  1756. </div>
  1757. Within the typewriter space there are three broad categories of typewriters primarily based on size: Standard (or office or desktop) typewriters were designed and meant for use in a stationary location, most often an office where they would be used for 8 hours a day (or more), every day of the work week. These typewriters, &#8230; <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/03/21/standard-typewriters-versus-portable-typewriters-and-ultraportable-typewriters/" class="more-link">Continue reading <span class="screen-reader-text">Standard Typewriters versus Portable Typewriters and Ultraportable Typewriters</span></a>]]></description>
  1758. <content:encoded><![CDATA[
  1759. <div>
  1760. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/03/21/standard-typewriters-versus-portable-typewriters-and-ultraportable-typewriters/"><img title="The Royal KMG and the Quiet De Luxe" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/wp-17300608268008946648238272439230.jpg?fit=750%2C563&ssl=1" alt="A hulking gray 1950 Royal KMG standard typewriter next to it&#039;s much smaller relative, the 1949 Royal Quiet De Luxe as they sit on an oak library card catalog." width="750" height="563" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  1761. </div>
  1762. <p>Within the typewriter space there are three broad categories of typewriters primarily based on size:</p>
  1763. <p><strong>Standard (or office or desktop) typewriters</strong> were designed and meant for use in a stationary location, most often an office where they would be used for 8 hours a day (or more), every day of the work week. These typewriters, often tipping the scales at 25-40 pounds each, were made to take the heavy abuse of a daily typing and could be &#8220;pounded out&#8221; for 3-4 years before they were often given overhauls or remanufactured.</p>
  1764. <p><strong>Portable typewriters</strong> were designed for greater portability and began appearing in the 1920s and in much greater numbers into the 1970s and early 1980s. Their sales were geared toward people who needed greater portability or who didn&#8217;t need a machine out on a daily basis the way in which businesses did. They were most often sold in small rectangular cases to aid in their portability as well as storability in cars, trains, airplanes, or even one&#8217;s closet when they weren&#8217;t in use. They often ranged from 15-25 pounds including their case. Most of these machines were sold to individual users for occasional rather than daily typing, and they often had a broader range of styling and colors throughout the years to appeal to the individual buyers.</p>
  1765. <p><strong>Ultraportable typewriters</strong> were designed for the typist or writer constantly on the go. They typically had a low profile, were lightweight (under 15 pounds with their cases), and obviously easy to carry around on a regular basis. These machines generally didn&#8217;t have all of the frills or features of their larger counterparts but obviously got the job done well enough. Traveling journalists were originally one of the primary audiences here.</p>
  1766. <h2>Which is better?</h2>
  1767. <p>The &#8220;best&#8221; typewriter is going to be a <em>highly</em> personal choice. It will be based in part on a wide variety of factors and variables including:</p>
  1768. <ul>
  1769. <li> the condition (does it function? how does it function? how clean is it? have parts been replaced, repaired, or restored? is it serviced? is it well adjusted?);</li>
  1770. <li>what your preference is in terms of functionality (do you need tabs? bichrome ribbon? card fingers? typeface? other?);</li>
  1771. <li>your personal touch preference (how it feels to you when you type on it, how you enjoy and appreciate it);</li>
  1772. <li>the price;</li>
  1773. <li>your personal aesthetic (do you like older machines, newer machines, something with a pop of color versus industrial office drab, crinkle paint versus flat, metal versus plastic, and a slew of other design sensibilities, etc.)</li>
  1774. <li>how are you using your typewriters? Are you actively using them to write, collecting them, displaying them, or a combination of all of these?</li>
  1775. </ul>
  1776. <p>Beyond these variables the three broad categories of typewriters will differentiate themselves along the lines of size, portability, and design, and manufacturing quality, functionality, and durability.</p>
  1777. <h2>Size, Portability, and Design</h2>
  1778. <p>Obviously the smaller and lighter a machine is, the easier it is to carry. The ultraportables and portables will win out here. They&#8217;re designed to be moved around easily: pop it out, write, put it away when you&#8217;re done. Collectors love them because you can store or display them easily on shelves or stack them up in closets or other storage spaces. You can keep several dozen machines on a shelving unit or tuck them away under a bed or behind a couch.</p>
  1779. <p>Standard machines are moveable, but require some additional reasonable effort. It&#8217;s more bothersome to pick up a Royal HH, especially with a wide carriage, and move it across the house from your office to your living room or out onto the porch. It&#8217;s equally as bothersome to swap one standard from a display shelf with another so you can use it. This doesn&#8217;t mean that it can&#8217;t be done, but you&#8217;re not as likely to want to do it every day. With standards you plan to actively use on a regular basis, you&#8217;re going to want a permanent desk or typewriter stand to keep it on. If you&#8217;re storing or displaying standards, they require dusting maintenance or covers and take up much more space as they aren&#8217;t easily stackable. Standards tend to be deeper and require a larger shelf if you&#8217;re going to display them that way. (Be sure to measure as most standard bookshelves aren&#8217;t deep enough for most typewriters if that&#8217;s how you intend to display them.)</p>
  1780. <p>If you&#8217;re a day-to-day typist with only one or two typewriters, these problems aren&#8217;t terribly bad. If you&#8217;re a collector with 5-10 machines these considerations start to become more bothersome. Once you&#8217;ve got more than 25 machines in your collection, you&#8217;re going to want to start making different choices and plans about storage and display versus use.</p>
  1781. <p>When it comes to design, there are a lot more choices of body styles, colors, materials, and variety in the portable and ultraportable space. Even if the internals of a portable were relatively stable, the body styles and shapes changed every year or two. By comparison, the standard typewriters meant for office use tended to have more limited color palates (if you could call industrial blacks, grays, and browns a palate) and body stylings.</p>
  1782. <p>As an example, in the Royal line of standard typewriters, almost nothing changed functionality-wise from the Royal Ten through the H (and related KH, KHM, and KHT variants), KMM, KMG, HH, FP, Empress, and 440. This covers from about 1912 to 1968 with the same internal mechanics. It was just small changes in the body styles which moved very slowly and were generally only offered in one or two colors until the more colorful options on the Royal FP were introduced in the very late 1950s.</p>
  1783. <h2>Manufacturing, Quality, Functionality, and Durability</h2>
  1784. <p>The level of manufacturing and quality when it comes to typewriter categories is a much more subtle subject as it&#8217;s not as immediately seen as the size and portability factors.</p>
  1785. <p>Because of their use cases, standard machines were built with more solid materials using higher manufacturing tolerances and usually better quality steel (or other materials). They were designed to be pounded on every day for 8 or more hours a day for years at a time. While some portables may have been used this way, most weren&#8217;t and surely almost no ultraportables were. Most of the serious abuse that smaller and lighter machines took was generally to their cases in being moved around as well as to the various body panels from being put into and out of their cases. (Smith-Corona portables are notorious for scratches on the rear panels from the rear metal cleat in their cases and some of the Remingtons&#8217; front &#8220;chins&#8221; from the late 40s case designs.)</p>
  1786. <p>Standards use in business also meant that the alignments and visual outputs were held to higher standards than their lighter counterparts which were more often used for personal correspondence or draft quality work. This required better tolerances to allow for the abuse versus the expected type quality and alignment. The quality differences are less apparent on some of the 1950 American made Smith-Corona 5 series or the incredibly well engineered German Olympias and Swiss Hermes portables of the 1950s and 1960s.</p>
  1787. <p>The quality issue becomes rapidly more apparent into the 1970s and 1980s when cheaper materials and plastic were being used in portable typewriter manufacture as machines were being mass produced by only a few companies and primarily only out of Japan. These quality issues are now at their zenith in the new millennium with cheap typewriters made by the Shanghai Weilv Mechanism Company in China. Their new typewriter offerings under a variety of brand names including Rover, Royal Epoch, We R Memory Keepers, Royal Classic, and The Oliver Typewriter Company are widely known in the typewriter community for their dreadful quality control, cheap plastic, and both poor and unserviceable type alignment issues.</p>
  1788. <p>Because they had additional interior space and engineering capacity, standards also have better adjustment points for accommodating a variety of touch needs for the end user. At the time, most standards were generally serviced in-house by travelling repair people who had the ability to help typists adjust the machines to their particular touch needs. I&#8217;ve yet to run across a portable Smith-Corona whose primary touch control actually effectuated any difference at all, though they do have a variety of other more subtle/hidden touch controls which require advanced knowledge of the machines.</p>
  1789. <p>From a functionality perspective also differentiated across their use cases, most standard typewriters came with the full component of features offered in typewriters of their respective times. As an example, standards almost always came with tabulators and easier exchangeability of platens. Portable models often used tabulators as an additional mark up feature that cost more if you wanted them and platens were not easily swapped except on the highest end models and generally not until later into the 1950s. Here the range of subtle feature differences seen on the Smith-Corona 5 series portables is illustrative with the Clipper at the low end followed by the Sterling, the Silent, and the Silent Super at the highest end with the most features. On the German Olympias, the primary differentiating feature between the SM2, SM3, and SM4 is tabulator functionality and how easy it is to use if it&#8217;s available. Other features like bichrome ribbon, sturdier paper bales, paper table alignment features were considered optional on some portables and wholly missing on ultraportables which may have left them out completely. If you&#8217;re looking for a machine that has everything, usually a standard typewriter is your go-to choice. One of the few options on standard machines was a decimal tabulator for aligning accounting-based work.</p>
  1790. <p>While it may not have been as obvious in the midcentury, there are very subtle functionalities that standard typewriters offer to modern users who are looking for distraction-free writing affordances. While all typewriters have a greater level of distraction-free affordances in comparison to computers, standards offer two additional ones which may be wholly overlooked. As they&#8217;re less portable, they usually require a dedicated space for use which tends to call out to (or alternately guilt) the writer to sit down and concentrate on writing. The other is that the standard&#8217;s significantly larger size takes up a larger amount of area in your field of view while sitting at it. This tends to cut down on other visual distractions to the writer while sitting at the machine and working. Less distraction helps the concentration and, ideally, your ultimate output.</p>
  1791. <p>Finally, it bears a moment to look at typewriter serviceability. This is especially important now as the once ubiquitous typewriter repair shop doesn&#8217;t exist and aficionados and hobbyists do a lot of home repair. Since standard office machines saw near-constant use, their size made them much easier to get into and service, particularly by traveling repair technicians. Portables and ultraportables are much smaller and far more compact which requires more work and effort to open up and service when things go wrong or need repair. This size difference also means requiring a lot more patience and care as well as possibly smaller and/or different tools when doing service work on portables and ultraportables.</p>
  1792. <p>Hopefully this covers most of the finer points in choosing between the three broad types of typewriters for both the novice typist as well as the more practiced hands. If you&#8217;ve got questions or have noticed other subtleties in the differences between the three, I&#8217;d love to hear them.</p>]]></content:encoded>
  1794. <wfw:commentRss>https://boffosocko.com/2025/03/21/standard-typewriters-versus-portable-typewriters-and-ultraportable-typewriters/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  1795. <slash:comments>8</slash:comments>
  1798. <friends:post-format>standard</friends:post-format>
  1799. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">55828914</post-id> </item>
  1800. <item>
  1801. <title>Save the Date: A Southern California Type-In on May 10, 2025</title>
  1802. <link>https://boffosocko.com/2025/03/20/save-the-date-a-southern-california-type-in-on-may-10-2025/</link>
  1803. <comments>https://boffosocko.com/2025/03/20/save-the-date-a-southern-california-type-in-on-may-10-2025/#comments</comments>
  1805. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Aldrich]]></dc:creator>
  1806. <pubDate>Thu, 20 Mar 2025 17:46:33 +0000</pubDate>
  1807. <category><![CDATA[Events]]></category>
  1808. <category><![CDATA[Typewriters]]></category>
  1809. <category><![CDATA[Pasadena]]></category>
  1810. <category><![CDATA[save the date]]></category>
  1811. <category><![CDATA[type-ins]]></category>
  1812. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://boffosocko.com/?p=55828837</guid>
  1813.  
  1814. <description><![CDATA[
  1815. <div>
  1816. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/03/20/save-the-date-a-southern-california-type-in-on-may-10-2025/"><img title="Typewriter collection set up for a type-in" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/wp-1715623153974668920892920990135.jpg?fit=750%2C563&ssl=1" alt="Two rows of four typewriters each lined up on opposite sides of a table." width="750" height="563" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  1817. </div>
  1818. I&#8217;ve been in conversation with a local bookstore in Pasadena to help host a type-in in Southern California. We&#8217;re making plans for Saturday afternoon on May 10th from 1:00 PM onward.  So mark your calendars, limber your fingers, and start tuning up your favorite typewriter(s)! More details and specifics to come shortly.  If you&#8217;re nearby &#8230; <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/03/20/save-the-date-a-southern-california-type-in-on-may-10-2025/" class="more-link">Continue reading <span class="screen-reader-text">Save the Date: A Southern California Type-In on May 10, 2025</span></a>]]></description>
  1819. <content:encoded><![CDATA[
  1820. <div>
  1821. <a href="https://boffosocko.com/2025/03/20/save-the-date-a-southern-california-type-in-on-may-10-2025/"><img title="Typewriter collection set up for a type-in" src="https://i0.wp.com/boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/wp-1715623153974668920892920990135.jpg?fit=750%2C563&ssl=1" alt="Two rows of four typewriters each lined up on opposite sides of a table." width="750" height="563" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;" /></a>
  1822. </div>
  1823. <p>I&#8217;ve been in conversation with a local bookstore in Pasadena to help host a <a href="https://type-in.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">type-in</a> in Southern California. We&#8217;re making plans for Saturday afternoon on May 10th from 1:00 PM onward. </p>
  1824. <p>So mark your calendars, limber your fingers, and start tuning up your favorite typewriter(s)! More details and specifics to come shortly. </p>
  1825. <p>If you&#8217;re nearby and can spare some time to help volunteer, drop me a line. </p>]]></content:encoded>
  1827. <wfw:commentRss>https://boffosocko.com/2025/03/20/save-the-date-a-southern-california-type-in-on-may-10-2025/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  1828. <slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
  1831. <friends:post-format>standard</friends:post-format>
  1832. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">55828837</post-id> </item>
  1833. <item>
  1834. <title></title>
  1835. <link>https://boffosocko.com/2025/03/11/55828604/</link>
  1836. <comments>https://boffosocko.com/2025/03/11/55828604/#respond</comments>
  1838. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Aldrich]]></dc:creator>
  1839. <pubDate>Tue, 11 Mar 2025 19:17:58 +0000</pubDate>
  1840. <category><![CDATA[Social Stream]]></category>
  1841. <category><![CDATA[Eaton Fire]]></category>
  1842. <category><![CDATA[evacuation warnings]]></category>
  1843. <category><![CDATA[marked safe]]></category>
  1844. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://boffosocko.com/?p=55828604</guid>
  1845.  
  1846. <description><![CDATA[Great! Another evacuation warning. This time instead of for catastrophic fire, it&#8217;s for rain and potential mudslides from the burn scar. Fortunately (?) I&#8217;m still evacuated from January 7th about 6 miles south.]]></description>
  1847. <content:encoded><![CDATA[
  1848. <section class="response u-read-of u-bookmark-of h-cite">
  1849. <header>
  1850. <span class="kind-display-text">Read</span> <a href="https://protect.genasys.com/zones/US-CA-XLA-ALD-MIDLOTHIAN?z=13.779650633153715&latlon=2.842170943040401e-14%2C-118.10532360000002" class="p-name u-url">ALD-Midlothian Evacuation Warning</a> <em>(<span class="p-publication">Genasys Protect</span>)</em></header>
  1851. <blockquote class="e-summary">03/11/25 11:54am: Deputies are in the field notifying residents of local mud/debris flow risk from EATON FIRE burn scar. The areas near the San Gabriel Foothills in Altadena are under EVACUATION WARNING until at least 3/13/25 6pm due to risk of losing access. PREPARE NOW. More info at alertla.org.</blockquote></section>
  1852.  
  1853. <p>Great! Another evacuation warning. This time instead of for catastrophic fire, it&#8217;s for rain and potential mudslides from the burn scar.</p>
  1854. <p>Fortunately (?) I&#8217;m still evacuated from January 7th about 6 miles south.</p>]]></content:encoded>
  1856. <wfw:commentRss>https://boffosocko.com/2025/03/11/55828604/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  1857. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
  1860. <friends:post-format>link</friends:post-format>
  1861. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">55828604</post-id> </item>
  1862. </channel>
  1863. </rss>
  1864.  

If you would like to create a banner that links to this page (i.e. this validation result), do the following:

  1. Download the "valid RSS" banner.

  2. Upload the image to your own server. (This step is important. Please do not link directly to the image on this server.)

  3. Add this HTML to your page (change the image src attribute if necessary):

If you would like to create a text link instead, here is the URL you can use:

http://www.feedvalidator.org/check.cgi?url=https%3A//boffosocko.com/feed/

Home · About · News · Docs · Terms

 
Copyright © 2002-9 Sam Ruby, Mark Pilgrim, Joseph Walton, and Phil Ringnalda