Category: Typewriters

Looking at six: Reliance, Woodstock, Remington, Underwood & Royal 5 & 10

When I was in high school a friend of mine bought a brand new 1970’s something Ford Pinto… he opened the hood and explained to me just how little he thought of the components that made up his car.  But it was brand new.  I was driving a decade old (plus some) Thunderbird and loving it.  Another friend had a 64 Mustang that he considered a hand-me-down and really wanted a Firebird.   A 57 Chevy was something your Grandparents owned …   A VW “Thing” was cool… Gremlins were interesting… Bugs were everywhere and the only truly important thing was to drive… anything that moved… was better than the bus or walking.

Time places it own take on the value of a car made 40 years ago. Looking back on typewriters made 90 years ago… I start to think would I buy a fully featured used typewriter or a brand new low-priced one. Where I live someone owns a 1970’s Ford Pinto (not me) and another a Yellow 1959 Caddy… guess which one draws a crowd?   Nothing wrong with that Pinto.  Noting wrong with a Reliance… either (which for some reason I keep wanting to call Reliant).

Six typewriters from the early years...
Six typewriters from the early years…

 

 

 

The Something else: Reliance Premier

I came across this Reliance Premier (my something else)…  a week before the Woodstock; and almost one week after the Woodstock the Premier arrives.  USPS slow but arrived in perfect shape.  When I did research on this typewriter I visited the Yahoo Typewriter Forum and found a post from 2004 entitled “Reliance Premier / typewriter desecration” about someone cutting off the keys… and selling them separate from the typewriter… I thought I could save this machine from such a fate.

My understanding is that only 12,000 of these machines were ever made.   Someone kept this one in great shape.

Saving a Reliance Premier... because I could...
Saving a Reliance Premier… because I could…

 

Learning Curve….

I tell myself its just metal.  When you think of what we do to frogs in high-school… what does it mean to open up a typewriter and poke around its insides?  To learn often brings with it mistakes… one of mine was with a Smith Corona Galaxie XII (Question Marks are over Rated)…  this machine worked great… the type was clear and no issues at all.  Then I had to see what the problem was.  The result my Blue SC bought the farm and became an organ donor and a lesson in how not to fix a question… that was better left unanswered.

Do no harm... how I fixed my 1975 Smith Corona Galaxie XII (not).
Do no harm… how I fixed my 1975 Smith Corona Galaxie XII (not).

Factory Rebuilt vs Orginal… Early Woodstock

Like a mutt…. a rebuilt typewriter can come from many parents.  Like a dog from the pound the mutt may have many advantages over the pure-breed.  I look at my rebuilt Woodstock and know it has had a long and productive life and been used a great deal.  My old Woodstock may have been repaired or well taken care of… but for the most part retains its “as bought” function and appearance.  After 96 years does it matter.

In the long run it does not.

A Woodstock as made in 1917 & 1917 Woodstock rebuilt.
A Woodstock as made in 1917 & 1917 Woodstock rebuilt.

Day two with the Royal 5

After 24 hours… it seemed important to recall how I felt when I first opened the box with this 100 year old machine in it.  To be honest the box seemed much too thin to hold a typewriter  and it was pushed in on top.  Turned out to have had lots of head room… with no cushioning underneath… but the machine looked serene and perfect.  I was amazed.

When I pressed the type bar nothing happened… when I pressed the key’s nothing… I put on a new ribbon… they did not turn… I was feeling very sad when I pressed a key again… nothing… then I got up to leave and the carriage moved a “flicker”… the rest is history.

Gerald

They just want to be used. The 1913 Royal 5 types better each day.
They just want to be used. The 1913 Royal 5 types better each day.

121 Posts late…the Royal 5 (1913)

I had my mind set on typing my 100th post on a century old typewriter.  It was not meant to be… but when I approached my 200th posts the thoughts ran through my head.

Then I saw a Royal 5 on Ebay.  The price was higher than I wanted to pay… but then I thought what if I offered what I was willing to pay for my 100th post (actually a little less) and wonders of wonders my offer was accepted.  It will be interesting to note the difference between this typed page and my 300th post after I’ve had time to clean things up a bit.

Best of all to all..

Gerald

Took a while but I have my Royal 5 flatbed... (1913)
Took a while but I have my Royal 5 flatbed… (1913)