Welcome back Monda. Three typewriters? Sounds like the old joke about having one in the back seat of your car, and returning to find the rear window smashed with two new typers added to the mix.
I hate to think that the wonder boys at Acme were unable to bring Bess back into fighting shape, but I suppose even the typewriters cannot endure heinous neglect.
To me, the '50s Remmies look like the cars you would see in old cartoons: foreward-leaning, a bit too tall in the windscreen, totally defeating its hyper-enthusiastic conceit at airstreaming. They look best at someone else's desk.
I think there were two '50s Quiet DeLuxes: a rather plain-Jane one, and one with lots of swooshy chrome bits. I haven't seen many of the fancy ones.
I hope you can get the Speedline in tip-top shape. Those really are beautiful machines. Belying its name, the Sterlings were in the middle of the Speedline hierarchy. The Silents were the top of the line. You didn't get a proper paper bail with any of the others. About my only complaint with the Speedlines is that something changed in the post-war design that made them abnormally susceptible to random extraneous spacing. Of my five, all three of the post-war machines do that, and neither of the pre-wars do.
Of course, looks aren't everything. Compare a Valentine to any same-era Olympia, beauty vs. beast. Which would you rather use for an extended period of time?
Regarding spacing: I'm glad you said that! I've noticed spasmodic spacing on the restored Silent-Super, and thought that it was just some quirk of the machine. It's still probably operator error, but at least I know that it's endemic to the breed.
The Quiet-Riter is mine, after much hemming and hawing and whining and complaining about it. A few things tipped me over:
1) Your glowing review, Monda, and my own eventual in-store test. The action is indeed smooth and snappy, even before my usual TLC routine.
2) 50% off day at Salvation Army. Half off!
There was no doubt in my mind after that. There's the usual amount of de-crudding required, and the space bar wants to disengage itself for some reason, but I'm most please. And, it already has a name. "Moses" ("Moe" to his friends.) Named for his stoic, reliable countenance, for professing "Miracle Tabs", and for being plucked from the thrift-store bulrushes.
I need to get his space bar situation solved: it seems to be the bar that the space pivots around wants to slip out of a hole in the frame. Hmm. Amd he's got a slightly bent bar period key, and is missing the wee plastic nubbin of the ribbon-color select, but none of these were show-stoppers.
I'll work on pictures over the weekend if I can get him cleaned up.
13 comments → A Remington, a Royal, and a Smith Corona walk into a bar . . .
You know what is the darndest thing, your site says it has an RSS feed, but my web site doesn't seem to pick it up. Frustrating!
Looking forward to the pictures. Welcome back!
I just added the new blogger RSS feed widget. Let's see if that works.
Off to take pictures now...
Welcome back Monda. Three typewriters? Sounds like the old joke about having one in the back seat of your car, and returning to find the rear window smashed with two new typers added to the mix.
I hate to think that the wonder boys at Acme were unable to bring Bess back into fighting shape, but I suppose even the typewriters cannot endure heinous neglect.
Looking forward to the pictures.
To me, the '50s Remmies look like the cars you would see in old cartoons: foreward-leaning, a bit too tall in the windscreen, totally defeating its hyper-enthusiastic conceit at airstreaming. They look best at someone else's desk.
I think there were two '50s Quiet DeLuxes: a rather plain-Jane one, and one with lots of swooshy chrome bits. I haven't seen many of the fancy ones.
I hope you can get the Speedline in tip-top shape. Those really are beautiful machines. Belying its name, the Sterlings were in the middle of the Speedline hierarchy. The Silents were the top of the line. You didn't get a proper paper bail with any of the others. About my only complaint with the Speedlines is that something changed in the post-war design that made them abnormally susceptible to random extraneous spacing. Of my five, all three of the post-war machines do that, and neither of the pre-wars do.
Anyway, welcome back!
Of course, looks aren't everything. Compare a Valentine to any same-era Olympia, beauty vs. beast. Which would you rather use for an extended period of time?
Regarding spacing: I'm glad you said that! I've noticed spasmodic spacing on the restored Silent-Super, and thought that it was just some quirk of the machine. It's still probably operator error, but at least I know that it's endemic to the breed.
Just spent an effortless hour and a half on that typewriter. I think I need to paint it pink.
As is, it WOULD look better on someone else's desk.
Oh, and for those of you with RSS feeds . . . it seems Feedburner is particular about typos in the feed address. Can you imagine? I fixed it.
Now all I have to do is learn how to use my cell phone.
Well, I finally did it.
The Quiet-Riter is mine, after much hemming and hawing and whining and complaining about it. A few things tipped me over:
1) Your glowing review, Monda, and my own eventual in-store test. The action is indeed smooth and snappy, even before my usual TLC routine.
2) 50% off day at Salvation Army. Half off!
There was no doubt in my mind after that. There's the usual amount of de-crudding required, and the space bar wants to disengage itself for some reason, but I'm most please. And, it already has a name. "Moses" ("Moe" to his friends.) Named for his stoic, reliable countenance, for professing "Miracle Tabs", and for being plucked from the thrift-store bulrushes.
Moses is an excellent choice! Especially since the color of that machine is so like that of the plague-toads.
I knew you'd like it. Promise pictures! I've got to get mine on here in a hurry so we can compare monsters.
I need to get his space bar situation solved: it seems to be the bar that the space pivots around wants to slip out of a hole in the frame. Hmm. Amd he's got a slightly bent bar period key, and is missing the wee plastic nubbin of the ribbon-color select, but none of these were show-stoppers.
I'll work on pictures over the weekend if I can get him cleaned up.
Spacebar solved! Read all about it.
This is perfect because I got an excellent inspiration in order to make my writings too, I can see this is really original totally full of passion.
great post
Im also waiting for the pics, the post is excellent by the way.
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