Typewriter Wiki - User contributions [en]

Olympia-Werke

2025-01-12T18:17:10Z

SCCourier: Created the page and added some stuff about the company's early history.

'''Olympia-Werke AG''', more commonly '''Olympia''', was a German typewriter company that also made adding machines.

= History =
Olympia was founded as Union Schreibmaschinen Gesellschaft m.b.H. in 1903 to sell the AEG Mignon. In 1936, the name of the company was changed to Olympia Büromaschinenwerke AG. During WWII, it manufactured models such as the Olympia Robust for the Nazi military.

Royal KMM

2025-01-12T17:58:32Z

SCCourier: Added some more detail about the years of manufacture.

[[Category:Typewriter]]

In 1939, Royal sought to create a successor to its existing [[Royal KHM| "KHM"]] model. The KMM was the result. Featuring a new "Magic-Margin" system seen on many other Royal machines, the KMM is a very common standard machine that writes well. They were made from 1939 to 1942 and then from 1945 to 1949. In 1940, the shift keys and backspace keys became rectangular.

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[[File:Royal-KMM.jpg|thumb]]

==Common Issues==
Royal KMM bells often don't like to work. This can usually be fixed by flushing the end of line lock and bell trip mechanisms. Occasionally these can be found missing left-hand side panels, as they are easy to pop out. Misaligned carriage clamps can occasionally cause a carriage to drag too.

==Variants==

-[[Mill]]: The KMM was often used in the Second World War, and many examples were used to transcribe telegraph/radio messages. These examples will often have slashed zeroes and/or dedicated 1 keys.

==Manual==

* [https://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/RoyalKMM.pdf User's Manual]
* [https://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/RoyalService.pdf Service Manual, 1940]

==Historical Users==
The Royal KMM was known to have been used by writers including: John Ashberry, Harry Ashmore, Russell Baker, Ray Bradbury, Richard Bratigan, Richard Brooks, Pearl S. Buck, Johnny Carson, Norman Corwin, Frank Herbert, Ken Kesey, G.W. Lee, Harper Lee, Ursula K. LeGuin, David McCullough, Margaret Mead, Grangland Rice, and Dorothy Parker.

This was also the model famously used by Angela Landsbury's character on the TV show *Murder, She Wrote*. That typewriter is now in the [https://www.si.edu/object/typewriter-used-jessica-fletcher-angela-lansbury-murder-she-wrote%3Anmah_1335701| Smithsonian Museum].

== See also ==
* [https://typewriterdatabase.com/Royal.KMM.72.bmys Royal KMM galleries at the Typewriter Database]

How To Buy a Typewriter

2024-10-22T22:15:49Z

SCCourier: /* Online Buying */

Buying a typewriter can be a little daunting at first, especially if you have no idea what to look for. This page should provide some answers.

==Indiana-Jones style==

Sometimes, you don't even need to buy a typewriter to get started. Ask family or friends, especially older folks, to see if they may have one lying about. If so, then you are in luck! You may even have a special typewriter on your hands, so take good care of it. There's nothing that quite compares to a family heirloom.

==Local Purchasing==

If you are not lucky enough to know someone with a machine to give you, start looking around locally. Craigslist, Offerup, and Facebook Marketplace are good places to start. Look around for a typewriter that will fit the space you have. Don't get a standard if you don't have a desk. Portables and midsized portables are usually a good place to start. Look for brands like Royal, Olympia, Smith Corona (or any variation thereof), Remington, and Underwood. Don't forget to pick a good-looking typewriter too, as it's hard to use a machine that's hard to look at without puking.

==Online Buying==

Sometimes, there are no local options. It really depends on your location. Or, there may be none nearby that tickle your fancy. Whatever you situation is, online buying is still a viable option. It's not always as safe as picking one up locally, but it's still an option. Ebay is a great place to look sometimes, but you have to get lucky. Machines on ebay are often overpriced, and you have to make sure to add shipping into the final price. Try to avoid shipping delicate machines like Olivers and early machines, as they won't take kindly to shipping. Portables and midsized portables are also safer to ship than a desktop standard. DO NOT buy anything on Amazon, as those machines are cheap junk.

==So, what should I look out for when buying?==
First, glance over the machine for obvious defects. Red flags include missing paper table on many portables, for example -- notably, Royals. Underwoods and early Smith Coronas may have a paper table folded down over the platen (rubber roller) or behind. Paint may be scratched, there may be light surface rust, the platen may be visibly worn. You can tell platen wear by distinctive, regular white marks along the length of the platen. There should not be any cracks on the platen. Remington portables, Coronas 3, 4, and Olivettis have special proprietary spools/covers. Try to ensure they’re there.

Traits that increase value may be special typefaces or keyboards. A few are below.

<< SCRIPT >>
Script is a general term for a family of typefaces that look like cursive handwriting. There are two major families of script -- vertical script and standard script--; the former is vertically oriented whereas the latter leans forward like handwriting.

On script machines, the following signs might be found:

-- Slugs are "slanted" to the right.

-- Slugs will have large serifs. If you have a clear image script is among the easiest typefaces to identify.

-- lowercase "R" will look like "N".

-- Standard script machines will usually have no color selector or only two-setting color selector. This is because standard script has characters that are too tall for bichrome ribbons and will type half-black half-red.

-- Standard scripts will always have a 1 key. Vertical script may not have a 1 key, making it harder to spot. On older machines (pre-war), 1 keys are an almost-sure sign of a special typeface.

<< ROYAL VOGUE >>
On Royal machines, most notably the P, there is a face called Vogue, designed to emulate the Jazz Age.
-- An easy way to check is if the W has 4 points at the top, rather than 3.
-- 95% of Vogue machines are Royal Ps. Examples on QDLs and Aristocrats and FPs exist, but are much rarer.

<< QWERTY Olympias SM-4 and below >>
-- there will be an 1 key for a special typeface, as well as Olivettis of most models.

Other special keyboards may include SS on German machines of pre-war make (two lightning-bolt runes over the 5, 3, or accents), Pharmacy, (Rx and mG, among other symbols, on right hand keyboard), Mathematics (has +/-/ (division sign) / degrees) and Chemistry (Full set of numerals 1-0, and subscripts on numbers).

There are also matters of personal preference. On standard-size (10.5inch carriage) machines, Elite face is smaller, and machines with rulers running up to 90-100 are usually elite. Machines only going up to 80 have a larger typeface, Pica. These are all factors you should take into account when deciding whether you should or should not purchase a machine.

==How do I test a typewriter?==
Try to have paper -- a sheet of A4, but worst comes to worst, receipts. You’ll want to test if the machine can feed paper, though in most cases this is an EASY repair to make. This is a feed roller test. An exception to this is the Remington Portable line, whose feed rollers are more difficult to replace.

You will want to test all keys and spacebar to see if they make an impression on the paper. Whether the ink ribbon is fresh or not shouldn’t matter. Mind that machines may be set to Stencil. Test the ribbon vibrator using the color alternator -- usually on the right side of the keyboard or front of machine -- and see if it can lift ribbon to two different heights. Sticky keys are usually an easy fix.

As you test the keys and spacebar, the carriage may not advance. If the typebars do not reach the platen, test for a carriage lock or margins -- usually on the left side of carriage for most machines, or a switch top left of the keyboard for carriage lock, and margins are usually above the platen on the carriage. Of note is that Remington Portables no. 1, 2, Monarch and Scout models may have a keyraise lever on the right-- pull it out and up to begin typing. Once the carriage is free, manually pull the carriage to the left and test the machine for skipping, using all keys and spacebar. If machine skips, this is an intermediate repair for most machines, and may be irreparable on Royal Portables--that’ll need diagnosis. If machine does not skip, it is simply missing a drawband which is usually an easy repair. Test the mainspring, usually on the left carriage rail, and see if it has life left.

Check the machine for missing parts-- does the bell ring? NOTE-- Depression portables, i.e. Remie Scout Model, the blue Royal Signet, and Smith-Corona Comet, among others, may not have bells. Are there missing typeslugs or typebars? Keytops? Surface rust?

If the machine has a case, glance over it for mold. Check also the machine’s soundproofing foam for mold. Replacing soundproofing foam is generally easy. Replacing a case...not so much.

==Approximate Valuations==
The value of antique typewriters varies by brand, condition, and special traits. If you would like an approximation, one can be found here; however, this document is unreliable and should not be taken objectively.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1o7cRW-2MAs2Cez_jOCcO0RTqKd7yknWGOptHclVOKD4/edit?usp=sharing

Wiki Protocol

2024-10-17T15:32:53Z

SCCourier: /* Welcome to the Typewriter Wiki! */ Added link to the Chicago Manual of Style's citation guide and fixed the link to the MediaWiki doc on citations.

=Welcome to the Typewriter Wiki!=
We're glad to have you onboard. If you're reading this, it likely means you've wanted to take up editing. We'd love your contributions and look forward to working with you!

This is an orphaned page. That means the only way to get to it is to search for it.
Wiki editors should read it and try to make things on it work for them.

UPDATED 29.01 2023: We have received Cite support thanks to Ryanne! Cite operates under a footnote system like so: https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Help:Cite. Citations should be formatted in Chicago style (https://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html)

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=Templates=
We have created several templates for use on this wiki. Templates are essentially fill forms, and operate on the following basis:

A set of two curly brackets {{ }} around a template name will generate the template on whichever page you are using. Use | to seperate inputs to the template.

A brief description of a few important ones are below:

Infobox:

infobox|Company Name|Founder|FileName|Caption|Location|Types of Machine|Founding Year|Fate w/Year|Common Rebrands|Affiliated companies|

{{infobox|Sample Infobox|George C. Blickensderfer|BlickNo6 TopView.jpg|An aluminium [[Blickensderfer No. 6]].|Stamford, CT|Manual Portable
Electric Portable|1893|Ended serial production in 1919
Dies acquired by [[Remington]]|[[Dactylo]], [[Creelman Bros.]], [[Rem-Blick]]|[[Remington]]|}}

TyperInfo:

Similar to infobox but for specific models of typewriters.

typerinfo|inventor|company|type of machine|produced|fate|rebrand|notes

=Protocol=

==Text Protocol==
This is the format we want you to use:

# Introduction
# Basic Info
# History
# Variations
# Typefaces
# Common Issues
# Resources

Feel free to leave out or perhaps include extra sections as you deem necessary, but try to stick close to this format so we have a somewhat professional-looking wiki.

==Image Protocol==
When uploading images, please name your files!
Naming files after the typewriter in question is preferred. This can be done in the Upload File tool provided by Mediawiki: using the Destination Filename box, your file can upload to MediaWiki under a different name.

[[File:Examplerename.png|350px]]

Naming protocol for images on this wiki is the typewriter's common name. Common abbreviations may be used (e.g.:Blick in place of [[Blickensderfer]], UW in place of [[Underwood]]). Manufacturer and model should both be in file name whenever possible, with manufacturer first. Mediawiki files are '''not case sensitive'''.

TypewriterCommonName.png. PNG files are preferred, but JPG files are used as well.

Note:
Please try to limit the amount of new images you put on every page. We are rather limited on space, so try to limit the number of new files you upload per page to what is necessary. We want to use all our available storage space for text instead of ultra high-quality pictures. Don't be afraid to upload images, just don't upload too many.

e.g.

Blick6.png

SmithCoronaFlattop.png

Underwood5.jpg

[[File:UW1B.png|200px]]

==Copyright==
-Don't upload photos that aren't yours unless given explicit permission, or manuals that are not your own scans. Many common manuals and some service manuals are available publicly on Richard Polt's Classic Typewriter Page. Linking to Polt's page for manuals whenever possible -- https://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/tw-manuals.html -- is useful as well.

-We do have permission to use content from Richard Polt's site, '''just be sure to link his cite and credit him'''

When writing, it is a best practice to keep track of sources. Unfortunately, many of us do keep info in our heads and we will have to go back and re-cite things. When creating a new article it is easier to cite while going along.

This wiki uses the Cite extension.

To CITE SOURCES:

< ref > on one end, < / ref > on the other. No spaces.

<ref>Hello</ref>

Look at the source for this page if that remains confusing.