I was clickity clack clack clacking away on my Olivetti 32 writing greetings to new neighbors this afternoon and I remembered how satisfying, how fun this is. I also totally forgot how the workflow went, but figuring that out again was enjoyable. My handwriting is kinda shit and a computer printout lacks soul so I find the typewriter is a happy medium for personal correspondence. I aught to do this more. My personal machine is from '63 and I’m thinking she needs some work done to the platen because its hard as a rock and the paper keeps sliding around in imperceptibly small amounts that add up over time. Thinking of doing the “bike tire shrink wrap” trick but that makes me nervous. Removing the platen on a machine like mine is a very involved process as well, rather intimidating.
Anyone else enjoy working with typewriters?
I have an IBM Selectric 2 from the early-mid 1970s I think, that I got from a grandparent who passed away some years back. He was an author who wrote a fair bit of stuff, both published and non, and it’s what he used for his writing. I have a couple of different heads for it to change the font but there are some foam and rubber bits that have degraded to the point where it won’t strike consistently, and some of the mechanical linkages are in need of adjustment.
I used it quite a bit when I was going through school in the 90s for HS and college. I intended at one point to find a service manual, and some vids on YT possibly to help take it to bits but I’ve just never gotten around to it. I don’t really think it’s too hard to do I think I’m just too lazy. So in my closet it sits still.
I like the look and feel of a typewritten page on good paper. I enjoy feeling the indentations from the letters and I think typewritten is classier than printed paper. It’s like because it took some time to get the paper loaded correctly, get everything set up just so. I also think it tended to be more thoughtful too. Or maybe more intentional. Typewriter can be corrected of course but you only get one shot at putting your words down right so to speak, where with a PC you just hit backspace and do it again. Not that you can’t be thoughtful while using a PC.
I learned to type on a Selectric 2, at a time when all of my in-earnest typing was already on a personal computer, and not long before my high school got rid of the typewriter lab. Certainly shaped my preference for a heavy keyboard spring.