Cleaning a 100-years-old Underwood Typewriter | Relaxing Timelapse

[@oeknnd]

What are you spraying with?

[@alrevon]

Hi, a mix of water and dish soap I made. Then WD-40 for some of the gears (but that stuff is strong, so I tried to be careful).

[@aleksandargenov7292]

@@alrevon Thanks so much for making the video, it is absolutely excellent (waiting for my Underwood next week and, can't wait to open it up! this video is super helpful to get ready). Re WD-40, although I am no expert I read it may gunk up later on as it attracts dust and it is quite thick - for anyone wanting to take a safer approach, I have seen sewing machine oil (or gun oil, if you are in the states ;) being recommended for the same purpose (i.e., for the moving metal parts, particularly on the type bar levers). Regarding the cleaning liquid, I intend to use mineral spirit which I understand is suitable for the purpose - if using water, need to make sure it is left absolutely dry, otherwise you risk rusting. Hope this is helpful to someone and thanks again for posting :)

[@petergilstrap6357]

@@alrevon everything i've seen in typewriter cleaning YT videos says NEVR use WD 40. it's not a lubricant

[@carollucey111]

@@petergilstrap6357 I totally agree, I wouldn't touch wd40 on a machine like this

[@traininthebutt7215]

Hey, typewriter repairman here! WD-40 is definitely not a lubricant, but it is a phenomenal and strong degreaser. When clean the machine, it is extremely good at removing really old dirt and oils. However, it must be completely removed from the machine when done, as with any other cleaning product.

[@graytart]

I have a 1924 Underwood I want to clean; this is very helpful as well as beautiful to watch.

[@Saboda53]

Hey, thanks for making this video, and for bringing this Underwood 5 back to life! I had one about 25 years ago and loaned it to a friend in publishing but, alas, one day his wife tossed it in the trash! Fast forward to today and I just bought a lovely 1930 Royal No. 10. Your video has given me the inspiration to sit down and give it a thorough clean. (I even just ordered a set of Chapman typewriter tools so that I can properly remove parts for better cleaning.) 🙂

[@alrevon]

Glad you're getting a new typewriter, even though it might not be the one you originally had. You'll have such a wonderful time with it, your friend will deeply regret tossing it. All my best!

[@docdoc.4500]

What a beautiful thing to be able to exist, and to make something like this shine with such a gentle and loved luster again.

[@DivineSource444]

I went out today to the second hand shop to get some cloth material and came home with an underwood 1929 typewriter. One look at it and I was in love. It was only owned by one lady which she had purchased brand new and had it in a spare room all her life. It is in excellent condition, just needs a thorough cleaning is all. Even came with the original cover.

[@alrevon]

That sounds like an incredible deal! Glad you found this gem. Have fun writing all of the words. :) Cheers x

[@creativesparks2164]

Every since I was little I’ve wanted one of these. Didn’t have any idea they where from 1915! Crazy.

[@dylanr5384]

Nice video, just bought one of these from an estate sale. Looking forward to giving it a new life and not let it be forgotten in a damp basement.

[@erezk2170]

The straw vacuuming is brilliant !

[@dianemaher3538]

Suggestion on cleaning the keytops. Don't use liquid. It will get under the glass. Use a toothpick or bamboo skewer to clean the dirt.

[@alrevon]

just seeing this now, but this is great advice! thanks :)

[@Trafficaloco]

Awesome job! We'll done.🎉

[@michaelbyfield6323]

That straw technique is cool

[@alrevon]

trying to do some creative thinking every once in a while :) thanks

[@robinengland5799]

Enjoyed your video! I have eleven of these old machines! I got carried away, so well made! Thanks!

[@alrevon]

Hi! Thank you so much for your lovely comment. 11 old typewriters? That sounds incredible. Cheers.

[@lovebug4088]

Thanks for the video. You did a beautiful job. I will be cleaning an Underwood typewriter just like this one very soon.

[@OccaneechiSaponi]

Thank you for this video! I also have a #5, mine is either 1909 or 1910, but I've been so afraid to clean it myself. Thanks to you, I now have the confidence to tackle this project on my own! Also, I think the website you used to check the serial number might be incorrect and your typewriter is actually from 1925, not 1915. @1:30, the label on the back, at the bottom, which lists patent dates, is a clue. The last column of patent dates on the label look like it goes out until at least March 1925 so this typewriter cannot be from 1915. If it's indeed from 1915 then the label could not possibly have future patent dates on it. Thanks again for this very helpful video! 😁

[@alrevon]

Hi Nicole! thank you for the fact-check. You definitely might be right. Good luck with your own project. :)

[@dianemaher3538]

The Typewriter Database site is the best for serial numbers. Also, the patent dates are not the serial number. On Underwood 5 machines such as this, there is a number on the right side of the body under the carriage. See 5:28. Usually it is covered in dirt and dust.

[@kyxkrx]

Thanks so much. This video helps a lot.

[@alrevon]

glad it was helpful!

[@carolinewhite6010]

I thoroughly enjoyed this video, thank you so much for sharing. God Bless x

[@jhondoe3213]

I have a model 6 just cleaned it out completely. I love what you did, I did cringe at the the screw driver scraping though

[@alrevon]

a model 6, love it! and I agree. it's the only thing I could think of. looking back I would have used something slightly softer.

[@billyeast6819]

I have a 1920's Underwood still works .

[@smokikee]

I see a can of WD-40. NEVER use WD-40 on a typewriter. It may work fine as you use it but in a week of two it will become gum up the keys.

[@alrevon]

YES! Absolutely, I only used it (very carefully) on a small little cogwheel that was a bit rusty and stuck. But definitely not something you should use anywhere else. Appreciate the tip, though! Thanks.

[@BaoBao0923]

Huh? Oh shit, wait what do I do, I have a Remington model 12 typewriter

[@BaoBao0923]

Is it ok to apply to rust areas to prevent further rust?

[@laurie4275]

After all that I was anxious to see it TYPE something.

[@alrevon]

Fair enough! You can see it type something in the next video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/g3mppZulg86bm7s :) Enjoy.

[@alexparson4472]

Nice job, and you reply to questions, I appreciate it, where can I get the belt and Coil for underwood No 5?

[@alrevon]

Hi :) thank you! That's a good question. I reused the one I had, so didn't have to get a new one. I'm sure you'll find something online!

[@arda407]

I have same typewriter, I love it. But sometimes it is not running when I type letter.

[@VsLeo1]

What was the cleaning solution you used?

[@alrevon]

Hi, a mix of water and dish soap I made.

[@alexparson4472]

How stiff or tight the coil should be?

[@alrevon]

Hi! I would say you should test it. The idea is that it shouldn't be too lax 'cause the tension is needed to bring back the carriage. Normally you can sort of find the right spot by trying.

[@dianadom4742]

Can Anyone Tell Me Where To Find ‘Shiny Metal’ That She Used❓ Thank You❗️

[@alrevon]

unfortunately it's an incredibly old bottle of an italian product (I'm talking >3 decades old) that I found in the back of a garage cabinet. I think if you look for Sidol for metal you should be able to find something. Let me know if that helps!

[@barbwired10]

Would the dusting be faster if it were vacuumed first? Just wondering. I feel empowered to clean my Grandmother's typewriter now thank you for this.

[@alrevon]

honestly, the dusting was mostly for the sake of the video (I think it's more visually satisfying). but in any case, I've found that vacuuming all of the little crevices is really freaking hard, so dusting with a small brush might be the only option. Good luck with your project!

[@barbwired10]

@@alrevon thank you! Watching your video is calming, truly aside from very helpful

[@LizTilton]

Mesmerizing! And now I know I need to do this thorough job on my old typewriter. How long did this cleaning take you?

[@alrevon]

Hi Liz! thank you :) This took me about 3 half-days. (The filming probably slowed the process down a bit)

[@supermario326]

que es lo que usa para tirar aire? un inflador?

[@alrevon]

Jajaja. Pues sí, no tenía spray de aire comprimido y es lo que se me ha ocurrido.

[@gabriellebaalke6704]

Wonderful! I have a similar model, and have been wanting to do a full-clean of it for some time now. I have been hesitant but... now I am brave! Thank you! One question: did you find it difficult to put in the ribbon? I have done it, but it seems very complicated and always takes me more time than I think it should!

[@alrevon]

Lovely. Go for it! The ribbon was probably the hardest part. Very tricky to pull it with enough tension and hook it in place. Would highly recommend watching the video I linked in the description, super useful! I'm sure you'll manage to restore your typewriter beautifully. x

[@MannyXVIII]

I might have skipped the part where you fixed the carriage not moving when you type, but if you didn't, there is likely a disc at the back with a spring. The band can be seen early on loosely laying in the back which was formerly connecting carriage to that spring disc. Had the same on my continental and replaced it with yarn since I had nothing else. Be sure though to test how many revolutions of spring power you want when typing. My carriage was rather sluggish at first but I may have overdone it since then ^^'

[@alrevon]

Hello! Yes, I actually managed to find the issue and fix it after looking at different youtube videos. Indeed, it was the band of the spring that had disconnected. It's old but seems to be in good enough shape, so I didn't change it. It was really hard to control the revolutions of the disc and put it in place. Thanks for the tip, though!

[@jesselle_]

The spray cleaning is driving me insane bc it feels like it's still not clean all the way in the grooves lol. I'd want to remove the parts you can't get wet and then dunk the whole thing in soapy dishwater

[@alrevon]

ha! that's fair, I get it. I just decided to be extra cautious with it. I'm no expert, so I feel totally disassembling it always comes at the risk of not being able to put it back together right or messing something up. This was a good enough cleanup for me. :)

[@jesselle_]

@@alrevon same here! I get it lol I have a very old typewriter that needs to be cleaned as well and I wouldn’t dare take that thing apart. I’ve actually been thinking about dipping it in water but I’m a novice myself and don’t want to mess anything up. Kudos for what you were able to accomplish!

[@AndreaSzabo7171]

😬

[@briannashoffner1383]

Thank you for this video. It’s so helpful and useful. I’m getting an underwood typewriter in two days and it has a lot of. Remodeling it needs.🤍💫 beautiful work

[@charlesmills4216]

I am so angry you woke up at different times

[@alrevon]

what do you mean???!!! hahaha it wasn't a 24/7 job :)