Typewriter Video Series - Episode 143: Rocket Versus Skyriter

[@lukeocasio2784]

I recently got into typewriters and your videos have helped me so much. You are a fantastic speaker .... I never lose interest in your words. I appreciate you providing me this crucial information, God bless!

[@Joe_VanCleave]

Thank you!

[@lukeocasio2784]

@@Joe_VanCleave Could you help me confirm the spool size for a Smith Corona Corsair ? I appreciate you !

[@Joe_VanCleave]

@@lukeocasio2784 They are the same size as for the Skyriter, 1.6 inches (42mm) diameter spools, using 1/2” wide ribbon.

[@drandallesq]

Thanks Joe, this is another great typewriter video. The amazing thing is you can find and buy and use both machines (and more). When I was a teenager, typewriters were luxury or office items, so you used what you had, and were happy with it. Now they are a great way to write without all the annoyances of a computer, and affordable items to collect and appreciate for their design and engineering.

[@ripemangosmdm7997]

Dang that tiny return hook(arm)! I have two hermes rockets and I would still hand them over for the lengthy smooth swing of a longer return arm. It's just so nice, like a handshake, when you hear the ding of almost completion and you reach over and boom, there's that connection; you swing it over and begin again. It's too nice to pass up. Great video, thanks a bunch for your content!

[@peoplewithpixels]

Really nice typewriter comparison. Also, I now have an itchy back

[@loveisall5520]

This Rocket is styled like my Baby; my Rocket is newer with the thicker keys. Never wanted a Skyriter, typed on one 30 years ago and that cured me, just like never wanted one of those plastic Corsairs or Cougars. Bill Wahl rebuilt a 1932 Underwood Noiseless Portable for me over a decade ago. Beautiful work.

[@georgegonzalez-rivas3787]

What I learned: Keyboard the same. Size about the same. Sky has a longer return lever. Hermes has more std ribbon. Sky harder to feed paper but slightly quieter and touch adjustment. I've been using my Rocket for a long time and we're both used to each other's dinky crooked levers. Rockets Rule.

[@copyrightfreevideobyttf]

At the 15:43 markpoint, I love your DIY wooden "typewriter holding tray" thing Joe! Very cool. Those machines are so little and cute!

[@PODBOOM]

(: Got my Baby in the mail yesterday and should be getting a Skywriter by this coming Monday, the 29th.....this was very interesting!! I can't wait to make my own comparison. I LOVE the Baby so far - I know I will end up getting at least one more of the same model from a different year... ^.^

[@vincentaurelius2390]

What a great review/comparison. Enjoyed every minute.

[@VintageTexas59]

Nice video Joe, I have been looking finding a Skywriter, no luck yet. But several Hermes as I really enjoy the touch and performance. Both Baby and Rocket models from different years, (55,47,59 and 63) By the way, there is a carriage lock on your machine, when you fold down the carriage return lever and where the line spacer knob is, push it forward (from front of the machine) carefully and you find a certain lock position so return lever stays close and also the carriage.

[@Joe_VanCleave]

Mine has the CR lever lock, but not the carriage lock. Perhaps the early age of this machine? I don't see anything broken or missing.

[@VintageTexas59]

Joe, on the left side is a bracket that engages the carriage lock with a large round screw in the center.

[@aphexteknol]

VintageTexas59 I’ve got a few Hermes Rockets/Babys, and on my 1950 Rocket that looks much like Joe’s it doesn’t have a carriage lock. My green 1960 Rocket does however...

[@VintageTexas59]

They must added the lock later, I just checked 1947 Hermes Baby and doesn't have a lock, but both 1955 and the 1959 got the same locking bracket.

[@shawnyager]

Great video. Thank you! I see tons of the Hermes on ebay and have always wondered if they were worth the cost. I did buy a skydiver about a month ago from Ebay and when I received it I discovered that it had a Spanish keyboard. It took a little getting used to, but like you said, the typing feel is so soft! It actually took me a while to find the skyriter I wanted, because for a while the only ones that were for sale were the ones with the tiny return arm.

[@tmunk]

Ahh, I personally waver in allegiance between the Rocket and Skyriter. Usually the Skyriter wins if in the configuration with long return lever and zipper case, but the '64-'66 metal-shell Rocket with long return arm and one-piece ribbon cover (and bichrome) is a hard configuration to beat. I forgot to have you try that one when you were here (part of Tori's collection).

[@Joe_VanCleave]

Another reason to make another visit!

[@tpaynemm]

I'd love to hear your assessment of the Royal Royalite, which stands squarely in the ultra-portable mix. I have quite a few examples which I have custom painted, and find that especially with new rubber feet installed they are very good machines. That said, many seem to not favor them as much as the skyriters.

[@Joe_VanCleave]

Here's my friend Kevin's experience: "I have a Royal Dart, which was the version of the Royalite that Royal made for Montgomery Ward. The finish is different from the Royalite, and it has a differently shaped ribbon cover (slightly better looking) ... I like the Royal Dart (Royalite) design. It is a good competitor to the Skyriter. It is about the same size and it has the same features as a Skyriter. The feel is very similar to the Skyriter. I think the overall quality is as good as a Skyriter... I think the Royalite received a bad rap because it was manufactured in Holland. The Royalite was an original ultra-portable design with a different name when Royal bought the company. It was designed to compete with the Hermes Baby, Rooy, Groma Kolibri, Swissa, Princess, and all of the other small (ultra) portables in the 1940s and 1950s. Royal bought the design and the company to avoid designing their own ultra-portable. I think that the Royalite line of typewriters are as good as most of the ultra-portables ... if one puts the Hermes Baby/Rocket and the Rooy on the more tinny/lower quality end, and the Groma Kolibri and Lettera 22 on the solid/higher quality end, then the Roylites are right in the middle with the Princess, Skyriter, and Silver Seikos ... I think that the Royalite suffered from a poor name choice that affected their perceived value as a typewriter. The "lite" title implies that is only good for light occasional use -- not heavy serious typing. Also, since Smith-Corona had a much better advertising campaign, the public perception of the Skyriter over-shadowed Royal's Royalite."

[@lymantria10]

@@Joe_VanCleave I've owned several Royalites since I inherited my first one in 1978. The biggest issue I found with the standard Royalite from the late 1950s to early 1960s is the bottom plate. If you remove the bottom plate to do cleaning or adjustments, there are so many little pieces (metal and rubber washers) that have to be lined back up that it deters working on them. Compare to opening up a Rocket or a Skyriter, both of which are easy to get into, and to button back up. I have replaced the feet with 3D printed ones, and had the platen recovered on my current one. Spacebars can be difficult to line up, prone to skipping as well. Love the typing feel.

[@Jonsmama1]

I have a Skyriter, and I am frustrated that it doesn’t advance the paper. I have seen a few with this problem. Is it fixable?

[@BokBarber]

Most likely. Start with the obvious and make sure that the platen release lever isn't engaged and the lever itself isn't damaged. If that's all good try to thread the paper manually with the platen knobs. If the platen is spinning but the paper isn't moving then the rollers need to be replaced (if you're going that far get the platen refreshed too.) If it's neither of those things check the carriage return ratchet pawl and make sure that's undamaged and properly engaging. If it's none of those things... I don't know, lol.

[@gregcrandell8325]

Nice review of these two typewriters. Did you make the note roller?

[@Joe_VanCleave]

Yes, and I’ve made an updated version with supply and take up rollers, to keep the roll of notes uncut.

[@wckoek]

I am looking for an ultra portable, but both models you mentioned are rare in where I live, but Olivetti Lettera and Olympia Traveller is more plentiful. I heard that the Olympia Traveller is segment shifted and keys can be quite heavy. Anyway, do you have experience with Brother Deluxe?

[@Joe_VanCleave]

Brothers are reliable machines, but can have a heavy touch. If I were to choose between the two, I'd choose the Olympia, because of their build quality -- keeping in mind the condition of the individual machine can often be contrary to what you'd expect the brand to be like (i.e. a poor condition Olympia wouldn't be as good as a nice condition Brother), so ideally you'd want to try both machines out to see how they feel. Also, ultra-portable are intrinsically a compromise between competing design interests, so a larger, medium-sized portable will offer a better typing experience.

[@wckoek]

@@Joe_VanCleave Thank you for your input. How about comparing Olympia Traveller vs Olivetti Lettera. Which one would have a lighter touch?

[@Joe_VanCleave]

@@wckoek I’d expect an Olivetti Lettera 22 or 32 would have a softer touch, though some people describe it as mushy.

[@wckoek]

@@Joe_VanCleave I can find a Lettera 25 or 35 in good condition, I'll se if it suits me.

[@rodjapavlik5730]

I also love my Hermes Baby. It fits into my rucksack very easily. I enjoy traveling with it. And it is always fun when they x-ray the rucksack at the airport and the guards always hesitate at what they see. I tried the Olympia Splendid, which is also a very nice typewriter. But it doesn't fit that easily into the rucksack. And it is heavier, I think.

[@wesleyyoung4063]

I would love your thoughts on the Olivetti lettera 22 in comparison

[@Joe_VanCleave]

I don't have a Lettera currently to make a comparison video, but the Rocket/Baby is smaller and lighter, the Lettera is more full-featured, including full key-set tabulator and a carriage release button on the side of the carriage. The carriage return arm folds out on the Lettera, much better than the early Rockets. The Lettera is built a bit more solidly too.

[@techguy9023]

Do the rockets have normal fonts? I have heard that some were cursive.

[@Joe_VanCleave]

I'm sure they had both cursive and normal. All the ones I've seen are non-cursive.

[@MissMei79]

I have a Hermes Rocket with cursive font...made in Germany I love it.