Typewriter Video Series -- Episode 262: Olympia SG1

[@Icollectstuff-363]

What an elegance, this is a real beauty. A lot of things learned from this review.

[@simonjonasmusic8410]

This seals it for me: The SG1 is going to be my next machine. Just beautifully designed, overbuilt to the max, perfect adaptation to the demands of daily writing with these countless nifty little features. I live in Germany and i've NEVER seen one with the cursive font on it, you truly hit the jackpot, sir.

[@陳希新]

Sir, thank you for the great video, which made me try to look some SG1s. Recently I purchased one from UK and another one from Germany respectively. After some days' restoration, both typewriters work great!

[@vincentaurelius2390]

Two stunning examples, just beautiful. Nice to see them in the hands of someone who fully appreciates them.

[@douglasjackson9058]

I just got my first SG-1 Yesterday 😁.What a machine ,it was filthy so I have it apart..cleaning.I joined the SG-1 fb group. Going to post pics and video as there is a margin release issue. It releases but won't in release. Loved this video! Thank you to Bill for transporting and discussing this machine. This is a wish list machine I have looked for many years. Happy to have one 🙂

[@johnc.bojemski1757]

FABULOUS show Joe! Extremely interesting and informative. I agree. I'd LOVE either one of them, SG1 or SG3!

[@VirtualGuth]

Great video - very cool machines! Thanks to Bill for sharing his Olympia's. One correction: The shell of the SG3 was still metal. My example, with the smallest sized carriage available from Olympia including the paper injector, weighs in at just under 36 pounds.

[@thethriftyfawn]

Oh my goodness, that script typeface is so stunning! 😍 This episode was so cool, and so adorable at the same time... as well as its comical moments. Bill is awesome, and looking forward to seeing more of his appearances on this channel!

[@dsb6010]

GREAT vid, very concise, informative, hoped you'll feature SG1 some day - and here's TWO of them!!! ... SG1 is in my care too

[@Squib-kb2tn]

I just recently got an Olympia typewriter, and I was looking up videos for information on it. Thank you so much for making this! I learned a lot.

[@piccalillipit9211]

*JUST BOUGHT ONE* it arrives on Monday. I bought an Olympia Splendid 99 for doing the garment labels [customer name] on the clothing I make, I was instantly taken by the radically different experience of typing on a mechanical typewriter. So I decided to make it part of my life and have ordered an Olympia SG1 Super Delux - I hope it has the same font as this, but I doubt it.

[@hortenseplaceg9740]

I have six SG1 in my collection, got them all in five years span from Craigslist here in SoCal, I also have one white Sg3 and in my opinion SG3 just a tad friendlier than SG1, it has that butterry feel of SM9 while SG1 are all about robustness and toughness image. SG1 is the best typewriter of all?, absolutely! SG3 is just an SG1 in new clothes and a tad mechanical improvement to be more friendlier to its user. Ironically many peoples tend to stay away from SG1 due to its gargantuan size and hefty weight ( I tried to give away some of my SG1 to typewriter buyers who came to my place to buy portable typewriters and they all refused to get SG1 even I told them it’s for free, I couldn’t believe it!!!!

[@marlonsouza9224]

Wow!! And are all 6 in regular script or any special one?

[@hortenseplaceg9740]

@@marlonsouza9224 All regular 🙂. To find SG1 in cursive is soooo difficult!! Because SG1 was made solely for office uses, not recreational uses like sm portable series.

[@marlonsouza9224]

Yes, I bet. So so rare. I saw one in “micro diamond” - very small courier found. Unbelievable. But I have seen many in “Congress” typeface. I just wish I could ever find one. But in Brazil, SG1 in general, are almost impossible to find.

[@mythicalireland]

Thoroughly enjoyable insight into the SG1, thank you! I am the proud owner of an Olympia SM4.

[@michaelrobinson1771]

I have one of these in my collection. It is absolutely one of my favorites. Thank you for the video!

[@AtelierDBurgoyne]

Thank you, merci, danke for this video. Bill is very knowledgeable about these typewriters and it was a pleasure to watch this twice in a row. I read that Danielle Steel wrote all her books on an SG1, meaning she typed an estimated 14 million characters. She said in an interview it was the best investment she ever made! I just got an Olympia portable with Script types, will check the size out like you did. BTW, my SCM Coronamatic 2500 electric has an automatic page loader too, and I love this feature. Daniel in Ottawa

[@MauriceandDonnie]

I found my SG1 in a thrift shop many years ago, it just exudes high grade quality and workmanship. I put it on a scale and it weighs very close to a standard concrete block = 38 pounds. You will never have to worry about it sliding around when you return the carriage. I made a clear plastic cover from a shower curtain and attached it to the back with two strong magnets; you just need to cut a rectangle piece and flip it to the back when you want to use it, the sides don't need to be covered. This way you can display the beauty of it when not in use and it will keep dust out and the ribbon from drying out too soon. While I was driving my 1986 vintage C10 Chevy truck, someone hollered out to me "The old ones never die!" I guess the same applies to old typewriters :)

[@andresdubon2608]

Hi, I am new to collecting typewriters. I wonder how much would be fair to pay for a SG1.

[@MauriceandDonnie]

@@andresdubon2608 me being a watchmaker, I am always asked how much is a certain vintage piece worth. It’s worth whatever someone is willing to pay. It may be worth nothing to someone who has no desire or knowledge of it. For someone who knows the history, quality and scarcity will go the extra mile to obtain and enjoy having it.

[@MarvinMonroe]

I used to work at this old golf course and was there when they closed down for good. In the little office building was one of these and a WheelWriter 3. Boss let me take them and anything else I wanted. Got a big case full of ibm ribbons and stuff The SG1 has the compete plastic paper guide thing which I've read is rare. It broke on most

[@WiseSkies144]

Really enjoyed this Joe, you and Bill have educated me a little more on this big beauty. I like the type face too for different uses. Thank you for your video. 😊

[@gregriutzel7834]

Wonderful, informative video! Thank you! I have a few tips to share. 1. The scale/lines at the top of the paper rest indicate line spacings. Putting the top of the page there you can estimate how many lines to a header. Set the injector number to your header or top margin number of lines and now it's "programmed" for your desired header. 2. The carriage S/N is actually on the front lower carriage rail just below the right end of the platen. The white S/N on the carriage support is just a number nobody currently can correlate to anything. But there are matching S/Ns to the base and actual carriage. 3 A drop of 10 weight machine oil in the escapement, on the carriage trucks, and linkage pivots once a year will help with wear and ease of operation. Dry trucks are noisy. Never overdo it and never in the segment. 4. I believe you are correct about the pan in the segment. My latest machine had white-out that must have dripped on the platen, the feed rollers and the bottom roller was coated with it plus the card retainers. Dust everywhere too, but the segment was still clean. Thank You for a great presentation.

[@saulysw]

I have an SM3 and really like it. This seems like the same, but MORE, much more. That injector is so cool, like launching a rocket or I don't know what. But honestly, I do like that I can move my SM3 around a bit without getting a hernia, so there is that. Put it this way, if I saw an SG1 one anywhere I'd probably get it anyway - and work out where to put it later. I am very fond of the Olympia brand, they made so many good machines, up there with Hermes.

[@ButscheSchmidt]

Sehr sympathisch und informativ. 👍

[@aldolagana7126]

Very recently acquired one that was well used and stored wet. It came to me with oil sludge and rust on some parts. After a day of bathing in solvent, the last remaining stuck keys were freed, but the amount of eraser shavings and grease told me it was used. The thing that struck me instantly was the effortless imprint quality. Better than my SM4. The touch is light and easy while the quality on the paper is even. In comparison with an older Smith-Corona Super Speed standard, the Super Speed has what I call the "S-C shimmies" or shake and the imprint is contingent on your key strike. Whereas with the SG1, your strike just needs to get it there and it will imprint very nicely...as good as you could get in a manual.

[@meedily]

Wow. A cursive SG1. Extremely rare! Great find.

[@andrebartels1690]

I found my SG1 in the trash, waiting for the pressing truck, weeping in the rain. She was made in the sixties and has a pitch 10 pica typeface. Sadly no degree symbol, but DM (for Deutsche Mark), £ and $. She sports the decimal spacing tab knobs. Worn paint, worn knobs. She worked hard for the money. Took her home to find out rust had taken over. Stuck types, stuck mechanics, and a broken main spring. I dried her off, dusted her with compressed air, gently wiggled the mechanics free, and oiled them very sparsely. I opened the spring housing, heated the tip of the remaining spring fragment, bent a new hook on it, and put it back in. New ribbon, and she works like a charm. Sadly, the double space feature seems to be unlinked to the escapement. I can't find how to fix that. I write at least one page of my diary per day on her. I've reached the stadium when you don't punch holes in the paper with a full stop anymore. I love to write on canary yellow paper, because you can't correct on it. You make a typo, there's a typo. This way I'm forced to focus on writing. No delete button, just types on paper. I have to know how to end my sentence before I start it. And I figured out how to type €. You type C and type it over with =. Not perfect, but good enough for the old clunker.

[@redmimi4521]

Always wait for your video , you are doing remarkable job , keep it up sir.

[@patricktx3357]

Awesome video. One of your best and about a machine I have been curious about. I enjoy typing on a Royal fp very much and could see the same experience with the sg1. I for one like the desktops as much as the portables.

[@Saboda53]

I took high school typing on Long Island in 1969 or ‘70 and, looking through my yearbook this morning, it looks like we learned on SG3’s. In l968 my parents got me my own SM9 with the green keys and wide carriage (which, alas, I never once took advantage of; it only made my Olympia portable slightly less portable, lol). I sold it in 1979 for a Smith-Corona Coronamatic, my first and only electric, and last year I finally bought a lovely ‘58 SM3. (The Coronamatic was very practical but, strangely, I never missed it after I sold it. For some reason, it was the older manual Olympia machines that I had a fondness for.)

[@Joe_VanCleave]

You made a good choice!

[@BooksForever]

Just today I encountered an Olympia SG1 in fine working order for $16. I almost fell over based on the respect I have for the miniature Olympia Splendid that I’ve owned and used for a few years already… I can’t even begin to imagine how much nicer this will be once I blow the dust out, wipe it down, and install a fresh ribbon. I suspect it will bump my standard Underwood S & #6 machines down to 2nd and 3rd position in the preference lineup.

[@Andykev]

I have a SG-1 as well, but my tab bar has the " 1-10-100 - 1M-10M-100M" settings (neat)! Type is standard elite which is smaller than my reguar SMC's or Undewood. But, my Italic typeface is on my SM3! I felt I won the lottery with that! Actually have two, each is different cursive and the other italic. Great video. The SG-1 is a joy to type on, and I used it for one of the typing assignments if you recall.

[@MrMoritz74]

A great typewriter! The Olympia SG1 or other machines didn't built with cursive script typeface in Germany. That's sad. I think, that the offices wanted to be a serious typeface (very often in Pica). Greetings from Germany!

[@Moxiltws]

This cursive font is glorious!

[@dadtype2339]

I mean this as a compliment... I sat the phone down to keep listening as I was doing something else, and I was hearing voices only and not able to see and I was thinking with my good ears both of your voices sound like other people and I couldn't figure it out and then it hit me. Bill sound like actor Steven Root and you Joe sound like Jeff Bridges. With practice you two could be evil pranksters on the phone lol ❤

[@Fellow.Tractor]

For anyone considering lugging one of them around: SG1 = 39.4 lbs / 17.9 kg SG3 = 37.2 lbs / 16.9 kg

[@TheWaterbug101]

Lovely machines. I was fortunate to buy one on Ebay that is in really good shape cosmetically. The only issue is with the drive on the right ribbon drive rotor that probably needs to be cleaned and oiled.

[@mattkaspar2031]

The clear plastic paper guides ( at about 12 min 30 seconds ), do these have a spring attached to the backside of them? I have an SG-1, the right side does but left side does not. I feared one popped off when I wasn't looking. There's something inside the carriage assembly that is preventing the carriage from moving across characters 61 - 70 smooth, often not moving, needing a nudge from me to move left one space. An annoying work around. I want to get inside that carriage unit but am a bit intimidated by complexity. I am guessing some old felt came loose and is gumming up the works. Once past character 70 machine pulls carriage right along. How difficult is that assembly to work on?

[@mattkaspar2031]

1956 carriage type.

[@Joe_VanCleave]

I don’t have that machine any longer, but I don’t remember about the springs. As for working on the carriage, they aren’t for beginners!

[@evokid379]

Cursive machines are the coolest. Anything with unusual typeface gets extra points with me

[@Naolslager]

Joe/Bill: I feel like you made this video for me. I have a 1961 SG-1 and I LOVE IT. I am seriously contemplating making it an honest girl and shedding my other machines (two SM-9s). Mine is a 2.6mm/character. Too much typewriter? Ha! Never. Dato.

[@seasmokepipes5533]

great video. i have an SG-1 and learned a lot of new things watching this. mine has elite sized type. i prefer a bigger typeface otherwise i would use it more. that cursive script is amazing! these machines were definitely built to last. they are beautiful tanks.

[@johnv7268]

Great video. Thank you. I noticed the script font is identical to 2 of my Smith Coronas. Interestingly, single line spacing is such that the 2 lines do not crowd each other as on the Olympia. I wonder if SCM copied the font and solved the spacing issue?

[@LTHanlon]

Bill and Joe's excellent show! If I had the room and lived in house, I'd definitely want one of these full-size Brunhildebeests. Love that paper injector. I can just imagine hearing Wernher von Braun declare, "Prepare for trans-platen insertion!" Some questions and an observation: 1. Did the SG1's designers always assume that users would be inserting a single sheet or did the setting accommodate a backing sheet or carbon? 2. Does the SG1 share a ribbon reversal mechanism with the SM series? In my experience, the SM reversal has been problematic - even on fully restored models. 3. Although front-and-center dealer badges provide a fascinating insight into a machine's provenance, I can't think of a lower-class, more unsightly place for them. It's like the dealer has unzipped and marked his territory right on the front of the machine. On the back of the machine, fine. But on the front? Bah.

[@Joe_VanCleave]

I've never tried a carbon on the SG1, I'll have to ask Bill to try it. The ribbon reverse is similar to the SM series, using ribbon tension instead of an eyelet. It helps to use the DIN-sized ribbon spools, a bit more ribbon on the larger diameter spool, than the standard American kind. The only thing more ugly than a dealer sticker on the front is someone engraving their social security number onto the ribbon cover. I saw that on a pink 5-series Smith-Corona!

[@painchaud2000]

Omg what a find with the cursive one!!! 😍

[@JonathanLopez-us7yy]

I recently purchased an SG3 although I had my heart set on a SG1. I was unable to find one at a reasonable price hence settling for the SG3. I think the SG3 I have is special its from the mid 60's its off white with the grey on the bottom. It has the Olympia logo in the center. most of the time I see them with green accents. Mine also has the paper injector. It had all kinds of issues when it arrived, but that's what happens when you buy a machine sight unseen. The pictures didn't do it justice. Anyhow after i fixed all the issues it works like a champ. I also like that the font size is smaller than the classic 12 pitch, allowing me to put more words in each line. I'd like to mention that I put a silk ink ribbon on it and boy was I surprised at how well the imprint is, granted that the ink ribbon is at least 2 years old and has been used regularly.

[@berniepokorski6608]

"Einfach wunderbar"!!! ('Simply wonderful' in German).

[@AtelierDBurgoyne]

Joe, to answer your question at the end, yes, after watching this video 5 times, I wanted an SG1 and found a very late model that happens to have the special wide feet for extra-wide carriages (24" and 35") but is equipped with a 12" carriage of a different colour :) Would love to get in touch with Mr. Tefft to pick his brain. Thank you again to both of you. Daniel

[@cleverkitsune4302]

Where can I get one of those sg1 paper rests? Mine is missing one and ebay has none

[@falconeasel6293]

I just found an SG1 with Professional Elite Typeface. Needs some restoration.

[@timjuliushuber6970]

I waited for it 👍🏻

[@rodneyhamilton182]

I have disassembled, carefully cleaned and rinsed, air blew dry and am now reassembling. Where do i need to oil? Rarely see that step in reassembly. Please help. Thanks from western Canada.

[@Joe_VanCleave]

If you wetted the typewriter with water, be sure to use a hair dryer to rapidly dry off the water from the right crevices. Certainly oil the carriage bearing rails, and any contact point where things rotate or pivot. Don’t oil the slots of the “segment” where the type bars rotate from, those should just be very clean and dry.

[@ozwaldgustav1126]

Sir, do you still have the machines with you? I'd like to buy one. How much would be the price?

[@Joe_VanCleave]

Sorry, I don’t have it any more.

[@andresdubon2608]

How much is a steal? I want one of this and a fella around me has one on sale but am short on money, although I've wanted an Olimpia for a long time now. I want to say that it is dirty and the outer parts have some blemishes. Very dirty but superficially the parts mobe without trouble.

[@elfoxbox3609]

De todos os cursivos que particularmente eu gosto, a marca Remington eu acho mais bonito.

[@chandlerdecker3807]

SG1s are nice. I saw one with a carriage of twice length as the normal on a second hand dealing APP. But by the way time I decided to buy it, it had been bought by somebody else. Quite a pity.

[@chandlerdecker3807]

yeah, a 36-inch wide carriage

[@dianemaher3538]

Bill, you can send me letters! Joe knows how to contact me. I have 5 SG-1's including one that has same serial numbers on carriage and body, I think.

[@solitairepilot]

Fancy

[@johnc.bojemski1757]

"CURSIVE" TYPEWRITER?... WHY? To mimic "hand" writing for folks with really bad penmanship maybe?