my FAVORITE typewriters! (Updated)

[@Joe_VanCleave]

Great video! As for the SC holiday case, the top does come off via spring loaded levers at the hinges. I’ve also thought about traveling with a holiday case with clothes in it, but I keep wanting to bring along the typewriter too!

[@wonderwomanguy]

"My favorite typewrite really SHIFTS from day to day...." Typewriter puns! The Remington Rand Deluxe 5 series feels really good to type on for me, but I really enjoy the feel of the tombstone glass keys under my fingertips on the late 50's Royal Quiet De Lux too.

[@corneleousworthington4566]

You should totally name your Skyriter, "Luke Skyriter"! 🙂

[@kida4star]

“It would be a great murder weapon” something I haven’t considered for my heavy machines, mostly because I’m not sure I could lift them high enough to be effective.

[@hitbyabus4615]

The underwood universal will always be my favorite machine. Love the feel, sound, size, and basically everything. I have other machines like a Remmington portable (that was sadly ruined when my basement flooded) and a smith corona standard from 1939, but I always liked the underwoods more

[@johnlennon1049]

Smith Corona the 5 series are my favorites. I have two of them with the Holiday case. Just picked up a 1946 Smith Corona Clipper. I love typewriters and typing. Learned when I was 16 in High School. I am 73 and still type to friends and relatives. Great video.

[@steveeverett9737]

I agree with you on German machines. I have found this to be true with every German machine I’ve worked on. The engineering is exceptional!

[@jimmybusk]

I know nothing about Typewriters, In fact, I am borderline illiterate, However, I collect , and repair Vintage cars, guitars, radios, amplifiers, etc. .... Your video is entertaining in every way. ... Merry Christmas.

[@lorensims4846]

I seem to recall that the Royal KMG Standard (1949) also had an easily removable platen, though at the time I couldn't imagine why you would want that. Dunkin' coffee is pretty good, but I prefer McCafé. I don't much care for favored coffees, but now I'm going to have to try that one myself!

[@pattonhorton2072]

I love the holiday cases as well and have used them quite frequently. But in terms of disassembly, you can totally remove the top from the bottom on the case by depressing levers by the hinges and taking the lid off. I’ve actually found that sometimes holiday cases can pop open from the back hinges if misaligned.

[@theodoretwombly9200]

I'm a sucker for my 1956 Royal Quiet De Luxe, absolutely love the key feel as well as the little style of it and it's General reliability

[@vincentaurelius2390]

Thanks, enjoyed the update. On a side note, Alicia from “AdventureDenali” talks about fountain pens, journaling, knitting, etc on her channel but has a small collection of typewriters. She also raves about her J4 which she named “Peggy”.

[@JustMyTypewriter]

I’ve seen some of those videos as well!

[@cwmoser]

My favorite desktop typewriter is the IBM Selectric II with correction. Its the epitome of typewriter design. Bought it for $20, was all gummed up but cleaned up and functions beautifully now. I have 9 typewriters. My second favorite is the Smith Corona Electra 120 - also requires a power connection. As far as manuals, I have an Underwood 11 and a Royal Empress Elite that I like to type on. Really enjoy your videos. Keep them coming. Do one on taking a newly found typewriter and go through the cleaning and lubricating process.

[@jeffcurry1280]

I love this "favorites" update! My very first manual typewriter was the Smith-Corona 5 Series Sterling. That machine is my baby and I will always keep her in my top spot. Coming in a close second is my 5 Series Clipper of the same year but with an elite typeface. I also have a 50's Royal QDL, which has surprised me as far as quality and function. She's certainly given me a different outlook on Royal portables. My favorite standard is my 1938 Royal KHM; solid, chunky, hefty, and types beautifully. I also love the history behind the model and the KMM model (which I am still on the hunt for). I recently refurb'd a 1970's Olympia SG3, which I really like but have yet to dive into for a writing project. More to follow there. My electrics are certainly all over the board, but I think my favorite is the Smith Corona SD700 I purchased at a thrift store for $5 and it came in pristine condition. I do travel with a portable typewriter when I am flying and rotate between my 1950's Royalite and my 1950's Skyriter. I love them both, though the Royalite does have an elite typeface and smudges a bit. Wow, this turned out longer than I intended! Hahaha! Thanks for bringing out the typewriter lover in my once again! Cheers!

[@ajarofpotential]

Just love your channel, and enjoying learning so much about typewriters, thank you. I recently uncovered a Remington Holiday in pale blue at the back of a local vintage market. He types beautifully and have called him Roman He's much easier to work with than my Erika, who's also beautiful but heavy and a real effort for my fingers to type with. 😊

[@gwenorelind2878]

I just got my first machine yesterday. It still needs a new ribbon, but it was in an amazing shape, just a bit of dust and some sticky keys. It is an Alpina SK24 and is more common here in Europe than in the US I think. I just can't wait for the ribbon to get here.

[@AtelierDBurgoyne]

I would agree about your choices and I personally would add an IBM correcting Selectric as an office machine and an Olympia SM9. Daniel

[@seejenntri]

I love my Olympia SM3 but then I used it in college and it was old then 😊. Will have to re-examine my Skywriter 🤔. My new favorite is a Montana typewriter I got from an auction for $18. I think it’s a clone of a Hermes Rocket. I just loves how it types. Again great video 👍

[@brandonthorpe9905]

I really like my Lettera 22 as far as super portables go. It's heavy enough that you don't get any movement, you can swing at it as hard as you could a desktop, but it's really round and everything is kept in tight, return lever is straight, really easy to maneuver. Fidel Castro swore by it! 😅

[@rbruce63]

There is so much to like in a Smith Corona! I have dad’s Corsair with Spanish keyboard and our currency the Costarican Colón currency ₡ sign and the letter Ñ. I also have US keyboard Corsair that I bought as a donor for dad’s missing platen knob. It came missing the paper holder with a ruler on top of it. The seller described it correctly, albeit, I couldn't see it in the pictures until it came... However, the donor Corsair was in such a great condition that I finally found and bought dad's platen knob and the paper guide in England to retrofit both machines. It's keyboard has all kinds of Imperial System fractions like 1/2, 5/8, 7/8 etc which is really attractive and useful. I have a Sterling too which is a very nice typewriter for all day use. I wish I have had sourced the parts earlier because I would have bought a Corsair Deluxe instead! Love your good bye slogan too!

[@CeruleanCzarina]

Thank you for sharing your experience! I am brand new to using vintage typewriters, so I’m definitely in the learning phase. I just purchased a Webster XL500 that was in great condition though it needs cleaning. It’s adorable. However, I am curious about your thoughts on this model as well as the Splendid 33 and 66 which has now caught my eye. Have you ever used any of these models and, if so, what did you think about them?

[@JustMyTypewriter]

I have not had the opportunity to use them! I do know, though, that collectors do enjoy them

[@Ybalrid]

I am curious, what are the practical use/advantage of an easily removable platen (besides maintenance)?

[@JustMyTypewriter]

Even in the advertisements that reference this feature, it seems to be mostly for maintenance

[@garygrubbs7546]

I agree with your choice of portables 100%. Thanks to your video on making the J3 quieter, my family now likes the J3 also. Please keep up the good work.

[@archivist17]

Excellent and informative summary! 😀

[@douglasjackson9058]

Adler with a "switch blade" pop up paper support. They are a pain to get in and out of there cases. Be thankful you don't have a case for that one😂

[@FrankGrauStudio]

The paper stand on the Adler looks exactly like they took it from the Olympia SM series.

[@whitsixkiller]

I find this quite interesting I got my first typewriter a week ago a Smith Corona Cougar. I despise modern computers and printers and just wanted something to type out a quick note or letter. I got the cougar from a local ebay seller went by his house to pick up the cougar. While I was there he offered me a second one that had some function issues he threw it in for an extra $20 bucks. It is a Smith Corona Clipper. I have over at Phoenix Typewriter Duane said it's an easy fix so I'm patiently waiting to hear from him. After watching this video I'm actually looking forward to getting it back. While I was at Phoenix Typewriter Duane had a beautiful Royal KMM for sale, I had to have it and just like that I'm a typewriter collector. Funny how that happens.

[@ratlantic]

Thanks for the Arthur Conan Doyle reference

[@ericjenks9596]

“It’s quite heavy. It’d be a great murder weapon,” lol. Murder She Wrote suddenly comes to mind

[@Bino_Means]

Irene? Elementary. My first typewriter was an accidental Skyriter. I thought the case was a container for a reel of film. I was delighted to be wrong. Still have it. Have often wondered if George Lucas ever used a Skyriter when writing his original Star Wars stories...Skyriter inspired the name Skywalker? I mean...it COULD have. Now there's a conspiracy theory!

[@saulysw]

Always an interesting thing to think about when you have a collection, "which is the favourite?". I have a spreadsheet with all my machines in, and I score them on three metrics : aesthetics, action and typed output, out of 10. I then underweight aesthetics and overweight action to get a final score. So, at any time I can rank my whole collection just by sorting on this score column. I have come to realise though that each machine has more subtle pros and cons, and a personality if you like, so it is not so simple as a single number. Sometimes I feel like using one over another, just because. Sometimes I feel like I no longer want to use the machine at all, and then it is time to move it on. About the only manufacturer I simply don't like, so far, is Olivetti - I'm yet to find one of them that makes me happy. I am like you in that I really like the Smith-Corona 5 series machines, rare as they are here. There is a real "honeymoon" period where any new machine gets all the attention, but that does fade and as it settles in. I particularly like using machines that I have brought back from the dead, that were considered lost causes by their previous owners. I like to write them a letter with the machine once I get it working. I have been using an Imperial Good Companion 1 for the last week that is like that. It still has some issues but it now types a page well. It is beat up and looks like crap but I don't care! It is funny how a machine can weasel its way into your heart....so it is all a bit of a moving target. And really, that's one of the things that makes this hobby fun, right?

[@AlexFarlow-m1w]

I’m more of the 1900s 20s through the 1940s world war 1 and 2 typewriters and other collections of that era

[@Joseph-Colin-EXP]

I just got my first, underwood ss. Curious how it compares to the HH.

[@JustMyTypewriter]

I've never played around with the SS- hope you enjoy!

[@douglasjackson9058]

Favorite is a tough question... usually it's the one I picked out that day. But when asked that question the first one to pop into my thoughts 1908 L.C.Smith right hand return followed closely by1960. Torpedo and 1964 Adler 3E

[@jakevr6814]

where do you get typewriters that are cheap

[@JustMyTypewriter]

@@jakevr6814 I recommend flea markets, yard sales, estate sales, and Facebook marketplace!

[@67comet]

Before I got to know typewriters I kind of just thought "they're all basically the same" .. then I got a few more, and now .. Underwood Champion is my current fave, but I really like my Royal KHM. I have a big HH looking machine on the way (Monday) and I hope I can get it working and see hot it is. I just got a Remington Rand Noiseless No. 7 and I wanted it so bad and um .. Nope, really not a fan of using it .. (I'm scrolling the video just now to find the case video because I have two typewriters that didn't come with a case). Love your stuff keep it up (please) ..

[@Trafficaloco]

Do you have a nice standard royal to sell?

[@JustMyTypewriter]

Hi there- I only sell in my local area and don't have any listed at the moment!

[@poppyseeds1844]

Olivetti, followed by IBM Selectric.

[@aaronscholl9560]

I type the same way. "Normal" on a keyboard, hunt and peck on a typewriter. As they say, you do you, boo.

[@synthnerd4539]

Hmm, what's the little dark key next to the Q on the Adler? Is it margin release?

[@JustMyTypewriter]

Yes!

[@proletariennenaturiste]

Me who doesn't hunt and peck on anything.

[@joeygigahertz]

Love your channel! Can u please name my 1964 Hermes 3000 some swedish girl name maybe? I would be honored thank u.

[@JustMyTypewriter]

what about Ingrid- it means "beautiful"

[@joeygigahertz]

@@JustMyTypewriter Wow that's confirmation I kept getting that name thanks. Ingrid it is👍🏼

[@robertdavenport7802]

"Only" own three typewriters, but my two favorites are a 1946 Royal KMM full size and a 1947 Smith Corona portable. Probably quite similar mechanically to your two machines. Of the two, the full size is my favorite for typing. It's quite a beast.

[@nickblackburn1903]

Wait... What? You turned a typewriter into a flipping lamp! Argh ...

[@JustMyTypewriter]

There is a video on this, and it was ethically done!

[@paullacotta5645]

Good video. But oh god stop saying “very unique”. There is not degrees of uniqueness. It is or it isn’t unique.

[@JustMyTypewriter]

Thank you for your feedback; I'll keep that in mind!