Typewriter Video Series - Episode 252: Thinking Long Term

Joe does more cogitating about the long-term direction of his typewriter collection - and ends up acquiring another machine, instead of downsizing!

[@javierorozco5136]

Thank Joe for mentioning my name in the video.It was amazing hearing my name in the video.

[@AtelierDBurgoyne]

Good for you :)

[@av8bvma513]

Joe, for your consideration, one of the finest mid-sized portables is the Rheinmetall Borsig range, ultra fast action, short keystroke, super accurate printing, smooth as a luxury car. They really disappear! The cheaper and more common 50s to 60s machines are fabulous, but the 30s to 50s veterans are stellar. Usually more expensive, but not always. The Keller & Knappich Princess 300 is a brilliant ultra-portable, fantastic touch, super accurate, super fast, slim and yet with a roomy keyboard. Highly recommended. Then the astonishing Czechoslovakian Consul 232! Amazing build quality and Peerless design. Simplify, simplify, simplify, and there you have it, lifting the ribbon cover will have you scratching your head; "Where's the guts?" It looks bare inside, but it is all there, just very well laid out. Outstanding action and touch, super nice keytop shape, wonderful bodywork, types a dream. Then there is the Remington Portable 1 and 2. Several famous authors wrote exclusively on these, and when you try one, you will see why. For an ultra-ultra slim portable, they are mind blowing. The fold up typebar system is the key, in fact, the keyboard moves as you fold up the typebars. Not only stellar action, the early Remingtons have a wonderful font shape, with delicious numerals, (my all-time favorite 7) Hope some of this is useful to you.

[@Naolslager]

Joe, excellent video as always. I've whittled my "collection" down to three machines. And, for me, they are the Olympias. They are as transparent as any machine I've used and the perfect tools for writing. One consideration I had is I'd rather have my children remember me using a typewriter or two rather than a man who had a menagerie of machines. Also I think this makes it more likely they will want to keep a machine for themselves. I don't think they'd appreciate a large collection as much as I might and the machines might find themselves with a dark, lonely, and forgotten future. Dato

[@VirtualGuth]

Very well said. Some good thoughts well worth considering.

[@AtelierDBurgoyne]

Thanks for sharing your thinking. It's helping me in my decision.

[@danmiller6890]

The minute I saw your KMM I literally yelled out loud "Hell yeah"!!!! I own a 1940 KMM and a 1951 KMG which is basically the same machine except grey with tombstone shaped keys instead of the round ones that the KMM has. These are hands down my favorite machines. Solid as the day is long and smoooooooth typers. I really think you are going to enjoy this machine for years to come. Great choice. Great video as always. -Dan

[@cedrickjmackniddle3861]

I love this channel

[@thethriftyfawn]

Definitely going to re-watch and listen to this one again... such great storytimes!

[@deancummings586]

Thanks for the "walk and talk" video on the important subject of evaluating each typewriter on one's collection. I've done this a few times already, even though my reasons were more instinctual and less specifically considered than yours. I listened to what you said and I think you put words to how I felt about some machines that have left my collection in favor of others. Right now I have a light blue Smith Corona "Corsair," a portable that has a "real" touch control and is a pleasure to type on...page after page. I have a blue Royal "Futura 800" that has a badly damaged case, but the typewriter itself is in great physical condition. I enjoy using this machine, even though I take it out less often than the others due to it's sheer weight. I have a Smith Corona "Chronomatic 2200" electric typewriter that came with the original sales receipt, ($403.85 Canadian Dollars in 1979). As I type page after page with this Chronomatic, I definitely am able to "forget" that the machine is working, it works so well and so smoothly...I guess that might be the reason that they were able to charge over $400 for it back in '79. Finally, I just ordered a Olympia Carina 2 manual typewriter. I wanted to try this one because I've heard and read from a number of people that this is an enjoyable machine for longer writing sessions. I'll admit that I was also intrigued to learn that it was once the Swedish military's writing tool of choice! At any rate, I've kept my collection small, and because I'm writing the first draft of my latest model only on the typewriter, each of these machines has been put through its paces! Thanks again Joe for this excellent video, it's so good to see that you're making new ones in 2021. All the best.

[@AtelierDBurgoyne]

I own a Coronamatic 2500 (very similar to your Coronamatic 2200) and agree with you that it is the easiest typing experience of all my machines. I also have a Coronet Classic 12 which types perfectly fine but just has less fancy features. I have read the Coronamatic 8000 business typewriter is just a metal body version of the 2500 so there you go for convenience.

[@robertocarrion4878]

I truly enjoy your videos and the part where you say that the the typewriter have to "disappear" I can relate to, as a writer and collector been thinning down the collection to the ones that really do the job, from 20 machines now I have six reliable workhorses; 1951 Underwood Champion Finger Flite, 1951 Royal Arrow, 1963 Olympia SF, 1969 Hermes 3000, 1963 Facit T2 and a Smith Corona Electra 210, great creative tools.

[@thethriftyfawn]

At the 12:40 markpoint when you showed your left pinky finger being crooked, was wondering if you had an injury in the past Joe? No need to answer if you don't want to. It reminded me of a close family member of mine who has a crooked left pinky finger as well. As a baby and toddler, he used to suckle on his left pinky finger, which likely formed the little crook in his finger when his little bones were still malleable. We're not sure though, but it's possible! At least you're not alone in that regard!

[@Joe_VanCleave]

No injury; perhaps I was a pinkie-sucker as a child!

[@thethriftyfawn]

@@Joe_VanCleave Double checked with my family member, and his is on the right hand- I apologize for lying to you Joe! The mirror image of watching on screen may have confused me. My family member is right hand dominant, and the crooked pinky has no impact on any activities. I will pray for you in gaining some improved range of motion and strength in your left hand and pinky finger finger!

[@TheLearningLounge]

I’m a newbie and hungry to learn, so your videos are great. I have a ‘thing’ about the sound a typewriter makes too, so I’m always curious about how the various brands and models sound.

[@artmooggie3107]

Thank you for this...I really like the way you say that the typewriter "disappears" when you are writing...I just love this, exactly what happens when a typewriter is a good fit. My Royal 10 Regal Rebuilt is like that. I love that the sold sign was there for you, that is so great! I was glad to hear your wife won't let you give away your blue underwood! It is really a nice find to get one in blue and with its UT caps and if it were me, years from now I would be sad I let it go and try to re-find it... I think it is nice to have one show typewriter, maybe behind glass with a nice light on it? I am making some DIY glass doors for my ikea kallax to display a couple typewriters that I think are really pretty.

[@CDash162]

Imagine him having a typewriter shop down the road from his house. He’s so lucky.

[@adventuredenali]

Thoroughly enjoyed hearing your thought process, and enjoyed the wintery desert scene around you. I love that experience, you explained. The moment in which you no longer are aware of typing, or your surroundings. The typewriter fades, even you as a person seems to disappear. When it just becomes a free flow of words onto paper. Beautiful new machine, sounds like a special machine. I love that he “sold” it on your behalf.

[@christophermckellar1352]

Thanks for the video and the walk. Enjoyed your sound thinking. Just two days ago passed up a Royal “big” machine locally for $30. She didn’t call me back so I didn’t even see it “in platen.” No easy place to put it kept me from being more aggressive. I’m thinking it’s smarter and safer to buy such from the repair guy. “But it was only $30.” Runs occasionally through my mind. “Hush!” Looking forward to your creative output.

[@Joe_VanCleave]

Supporting the repair guys is a good strategy, I think. I'm all for buying used machines on the cheap and learning to fix them, but we gotta support the professionals, too! My guy (John Lewis) is 78, nearly half a century of experience.

[@christophermckellar1352]

@@Joe_VanCleave If I were as clever as you I would go the cheap-and-fix-‘em route sometimes. By the time I’ve paid to get a wild typewriter spruced up, I’ve wished I’d just bought from my repair guy. Both machines I’ve done that with are my most liked. One possible exception was my “find” of a Skywriter. Bought it via a local internet ad from someone who lives half a mile from my house!

[@davidsterling564]

Thank you, Joe, for all of the typewriter wisdom that you share. Welcome to Klub KMM!

[@Joe_VanCleave]

Thank you! And I'm glad it isn't a "Kult!"

[@VirtualGuth]

Even though I only became involved with typewriters just last year, this is exactly the sort of thing that I've already started thinking about. Last week marked the first time I gave away one of my typewriters simply because it did not pass "the test" much as you've described in this video. There wasn't anything wrong with that typewriter by the way, it just wasn't a great fit for me. My friend that I sent it to was excited to receive it. Expanding the typing experience to include others feels good.

[@AtelierDBurgoyne]

Thanks for presenting your thought process. I am going through a selection process here and your criteria for choosing the machines you like best really help me. My takeaway is that the typewriter has to feel good to you. Those nice features help keeping focused on the job. As an example, the automatic page loading feature of my Coronamatic 2500 is just so nice and always perfect. I have a Lettera 32 with Pica typeset and a Lettera 22 with an Elite typeset. For some reason the keys on the 32 are mushy whereas the 22 is super snappy. So I prefer the 22. I have the same issue with my left little finger as you so snappy is better for me. Thanks! Daniel Ottawa, Canada

[@paolocruz8392]

Hi Mr. Cleave, I was contemplating the same dilemma of rationalizing buying a new typewriter when your video showed up on my recommended watch list on YT. I have been watching a lot of your videos lately being bitten by the typewriter bug. As of writing April 27, 2021 I am a bit late but nonetheless enjoy the whole experience and write everyday journaling. No creative writing yet, hopefully soon. You've shown great point in keeping the machines for the primary reason that it should feel good when typing. I can't work on a machine that has a few and little annoying niggles. Though they may be small it will nag at you a lot and can make you crazy at times. I'm just saying, in my opinion, I agree with your sentiment regarding keeping good work horse machines. Thank you for this.

[@obadonke]

That's a really good way to evaluate typewriters. I use my typewriters to write my journal in the morning - a thought dump for the day as it were - some entries end up being almost entirely about the machine I'm using due to its foibles. Hadn't considered that I should drop typewriters like this from the rotation.

[@typepals]

Oh, that’s wonderful! As you may know, I have the FPE and 440. They’re not a “looker” like yours, but they sure can type. So I understand what you mean about a typewriter that disappears. Just stop once in a while to admire yours. It’s beautiful.

[@douglasjackson9058]

Great video Joe, walking and thinking go hand in hand. Loved the thought process,I'm right there with you. I have go shelf's and stay shelf's. Love the big machines,real work horses. I'm going to see how you find homes for the ones that don't make the cut to help with my thought process of finding homes for mine.

[@SG1Olympia]

Thanks, Joe, for sharing the process you've worked through to determine which machines to keep and why. I've been doing something similar with typewriters and books.

[@johnc.bojemski1757]

Yes! The "tool" you choose to write with SHOULD "disappear" as you capture your work! Whether it's a quill pen or a computer keyboard. The "tool" SHOULDN'T distract you from your thoughts. I LOVED my "old" late 1980's PANASONIC WORD PROCESSOR vs. DESKTOP OR LAPTOP COMPUTERS. All it did was allow me to write! NOTHING else. No distractions on the screen to break your concentration. It was FANTASTIC! I've still got it and a twin too but BOTH suffered total failure of the FLOPPY DISK DRIVE crippling them completely. CAN'T "SAVE" so you CAN'T PRINT!!! Ugh. Thus the return to my 1970's era ROYAL portable typewriter. I've NEVER "LOST" anything on it and as long as my fingers function I can work, walk away for days, then return to my project in EXACTLY the same place where I left it. What more could you ask for? I'm NOT a trained typist. My late wife, a NYC High School English teacher did have that training. It was AMAZING to watch HER type! All ten fingers vs. my two fingered "Hunt 'n Peck" method. SHE was always amazed at how fast I could get my thoughts down without having the classic "technique".

[@dadtype2339]

Hi Joe, Sorry I'm late to the party, 3 years, lol still catching up. Update on this, have you downsized, stayed the same, grew more since this video? Thank you for bringing us along NM reminds me of my Arizona. The desert is really a beautiful place, clean, and with a special kind of peaceful energy. I think those of us who collect AND Use our machines fully are a special group as I've heard most collectors don't use their machines and people who write on a typewriter don't really collect. But as we've talked about we are Guardians of these historical artifacts and it's a duty and honor to keep them working as that's what they want so to, they weren't made to just be a complicated paperweight. My journey started off as a need to return to a machine for my 1st Drafts, and then by hand transfer into the computer or what I call the Editing system. I used to do this on a 1929 Remington Portable the one you pull the pin out on the right side and in and arch motion forward, would bring the typeface up front a flat collapsed position. But I thought I would save time by skipping that step and my stories suffered, I would have to work twice as hard and even then the quality wasn't the same. So on my return, I wanted an Electric mechanical typewriter, a mechanical typewriter and a really good portable typewriter. And I made a mistake of asking for one I found, my Wife says she bought me lol, I wish I had done my study on as it's a cousin to the Safari, a 1968 Royal Aristocrat Special, it's great for short work, letters, maybe a short story 10 pages but nothing more it's so stiff and a hard key push mechanically its sound, clean in super fine condition nothing wrong with it, it's just not a workhorse typewriter, it doesn't vanish when you work in fact it drags. It's an 🔱⚓ anchor. Now I can't sell it as the Spouse Unit the Stepferd Wife will blow a fuse lol! I did later find a 1972 SCM Electra 110 that's a manual return electric mechanical typewriter with a 10" carriage, a white key face with a storm Grey body beautiful machine in very good working condition, and a 1964 SCM Galaxie Deluxe in a light blue green body, in fact outside of color and one being electric, these two are identical machines they are each other's counterpart and that Galaxie Deluxe is a major Workhorse an Invisible man if you will. And for my portables lol I have you to thank, for introducing me to the brothers EP-20 and EP-43 Thermal Typewriters. I took the 43 with me to a dealership as my car needed an update, it took 4 hours and on batteries the EP-43 was my Hero got lots of good work done between the people who stopped and asked about it, lol one person asked if I was somebody famous and I said not if you have to ask. In fact the battery life 4 C or 4 D size depending on machine I think the 43 is size C but both will last a long time, I once worked on my EP-43 on batteries producing 10 pages a day on evening I was flying that night the machine vanished I produced 30 some odd pages, on high density dark print, batteries lasted me about 2 weeks and that's constant work. I like that it's quiet and you can roll the paper by hand which saves battery power. Was trying to make this short.. For me it's a collection with purpose, all my machines work and I work them. The brother's especially Joe, thank you, I am so glad You got me on those, especially with my nerve disease in my legs, my laptop was so heavy and hot it was getting to a point where I couldn't work in bed anyway more as there are many days I don't leave my bed, CRPS is so painful, but the Brother and a headlamp is light and the 43 quiet enough for me to work at night and not bother the Mrs. The EP-20 is quiet to type and quiet to print, but loud when loading paper or when the platen moves...now the EP-43 is quiet to print and load paper but loud as the head moves lol can't win them all and I think that's the case when it comes to finding that perfect writing machine, it's possibly in the next machine and so the collection builds. I don't expect my collection to get any bigger unless a Curvey Hermés 3K finds me and asks to be in my family lol, I will find one, one day. Be well Joe, and thanks for reading all be safe and HAPPY EASTER 2024!

[@Joe_VanCleave]

Since this video, in 2023 I gained about 7 or more machines, and this year looks similar. Not that I’m hunting for them, but people bring them my way. I always have the excuse that they’re not for “me,” they’re for Type-Ins!

[@dadtype2339]

@@Joe_VanCleave Very nice, thought about telling my other half of the Wedding Candle, No, Hon, I'm fixing them to sell. Lol nah, I can get more If I want but I'm just okay and looking for my Hermes 3k. Thanks for the reply Sir!

[@drandallesq]

Great to see your thought processes in this video Joe! Having a stable of typewriters is a bit like having a car collection, they are all great to take for a spin round the block, but I tend to go back to certain ones, like my Facit 1620 for a long run.

[@copyrightfreevideobyttf]

Love the "lid" covering at the top of the KMM and how classy the keys look... the machine itself looks straight up 1940s, wearing a fedora, no one would mess with it, kinda deal!

[@tmunk]

I got worried when you were talking about the Mercury. :D

[@Joe_VanCleave]

Nope, Merc stays!

[@solitairepilot]

What a beautiful machine

[@cauaraynere]

My favorite typewriter for projects and work is the Olivetti Underwood 298, but when I need to type elsewhere I take my Olivetti Dora, a nice typewriter for letters but but not much for long jobs. However, it has served me well. Great video!

[@sagedesrochers8473]

I have three typewriters. An Olivetti Underwood 21, an Underwood All-Electric and a Remington Rand model 17. The All-Electric has a motor problem, the Olivetti Underwood 21 is great but I just love the feeling of the Remington Rand when I type, it's awesome.

[@loveisall5520]

I'm two years older than you and I took Typing I as a summer school course in 1967. I was on an Underwood Touchmaster Five; not beautiful, not romantic, but an amazing typer. Never owned one after that, but haven't forgotten my pleasure in using it, either. I am consistently amazed by the high quality of the S-C electrics, at least up to the awful Coronamatic era. I feel sorry for those poor people buying one of them today and realizing they're getting screwed by the cost of those goofy ribbons--and of course the carbon ribbon cartridges are long since unavailable...

[@Gordontubeon]

Hello from France :-) I discovered your channel by learning about my machine. By using it and with advice, I like it more and more (it's a hermes 3000 of 1972, a good year as it's mine too). I still have to fix it a bit, we don't have too many specialists here anymore, so I'm taking advice. And I love your channel, I've alreardy watch a lot of yours videos and like your style. Just to know, how much is it to buy such a overhauled machine?

[@Joe_VanCleave]

I've seen them upwards of $400, overhauled by a typewriter repair shop. But people are asking even more from online auction sites!

[@Gordontubeon]

@@Joe_VanCleave thank you for your reply. I will try to fix what I can :-)

[@erp65]

Richard Polt lugs his beloved KMM to typewriter conventions for the inevitable speed typing contest. Never loses. ;/

[@Astyanaz]

What is an "again" ribbon?

[@beneric1000]

I have a Kmm as well and I would like to get it restored. I live in Ohio and I am curious about where I should go to make it fixed. It is in good shape but I want to get into typewriters. What do you think?

[@Joe_VanCleave]

Check this link and scroll down to Ohio for a list of repair shops: site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/tw-repair.html

[@dianemaher3538]

How's the reduction of your collection going? Are you doing more writing on your Royal KMM?

[@Joe_VanCleave]

Yes, writing on my KMM (the key is finding the right paper, due to the small typeface and inky ribbon. The latest paper I've found that works good is newsprint paper, found in tablets in art stores). As for reducing my collection, it's about the same, no changes.

[@brendablomberg8483]

Hey Joe, Congrats on your new typewriter. I too have machines I could part with, maybe in the spring I’ll put them up on Marketplace. My Son has a Royal Mercury also, his first and only typewriter. I enjoyed the walk in the park, thanks for sharing .

[@spigeon]

Ooo! KMMs are grand machines. Have fun with yours! I know I do with mine

[@greyfriar9008]

I have a 1938 KMM that is perfect in every respect other than being damaged by the courier when it was sent to me. Right hand, as you face it, hand turning knob for the platen was shattered and needs replaced as well as the carriage will no longer stay in the returned position. Heartbreaking for a machine that has remained in perfect condition for 87 years. It is however a classic and will be repaired. Anyone know where I can find a red Bakelite hand turning knob for a 1938 KMM for starters? On a side note in the TVs series 'The Ghost and Mrs Muir.' , Mrs Muir uses a Royal KMM that has had its original keys replaced with 1950's keys.

[@kerc]

Welcome to the KMM club!

[@michaelprice4423]

I too have a Royal KMM and for me it was 'The One' but then I got a Royal HH... Well dang it, now I'm not sure again.

[@dianemaher3538]

Have you ever considered interviewing John Lewis as part of your TWVS?

[@Joe_VanCleave]

I've asked him several times but thus far he's not wanted to do it. I think he's afraid it'll bring in even more business, which he doesn't need, as he's super busy right now.

[@tochtliochtli7239]

What happened to the Hermes 3000?!

[@Joe_VanCleave]

Keeping both!

[@leonardopensador]

Is the third time I see the thumbnail of this video and all three times I saw a coffin at first glance. Reality perception I so strange sometimes.

[@Joe_VanCleave]

Hmm … that’s interesting!