Typewriter Video Series -- Episode 272: Royal FP

Joe reviews a 1960 Royal FP, and compares it to a 1947 Royal KMM. Which one is better?

[@christopherbrissini5722]

I have just bought one of these. Wonderful machine. Thank you so much for this video.

[@lorensims4846]

Whee! When we were kids in the early sixties, our dad brought home a typewriter. I think one of the letters wouldn't type and that's why he was able to bring it home. He had it set up in our playroom and I was fascinated to figure out all the mechanisms. This was a Royal KMG Standard, a real workhorse. I don't know whatever became of it but I have many fond memories. When I was in high school in the mid-seventies he strongly encouraged us to learn to type because that ability had served him well when he was in the army. He bought a typewriter for us to learn on and it looked very much like that Royal FP. It had the sturdiness I remembered from the KMG but looked more modern with the plastic keys instead of those glass-topped keys we had seen on the KMG. A great update for a trusty standard.

[@alfonsoa68]

Love those type of typewriters specially the Royal Brands. My all respect for your knowledge about typewriters . The best of the best for you and your wife..

[@thethriftyfawn]

Absolutely LOVE your office and the shelves Joe! Your wife has a good eye for functional organization and style! I wish I had a workspace like yours! The Royal FP is a very attractive looking typewriter too!

[@selkiemaine]

This definitely brings back memories. I wanted to learn to type back around 6th or 7th grade, about 40 years ago. My father brought back a Royal FP from his office. - he'd hauled it out of a supply closet, and given it to the maintenance staff for cleaning and lubrication. While my memory is slightly hazy, I remember it as identical to this machine, except for the standard US keyboard. It worked perfectly, but at that age, I couldn't reliably press the A. I just didn't have the finger strength. I really tried to learn on it, but I just struggled. So, eventually, the machine went away - sadly, i suspect it went out. Fast forward 25 years, and after my mother passed away, I inherited her machine, a custom keyed Bluebird 18B that she never let me touch as a child. I just like it better than the old Royal, but of course, I'm an adult now, with much stronger hands and 40 years of touch-typing experience. I've had that machine for many years now, and am slowly returning it to a pristine condition. I have new feet for it, and will be sending the platen out for a re-covering. It's fun, knowing that I'm typing on a machine that handled 30 years of family correspondence, and the occasional magazine articles my mother used to bang out back around the time i was born. I do feel a little guilty having slighted that old Royal back in the day, though.

[@johnc.bojemski1757]

I LOVE the anatomically correct "finger" on the end of your pointer Joe! Ha, ha ha!... So funny!!!

[@miahoover9225]

I just acquired my Royal FPP last week. It's a fantastic typewriter. I'm using a purple and green ribbon.

[@Joe_VanCleave]

Congrats!

[@hortenseplaceg9740]

Royal FP standard is one of my top five most favorite typewriters and those are Olympia SM, Olympia SG, Hermes 3000, and Remington 17 .

[@johnc.bojemski1757]

A gorgeous FULL SIZED "ROY" Joe! Thanks for featuring it. (I'm very loyal to my 70's era ROYAL PORTABLE aka "ROY".

[@johntapp7232]

Funny thing-my Royal KMM was serialed as a 1939 model, and my Royal FPP serials in 1959-twenty years’ difference. Both have pica type. The FPP has a 16” carriage whereas the KMM has an 11” carriage. Royal, from about 1906 to about 1972, made one of the toughest machines ever built. Solid, rugged, reliable typewriters, these monsters will outlast your grandkids.

[@saulysw]

They are both fantastic machines, wonderful. The only thing I don't like so much about the FP is that it got bigger. I have the KHM, and it is similar but different again with the piano black paint and a screwed on cover. I love it, and it is a really nice typer. I think you were right in saying you can't go wrong with any of them. I was going to only have portables in my collection but have ended up with a few standards, and I'm glad I did.

[@loveisall5520]

I learned to really get over 100wpm on a Royal 440 office manual in the late sixties in high school. But--unlike your beautiful FP, Royal, for whatever reason, changed the keys to flimsy little plastic things where it was so easy for a teenaged boy to get his fingers caught between the rows. Why would a manufacturer do that? If I'd ever gotten my hands on an FP in the shape of yours, it'd still be in my study, too! It's sad that Royal got steamrollered by the IBM wave of electrics in the late forties, combined with their amazing service ability. None of our major typewriter manufacturers ever made a dent on IBM's success, especially after the Selectric was introduced in '61. Beautiful machines!

[@claywebster7401]

I have a machine that’s the FPCE. It has a carbon film ribbon mechanism on it, it can use either fabric ribbon or 1/4” carbon film. I have the carbon film set up currently.

[@douglasjackson9058]

Great video. I have several Royals. My preference is Glass keys...just enjoy the feel.

[@typerite3674]

While I prefer the older style from a purely aesthetic perspective, I do love me some sixties Royal goodness. I assume I would be able to function on both machines, but I think I would prefer the KMM. Sadly, I own neither, though a KMM is on my radar.

[@johnc.bojemski1757]

PS: Nice job on your new background too! The shelves look VERY organized.

[@pcblah]

I bought an odd version of the Royal FP (FPE serial) with what I think is an A3 format carriage. It's massive, longer than a standard sheet of paper fit in long-ways. I think it was used for enginneering or blue printing purposes.

[@johnandrewmunroe]

What a beauty!

[@gpirespires]

This is actually a Portuguese keyboard. The Spanish language does not use the circumflex accent (^), but the Portuguese does.

[@Joe_VanCleave]

Thank you for clarifying!

[@gpirespires]

Thank you for the video, excellent and very useful as always. (the keyboard should also have a C with a cedilha, this key: Ç. Did it have one?)

[@christophermckellar1352]

Nice review, Joe. Thanks. I first thought you were copying me copying you since I bought one of these from my typewriter guy a few weeks ago in response to your KMM. MIne is the FPe, however: also from 1960, serial number7067937. American keyboard. I turned another down for $45 at an estate sale a week ago. They said it didn’t work. The only thing I found was the right magic margin was set far to the left. I changed it. Changed my mind and went back the next day, left a note on the door. I must have fixed it too well! Still not sure if I will keep mine. It either has quirks or my typing is just too quirky. Drat those computers! All best.

[@dadtype2339]

The Royal I've been looking for, is a 1960s 660 Office Pro. There's a video about it here in KZbin land, Periscope Videos is the channel name, if you search them and add Royal 660 typewriter it Shou bring that video up. It's a pretty cool looking and its features are pretty cool too. Next to that of course is my Hermes, a curvy body...the one I liked on eBay is gone....lol..I should have bought it, but I'm told if I want to live I can't buy anything here in April so close to my Birthday in May. Another Hermés I like is the Ambassador Manual. I do not own a full size Typewriter yet. Notice yet. A dark green Underwood #5 is another I'd love to have. Lol cat hair, yeah that SCM 110 Electra i I cleaned, had So SO much hair I swear it looked like Chewy Chubbacca from Star Wars used it for a comb...so much hair it was on the grouds of gross with each tweezer pull out from the linkages. Sign...but it's all clean fresh oil changed, and new ribbon and works amazing. All my machines run and look new, been very lucky on that aspect. Thanks Joe for sharing these.

[@dltellet]

I have one of each of these and though I love the logo button on the FP, the body just seems flimsier to me. But the biggest issue for me is the key caps. I much prefer the tombstone metal ones on the KPP.

[@johntapp7232]

Well, I wouldn’t say the FPs are flimsier. Yes, they use cast aluminum for the body and plastic keys, so they are roughly about five pounds or so lighter than the KMMs, but they don’t seem any less robust to me.

[@HelloIAmJo]

I have an FPE from November or December 1961. The key on the righthand side that has the tilde on this machine has the ¢ symbol for its lower option and @ when you shift. My mother was born in 1963, so if anybody would indulge me and inform me of the everyday uses of @ in 1961, I am very interested. Just a shorthand for "at"? I'm just remembering that news segment from the 90s where they weren't sure how to read out their email address. One presenter thought you said "about"

[@error_profile_not_found_8906]

I just found one of these in a goodwill for $5 and I'm hoping to figure out how to repair it well without damaging it

[@joaoalbertodosanjosgomes1536]

Royal only it is its name but it is to all.

[@tmunk]

oooh, excellent focus on engagement! :D Seriously though, be careful that you don't get talked into (or talk yerself into) keeping that FP. Two Royal standards is quirkiness - three is mainlining. You have been warned. :D

[@Joe_VanCleave]

I know! But at least Andrea likes the looks of the FP!

[@chugg159]

I think a better comparison would be between this and the Hermes 3000.

[@someonespadre]

Got a 1957 Remington Quiet-Riter ($50) and a 1955 Office-Riter ($30) which types very well despite the general filth. Hope to make at least one excellent typewriter out of them. QR has broken paper release lever. OR has sagging carriage return lever. Both have okay platen, grippy, not totally hard.

[@shanearnold6414]

I have this exact same typewriter. WHERE CAN I FIND RIBBONS FOR IT!!????! I've seen a whole bunch of ribbons on eBay and amazon, but I don't know if they're compatible with my typewriter. CAN SOMEONE PLEASE HELP!!

[@Joe_VanCleave]

The Royals use special metal spools with the auto-reverse mechanism underneath. Any 1/2" ribbon will work, but you'll need to respool the new ribbbon onto the old Royal spools. The SP doesn't use eyelets at the end of the ribbon to detect auto-reverse, so any 1/2" ribbon will work, provided you spool them onto the old spools.

[@pcblah]

My machine didn't come with spools, but ribbons unlimited seems to have them. Pricey, though.

[@debbyfowler6470]

I have a similar Royal FP. It needs a new ribbon. I am not sure what to purchase. Any guidance? Thank you.

[@Joe_VanCleave]

Ribbons for Royal 10 and similar full-sized standard machines will work. On these machines you save the old spools (they have a hinged lever on the underneath side that performs the reversing action) and wind new ribbon on the old spools. Contact Ribbons Unlimited, they should have these Royal ribbons, in both black and black/red.

[@Delusivereality]

How do I repair sticking keys/ribbon

[@Joe_VanCleave]

Degrease the mechanism to dissolve the old hardened lubricants and remove the dirt.

[@davidandrade618]

Hi ... I have a rare TYPEWRITER , symilar to the gray one you have , I only have a problem , ..when I press keys roll don't retract or go .... Margen and everything else work .... Do you know what could it happen?

[@Joe_VanCleave]

Check if the carriage lock is engaged.

[@davidandrade618]

@@Joe_VanCleave do you know where the carriage lock is located?

[@Joe_VanCleave]

Here’s an online scan of the owners manual: site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/RoyalFP.pdf I was wrong about it having a carriage lock. Is there tension on the carriage when you hold a knob and press the carriage release to manually move the carriage, do you feel tension from the spring motor tryin to pull the carriage to the left? If not, perhaps the draw band is broken.

[@johnc.bojemski1757]

Correction!!! The TWO "ROYS"!!! (Sounds like the title of an old "BBC" variety show. LOL! (Yes, I'm a wheezer geezer.)

[@johntapp7232]

I think you’re thinking of “The Two Ronnies.” I used to watch that show, and I also watched “Benny Hill,” “Keeping Up Appearances,” “Are You Being Served,” and “The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin.”

[@johntapp7232]

GOTTA love British Comedy!!

[@typepals]

I have an FPE and a 440. My 440 works better, but the textured panel behind the keyboard on the FPE really makes the “look”. As a result, the 440 is a very bland typewriter by comparison. If I remember correctly, the FP came in other colors.