Anyone still use typewriters?

[DWalt]

I remember that in the waning days of the electric typewriter, in the mid-1980s, there was an IBM Selectric with a "smart" memory feature, sort of like a mini word processor. You could type a few lines and see them and edit them on a small screen, then if OK, you hit a button and it printed those lines. Then repeat. My secretary had one and it was difficult for her to figure out how it worked. She got frustrated and decided she didn't want to waste the time learning how to use it and went back to using the "stupid" typewriter version. I remember that secretary well, she was a lot of woman. About 350 pounds worth. Anyone else remember the "smart" Selectrics?

We also had one of the early word processors, and it required a dedicated word processor operator to use it. She had to take a two-week training course. As I remember it cost $3000 without the printer. It had a impact printer that sounded like a machine gun and had to be mounted inside a sound-absorbing cabinet because it was so loud. Storage memory was a large-diameter floppy disc, maybe 8" in diameter.

 

[Pop's2]

A useful skill and no I wasn't very fast (30wpm) learned during the "Basic Army Administration School" . In later years had a secretarial pool for typing but used an IBM selectric for making my own rough drafts. Gave my last two electric portables to the grandkids....still have (I think) a Smith PWP-6 combo typewriter/wordprocessor with "daisy wheels" worked pretty good; but as most have noted computers with ink jets are the way to go

 

[Delta Expatriate]

I have an old IBM Correcting Selectric - bought it new from IBM in 1978- Paid $903.00 (maybe +/- a few cents). It was a whole lot of money for me then (as it is now). I was a few months out of law school and was working as a petroleum landman. It traveled with me to Arkansas, Texas, Nebraska and Michigan, as well as numerous counties here in Mississippi. I typed numerous oil and gas leases and reports on it in numerous hotel rooms where I was staying while working on various prospects. I also used it in a couple of attempts at solo law practice during downturns in the oil and gas industry. I typed all sorts on legal documents on it. Sometime during the early 1990s, after I associated with another attorney, who had a real office with real secretaries, it was semi-retired to my home. I continued to use it for the occasional letter, and for addressing envelopes, etc., but it eventually became very "balky" - felt like it had "sticky" keys, and finally became to be pretty much useless. By this time, I was back doing landwork in oil and gas business and using computers with word processing programs. Around 2000 or so, I bought a Smith-Corona Wordsmith 250 at Walmart, and was still using it for addressing envelopes and for file labels as late as 2008 or 2009. It still sits on built-in-desk in a "spare" room, but I have not turned it on in years, and don't even know if it still works. I think I could only get the ribbon cartridges and correcting tape at Walmart. I do not know if they are even still made and/or sold.

That old IBM Correcting Selectric sits in my attic, with its original cover. For years, I have wished I could put in back in service. I do not know where to look, or who to look for, to see about getting it refurbished and/or restored. I do not know how difficult it is to find supplies (ribbon cartridges and correcting tapes). Any knowledgeable input or suggestions from anyone would be appreciated.

 

[PJO1425]

Richard Polt wrote an interesting book called "The Typewriter Revolution", probably available at the local library. Lots of good info in it on maintenance, folks who still use theirs, etc.

 

[soFlaNative]

My folks had an Underwood I would try out from time to time. Needed the three fingers from each hand to hammer the keys hard enough to strike. Took a typing class my junior year in H.S. Managed 35-40 wpm, 100+ typing "and the". Had fun with the girls, teacher eventually became my wife's cousin's MIL.
Used an electric something other until 2000 or so for delivery receipts, shipping invoices/waybills etc. hard to beat for imprinting 3pt. paper.
Still use the same six fingers on a word processor.

 

[Onomea]

...That old IBM Correcting Selectric sits in my attic, with its original cover. For years, I have wished I could put in back in service. I do not know where to look, or who to look for, to see about getting it refurbished and/or restored. I do not know how difficult it is to find supplies (ribbon cartridges and correcting tapes). Any knowledgeable input or suggestions from anyone would be appreciated.

While Tanker's guy looks like mechanical only, bet he knows who could help you out. (But unlikely you can send your Selectric in by parcel post for repairs... Probably need a guy with a Peterbilt and a fork lift.):

There are folks who collect typewriters like they were 5 screw Smiths. Several groups on Yahoo and they share info on how to get the rubber on platens replaced, who fixes what, but also who has ribbons and reels for sale. Jay Respler has a great reputation, you might see what he can do for keeping yours going.

ADVANCED BUSINESS MACHINES CO.
230 RANDOLPH ROAD
FREEHOLD NJ 07728-1535

732-431-1464 after 10 am ET.
EARLY TYPEWRITERS WANTED. Let us know what you have.

Also, there are several Youtube videos on IBM Selectric repairs if you are so inclined.

 

[JayFramer]

Use to have one back when I was a kid. Fun to mess with. We got rid of it and went to computers when I was about 10.

 

[Chuck24]

When looking at how complicated pre WW2 typewriters and other business machines were, switching to rifle production for the war effort must have been a breeze.

 

[max]

My mother was an excellent typist and had a big old typewriter that she kept on the floor of the closet. I loved to ring the bell when the carriage was all the way to the right. I took typing in HS also and typed a lot of papers in college. My first day in Vietnam, some guy with a clipboard came up to a bunch of us filling sandbags and asked "Anyone have a degree and know how to type?" I worked in HHQ and typed intelligence reports. It was interesting and I had a bed.

 

[crazyphil]

I have an old IBM Correcting Selectric - bought it new from IBM in 1978- Paid $903.00 (maybe +/- a few cents). It was a whole lot of money for me then (as it is now). I was a few months out of law school and was working as a petroleum landman. It traveled with me to Arkansas, Texas, Nebraska and Michigan, as well as numerous counties here in Mississippi. I typed numerous oil and gas leases and reports on it in numerous hotel rooms where I was staying while working on various prospects. I also used it in a couple of attempts at solo law practice during downturns in the oil and gas industry. I typed all sorts on legal documents on it. Sometime during the early 1990s, after I associated with another attorney, who had a real office with real secretaries, it was semi-retired to my home. I continued to use it for the occasional letter, and for addressing envelopes, etc., but it eventually became very "balky" - felt like it had "sticky" keys, and finally became to be pretty much useless. By this time, I was back doing landwork in oil and gas business and using computers with word processing programs. Around 2000 or so, I bought a Smith-Corona Wordsmith 250 at Walmart, and was still using it for addressing envelopes and for file labels as late as 2008 or 2009. It still sits on built-in-desk in a "spare" room, but I have not turned it on in years, and don't even know if it still works. I think I could only get the ribbon cartridges and correcting tape at Walmart. I do not know if they are even still made and/or sold.

That old IBM Correcting Selectric sits in my attic, with its original cover. For years, I have wished I could put in back in service. I do not know where to look, or who to look for, to see about getting it refurbished and/or restored. I do not know how difficult it is to find supplies (ribbon cartridges and correcting tapes). Any knowledgeable input or suggestions from anyone would be appreciated.

Your IBM Selectric story is a lot like mine. Mine also was
"sticky" and other problems. Call the office equipment supply
stores in your vicinity. Ask if there are any repair guys around
who still work on the IBM Selectric. That's what I did and I
found a guy. It works like new.

 

[DWalt]

I still have my yellow Picket slide rules. If I can just remember how to use them

I still have two 6" slide rules, one for each car. I use them for calculating gas mileage every time I fill up. Long ago I taught mechanical drawing at a university to incoming engineering students. One part of the introductory mechanical drawing courses was the use of the slide rule, and I always spent about the first two weeks doing that. In that time, all engineers had to become proficient in the use of a slide rule, and very few high schools taught its use. I had a king-size slide rule, maybe 6' long, hanging on the wall to demonstrate, and I even wrote my own manual on using a slide rule for the students. Obviously that was back in the days before electronic calculators. People tend to forget (or don't know) that we sent men to the moon, largely by using slide rules.

 

[Targets Guy]

I can only add 2 +2 to get 4 on my slide rule.

I still have the one my father gave me when I was senior in high school. Its a beauty, bamboo with a plastic coating. Also have the ones we were issued in college; with scabbard for attaching to our belts. Used it for astro, aero, mechanics and physics. I still hate logs.

Also have my nuclear circular slide rule (Nuclear bomb effects computer) along with the circular slide rule we used in our navigation course

 

[DWalt]

There are several slide rule variations for special purposes. I once found one which was used during WWII for calculating cargo load distribution in C-47 aircraft. I never did figure out how that one worked. I also once had some navigation slide rule, I never understood how it worked either. One place I worked, the department had a 20" slide rule, normal ones are 10". You could get one more significant digit of precision in your calculation by using the longer rule. I never did like the circular slide rules. There were three large engineering slide rule makers - Post, Pickett, and Keuffel & Esser (K&E). I always preferred the K&E, but actually there was very little difference except Picketts were all metal (and yellow), Post and K&E were wood-plastic laminates. They all had pretty much identical scales. I still have the 10" K&E I used in college and for quite some time afterwards. Computers and electronic pocket calculators pretty well killed off slide rules, just as digital cameras killed off film cameras and word processors killed off typewriters. When it comes to digital vs. analog, digital usually wins.

 

[nodpete]

I thought as long as this thread is still going I'd add a picture of my "Murder She Wrote" typewriter. It's a 1938 Portable, Royal Aristocrat. Still works perfectly.

 

[chief38]

I've got three of them including a Smith Corona from the late 30's
or early 40's. The other two are portables in their "suitcases". I have not used any them in at least 25 years and doubt the ribbons still have ink on them. They are in my attic collecting dust and I should probably sell them.

 

[DWalt]

Aside from a few rare early models of typewriters, they are now essentially worthless. That may change sometime in the next 50 years as most of those residing in attics and basements get thrown away leaving fewer available to collectors.

 

[CajunBass]

When I was in high school there was a serious shooting war going on over in Southeast Asia. Everyone I knew who had been in the service told me..."Learn to type. The Army will find something else for you do other than tote a rifle." True or not, I don't know, but it sounded logical to me. I took two years of typing, then a year of "office training." Cool class. One other guy, and 28 girls or something like that. I got to use one of those IBM Selectric's in that class, BTW.

I got out of high school, just as the draft lottery was starting up. I drew a really high number, and didn't have to worry about the draft. I didn't touch a typewriter for oh...twenty years or so, when my wife got our first computer, a TRS-80.

As soon as I set down to that keyboard, it came back to me like I had never stopped. I used to amaze the people I worked with because I was the only person who actually TYPED on the computers we used. Everyone else just hunted and pecked.

God bless you Mz Helwig...wherever you are.

 

[forindooruseonly]

It's interesting to see how many still use or like typewriters, also interesting how many sneer at them! Thanks for all the responses.

By the time I got to high school, typing was not pushed hard for either girls or boys. I happened to take it because I needed an elective and thought "that would be easy!". Haha. I learned quickly I will never, ever be a speedy typist and struggled through most of the class. Now, after a long time of having to write for my degrees, I'm finally proficient at it. Not fast, but capable enough.

I do really like the older typewriters that others have shared as well. I'd like to have an old Royal or Remington from the 30's or 40's.

 

[DWalt]

"By the time I got to high school, typing was not pushed hard for either girls or boys. I happened to take it because I needed an elective and thought "that would be easy!". Haha. I learned quickly I will never, ever be a speedy typist and struggled through most of the class."

Back in my stone-age high school days, at least at my high school, typing was not known as an an easy ride. There was a skinny old maid who taught typing (and I think shorthand too) and she was a mighty tough drill sergeant on her students. As I remember there was a vocational secretarial skills and business track at my high school. I didn't go on that track and I remember only one of my male friends who did.

 

[Cyrano]

I remember a sign one of our typists had on her desk: "I type like I live, fast with a lot of mistakes". My typing skills resemble that remark.