I don't know how many typewriters we've sold on our online store and shipped across the country but there have been dozens. We've even shipped a typewriter as far away as Hawaii while shipping some just down the road from us. If you've never attempted to ship a large, heavy, fragile item before, it's a real challenge. Generally speaking, it's always a bad idea to subject a vintage typewriter to the rigors of shipping but it can be done fairly successfully. Over the last three years, we've learned the best practices of shipping a typewriter while also experiencing what it's like to have a typewriter arrive at your door that someone didn't pack well and see the damage that...
A question I am often asked is how to correct mistakes on a manual typewriter. There are a few options available today that work very well. I've used them all at one time or another. First, simply "x" through the mistake. For much of the writing done on manual machines, this is a perfectly acceptable solution when that pinky strays to the wrong key. Plus, it gives your writing some character. Embrace the typos! Another option is to use Bic Wite-Out Correction Tape (or a generic brand of the same item). When you make a typing mistake, roll up the paper so you can easily get to it, apply a piece of correction tape over the mistake and you're good to go....
I purchased an Underwood Leader Typewriter a few weeks ago. This one appeared to be in very good condition and since I don't happen to own this model, it seemed like a good time to purchase one. I've had it long enough now that I thought I'd provide a short review. Cosmetics The cosmetics of this machine are good since it sports an eye-pleasing two-tone paint in light and dark gray. What you don't see in this machine is a lot of chrome or other accents that you might find on more fully featured machines. The Leader was meant to be a bare-bones typewriter . . . just enough functionality to do what a typewriter needs to do without any...
Last time, I wrote about one essential typewriter accessory, the typewriter pad. In this blog post, I thought I'd write about another recommended typewriter accessory: colored typewriter ribbons! Traditionally, typewriters have used solid black ribbons or half red/half black ribbons. Those are the two most common typewriter ribbons available for purchase today. Those are the ones I sell in my shop on kytyper.com. However, it's great fun to add a splash of color to your typewritten notes, poems, and letters. A green typewriter ribbon is perfect for the holiday season that is just a few weeks away! Have fun with it. We're also fortunate enough that colored typewriter ribbons are fairly easy to come by. Recently, I purchased FJA's 7...
You've bought a beautiful vintage typewriter and now you're wondering what accessories you may need. One essential accessory for your typewriter is a nice typewriter pad. Typewriter Pads I use a typewriter pad most any time I am using a typewriter. What is a typewriter pad? It's really just a cushioned pad that is placed under a typewriter to help hold the machine in place and to absorb any vibration. My current favorites are these sold by Richard Polt. They are the perfect size for most all my typewriters and have a rubber packing which really helps keep my typewriter in place when I'm typing. Even better, the proceeds go to a good cause. Go buy yourself a couple and...
