More Clickity-Clacking and SHOOK SHOOK SHOOK

Did you know that Tom Hanks is an avid typewriter enthusiast? Yes, Tom Hanks the movie star — he introduced the highly popular Hanx Writer app, a touchscreen typewriter that apparently comes in three varieties. But beyond helping us approach the typewriter through our digital devices, Mr. Hanks loves the old machines themselves. I give you his words, as quoted by Richard Polt in The Typewriter Revolution: A Typist’s Companion for the 21st Century:

“Computer keyboards make a mousy tappy tap tappy tap like ones you hear in a Starbucks — work may be getting done but it sounds cozy and small, like knitting needles creating a pair of socks. Everything you type on a typewriter sounds grand, the words forming in mini-explosions of SHOOK SHOOK SHOOK.— Tom Hanks

I won't say "museum," because these machines work around here, as they were built to do. They're in their prime!

I won’t say “museum,” because these machines work around here, as they were built to do. They’re in their prime! Here are my three “Great Old Ones” — Underwood, Smith, and Royal.

I’m finding that I have no trouble switching back and forth between computer keyboarding and typewriter typing. Mrs. Bowman’s class in high school still serves me well! I even adjust the spaces after periods without any trouble — two spaces on a typewriter, one on a computer.

Snappy little Underwood Universal portable, made in 1947 -- a joy to type on, and the only carriage-shifting machine I have.

Snappy little Underwood Universal portable, made in 1947 — a joy to type on, and the only carriage-shifting machine I have.

I’ve discovered the joys of portables. I’ve also discovered the joys of antique stores. Whenever I have an errand in one of the towns anywhere nearby, I now make it a point to seek out the shops that sell antiques. In my experience so far, they’re always run by nice people who love well-built old things and enjoy talking about them. Some group their typewriters all together, and some like to leave them scattered throughout the store, which is like a treasure hunt. No, I usually can’t buy any, now that I have nine. There are one or two kinds I’d like to add to my collection someday. But I am blessed with a good working “fleet.” Still, I really enjoy seeing what’s out there and cheering on those who have rescued them from attics and estate sales.

For anyone who's wondering, carriage shifters are typewriters in which the carriage rises up when you depress the shift key. Most of my typewriters are segment shifters, in which the basket rises -- the arc of type bars. The segment is lighter than the carriage, so segment-shifted typewriters require less strength in the pinkies.

For anyone who’s wondering, carriage shifters are typewriters in which the carriage rises up when you depress the shift key. Most of my typewriters are segment shifters, in which the basket rises — the arc of type bars. The segment is lighter than the carriage, so segment-shifted typewriters require less strength in the pinkies. But the carriage on this Underwood is pretty light!

Awhile back I introduced you to my Olympia, a West German typewriter. Here’s our other immigrant:

Hermes 3000, made in Switzerland, 1963. Some collectors aren't wild about this famous "sea-foam green." I like it, because it's very sixties, and it sets the Hermes apart from the crowd.

Hermes 3000, made in Switzerland, 1963. Some collectors aren’t wild about this famous “sea-foam green.” I like it, because it’s very sixties, and it sets the Hermes apart from the crowd.

Hermes 3000. I can hear a certain classics professor of ours reminding us, “Mythology is alive; mythology is ubiquitous.” (I wonder if the Romans call this typewriter the Mercury MMM . . .)

The smooth, "buttery" action of the Hermes is a delight! When I was cleaning this typer up, I found a small, dry, red leaf deep inside it. I wonder if its previous owner also liked to write in parks. Maybe it's written fantasy novels, too.

The smooth, “buttery” action of the Hermes is a delight! When I was cleaning this typer up, I found a small, dry, red leaf deep inside it. I wonder if its previous owner also liked to write in parks. And where was that park? Maybe this little green wonder has written fantasy novels before.

I didn’t properly introduce the third member of our august buffet board:

Royal standard with beveled glass panels, 1933

Royal standard with beveled glass panels, 1933

Boy, did I have fun cleaning up this beautiful old Royal and its neighbor on the left, the L. C. Smith 8 11 from 1935. I used rubbing compound, then polishing compound — heavy-duty metal cleansers. I went through rag after rag, taking off the decades of cigarette smoke and grime (perhaps dust and oil). I would work forever on one tiny spot, and STILL the rag was coming away dark brown. Finally, when the grime was off, I applied liquid Turtle Wax and buffed them like crazy. Now they look more like they were meant to — like they looked in those days of yore when Indiana Jones was obtaining rare antiquities, Tolkien was happily stacking up pages about silmarils, and darkness was spreading over Europe.

Left to right: Underwood, 1951; L. C. Smith 8 11, 1935; and Royal standard, 1933

Left to right: Underwood, 1951; L. C. Smith 8 11, 1935; and Royal standard, 1933

Speaking of Tolkien, I read an article yesterday about how he also had a fondness for typewriters. He had a Hammond Varitype, which used a type shuttle instead of typeslugs like most typewriters use; the shuttle moved around much like the typing ball in the IBM Selectric of later years, and a hammer struck the paper from behind, forcing it against the ink and the rubber shuttle. (The shuttle could be replaced, and Tolkien liked using the italics version for the songs in his books.) In his own words: “I like typewriters; and my dream is of suddenly finding myself rich enough to have an electric typewriter built to my specifications, to type the Feanorian script.”

Now here’s my labor of love:

L. C. Smith 8 12, 1930: the oldest typewriter in my collection

L. C. Smith 8 12, 1930: the oldest typewriter in my collection

It’s a work-in-progress, a fixer-upper. Today I treated the platen with brake fluid to soften up its outer layer. The first night I worked on this venerable relic, I learned that PB B’laster, wonderful though it is, is an outdoor product.

My next step is removing the carriage. Something is wrong with the escapement on this one. The carriage sticks, which could mean there's something blocking it. The main spring is functional, which is a good sign.

My next step is removing the carriage. Something is wrong with the escapement on this one. The carriage sticks, which could mean there’s something blocking it. The main spring is functional, which is a good sign. Who knows? I may be one screw-twist away from triggering a message summoning Obi-wan Kenobi for help! He may be our only hope . . .

Will this Smith type again? I can’t say for sure, but I’m learning all I can and not giving up yet!

As Matsuo Basho might well have written: "Typewriter yo-- Aa, typewriter yo-- Typewriter yo!"

As Matsuo Basho might well have written:
“Typewriter ya–
Aa, typewriter ya–
Typewriter ya!”

 

28 Responses to More Clickity-Clacking and SHOOK SHOOK SHOOK

  1. i am mr brown snowflake says:

    “No, I usually can’t buy any, now that I have nine. There are one or two kinds I’d like to add to my collection someday.”

    NINE!

    “One or two kinds I’d like to add…”

    The question of the week is whether the kind Mrs. Durbin understood the obsessive/compulsive beast hidden within her erstwhile gentlemanly husband before she agreed to take her vows? I have known Fred since we were six, and rarely have I seen, or known him to be, so obsessed as he has become over these clankers! Maybe over HP Sauce at one time, but not even the pursuit of the elusive Genghis Khan from the pond rates near so high as this!

    A typewriter with Feanorian keys?!? Fred will attest to my love of writing in the Tengwar — I would dearly, dearly love one of those!

    One other note: Is that a MADDOG original above the trio?

  2. fsdthreshold says:

    Thank you, Mr. Brown Snowflake! Close: that’s my dad’s painting above the trio, that he did in 1964. I would love to try imitating it someday on a different canvas. I love how he’s captured the mood of a summer night, and I would really like to join the conversation. Tolkien wrote that letter about the Feanorian characters typewriter also in 1964. I think he passed away about the time we were beginning elementary school together.

    Yeah, spouses are not too keen on filling the house with typing iron. They’d rather spend the money on things like food and other necessities. So I’ll try to limit myself to about nine. Maybe we can round up . . .

    Nine . . . the number of Nazgul . . .

  3. i am mr brown snowflake says:

    Tolkien died 9-2-73, which equates to the beginning of our second grade year (gad!). I had the wonderful Mrs. Bogut!

    So far, I note, we have heard little of any obsessions Julie may have. If she turns the tables … LOL.

    • fsdthreshold says:

      I like it, too, Elizabeth! (I love them all!) It is really a smooth, pleasant typer. Its margin settings are visible via red ribbon inside the hollow paper bail!

  4. Angie Goodall says:

    I loved reading this blog. My mom was a writer before she passed away in 1997. I remember the sights, sounds and smells of her old typewriter — the old ribbon cartridges with its bicolor ribbon, the small bottle of Liquid Paper to correct her errors, the stacks of typewritten pages, and of course an overflowing ashtray all scattered across the dining room table. Thanks for taking me back in time! I hope someday to own one of these beauties.

    • fsdthreshold says:

      Thank you for reading this post, Angie, and for this great comment! Yes, I remember your mom very well. I’ll never forget the writing class we took together through Sangamon State. I remember how much fun and how insightful her writing was, and I remember her regular published articles. Our childhood experiences with writing moms sound very similar. I recall all those sights and scents, too! The good news about typewriters is that you can own one (or more) quite easily! They’re readily available at reasonable prices. Browse yard sales, auctions, and antique shops. There are also lots of typewriters for sale on eBay, Craigslist, and Shopgoodwill.com. Happy hunting! I also highly recommend Richard Polt’s book, The Typewriter Revolution.

  5. Linda M. Au says:

    Oh, I am lagging behind you with only six (four manual plus the Selectric II). My oldest is a 1920s Underwood four-bank, but it needs work. And I know nothing about fixing a typewriter and wouldn’t want to fiddle with it and make it worse.

    I’ve eyed a few Hermes 3000 machines myself but haven’t taken the plunge yet. (Operative word there: yet.) I’m just happy to have the Selectric I always wanted, and an exact duplicate of my very first typewriter from childhood, and a duplicate of the Underwood 5 we used in 9th grade typing class.

    I recently found the email address of that typing teacher from 9th grade and emailed him some pictures of my typewriters, including that Underwood we used back in the ’70s. He was happy to hear from me, and he unapologetically used two spaces between sentences, declaring that he wasn’t going to get talked into that new-fangled one space thing.

    Estate sales are another good place to seek out local typewriters, by the way.

    Good luck with the olive green Smith!

  6. fsdthreshold says:

    Hi, Linda! Well, I think it’s not about numbers. I think the true friends of typewriters are those who cherish and use them, letting them write as they were meant to, as they’ve been waiting to do again all those years perhaps sitting in the dark of an attic or closet.

    I’m not afraid to work on the Smith partly because I have a similar Smith that does work well, and this broken one came to me broken — I don’t think I can hurt it much. (Still, I wouldn’t have begun work on it without a lot of reading and observing how other ones work.) At the very worst, it will become a beautiful decoration and a source of parts for my other one. But I’m optimistic that it will type again someday soon!

    I really like the Hermes! Well, I still haven’t found a typewriter I dislike, but the Hermes does seem very smooth and friendly. Their drawback is that the plastic outer parts are notoriously fragile as they age. As you know from the Polt book (WHICH YOU’RE IN!!!), Polt sanded off the green paint on his Hermes 3000 and just took the green plastic off the space bar.

    That’s a great story about sharing pics of your collection with your 9th-grade typing teacher! (I wonder if I could track down Mrs. Bowman . . . if she’s still with us.)

    It’s also good to hear that you’ve found a duplicate of your childhood typewriter. For me, that’s my 1935 L. C. Smith 8. We had one almost exactly like this one in our house when I was growing up.

    How do you find estate sales?

  7. i am mr brown snowflake says:

    I like the Royal with the forest green keys, and the (was it a ’64?) Smith-Corona secretarial. However, I think the grand duchess has to be the big ‘ol Silent 8, the Smith ’35.

    One thing you have not mentioned, Fred, is the weight of each machine. Some of these, I know, must be like moving lead when taking them from place to place. Also, the keystroke: You mentioned the light touch of the green-key Royal; how much prestidigitation do the various machines require?

    • fsdthreshold says:

      Hi, Mr. Brown–I’m sorry for the long, long delay here! It’s really annoying that the system no longer lets me know when comments come in!

      Thanks for the thoughts on your favorites! Yes, the big standards are pretty heavy. It is a lot of iron to be carrying around. Can the love of typewriters help a person get into shape? One can hope!

      As for the keystroke: nearly all manual typewriters have a way for the user to adjust the firmness of the keys. (All of mine do.) Some believe the firmer, “snappier” settings allow a person to type faster. Many modern-day users who are accustomed to computer keyboards like the lightest settings. I use both, as the mood strikes me. It kind of depends on the particular machine, too, which setting feels best.

  8. i am mr brown snowflake says:

    Obsessions can consume those they inflict themselves upon, as is clearly the case with our host … on behalf of the Friends of Fred, we hope that you have not injured yourself because of the contortions sure to come as you stand there, deciding which machine to put the paper in before typing!

    I have not forgotten to review A Green and Ancient Light … I am just beginning on it again, this time making a few notes as I go along.

    We all look forward to your next post! (Even Scott, who, this time every year, has his brain polluted by rooting for St. Loser’s baseball team).

    • Scott says:

      Yes, I am indeed looking forward to the next blog post (go St. Louis! I refuse to root for your north-end Shi-cago team).

  9. i am mr brown snowflake says:

    OK friends, I thought I better chime in and speak up. Of course, I first had to immediately chug a glass of sun tea (sweetened nicely, thank you) as the dust from this blog kicked up quite a cloud.

    I can report having seen my old friend of 40+years, our host, over a few days at the end of June. I even helped with what Fred said was a successful book sale/signing. That came after we spent something like eight hours BS’ing into the very wee hours the night before, and THEN came our HS class annual get-together.

    Fred had not been to any class function since our 10th back in 1994, so many of those who were there were delighted to see him. I have been cajoling him to join us since he moved back to the States and it finally worked this summer. Now we just need to have the good Dr. Durbin join us next summer!

    I can report, Friends of the Blog, that Fred appears not have suffered any noticeable cranial injuries of late. I know some have expressed concern over his LENGTHY absence from this space and nearly Ahabic (Ahab-ic? whatever …) obsession over manual typewriters. No, friends, he appeared just fine, and I made sure to broach the subject of his return to steady blogship while we were both happily gorging ourselves at our fave taco joint.

    A private facebook discussion with the lovely Shieldmaiden inspired my to return to this space, hoping others will join me in DEMANDING that Fred give us all the fun we all had when this baby was a-hoppin.’

    So, here goes … everybody start chiming in. A few words is all you need supply … just enough that Frederic is besieged with notifications that there are new posts.

    I await seeing how long this will take …

      • Shieldmaiden says:

        Hi DayLily! I agree. Would love to here more on the book and the events surrounding it.
        p.s. So glad you are still here.

  10. i am mr brown snowflake says:

    Great to hear from DayLily! Time for some other ‘regulars’ to chime in! Lets get this baby up and crawling along again … it was too much fun to let lay in the cradle!

    Shieldmaiden? Scott? Hagio? Marquee Movies? Jedibabe?

  11. i am mr brown snowflake says:

    Almost exactly 10 days have passed since I shook the dust off this page, and only sweet DayLily has bothered to respond.
    In the interim, I have had long and detailed facebook interactions with my fellow groomsmen from Fred’s wedding and have also been in PM contact with dearest Shieldmaiden.
    As for Fred, well, we know from the lovely Dr. Durbin that he is, indeed, still alive, and apparently quite capable of feeding his old-typewriter obsession while enjoying hell-on-earth climatic conditions.
    Any takers on how long THIS post will sit unanswered? (Ahem, F.S.D., the prodding will become more ungentle as time progresses … don’t make me come out there …)

  12. Shieldmaiden says:

    I hear and answer your clarion call Mr. Brown Snowflake. I miss the days of blog and all of you: DayLily… Hagio… Marquee Movies… Jedibabe… and the whole gang, so much! Thank you Mister Brown for keeping things rolling, and do let the prodding begin. My notifications certainly have not worked since the switch-over so let me know whenever you shake things up and I will pop over.

    And Fred: The little green wonder is my favorite, although difficult to choose, the green one just has something! My daughter is so jealous (like, shades of famous “sea-foam green” jealous) over your collection. Ever think about a side line restoring vintage typewriters? That way Julie doesn’t have to store them afterward. Nine is a great number, but it probably wants to round, just sayin’ hahaha

    • fsdthreshold says:

      Shieldmaiden, a lot of people do love their Hermes machines (the green one) — Swiss engineering. Um, nine is certainly no longer the number of my collection . . .

      If your daughter ever needs a typewriter of her own, for Christmas, birthday, or at any time, I’d like nothing better than getting to be your agent! I could find her just the right one and make sure it’s in great working order! I guess a lot of young girls are asking for typewriters these days because of one of the American Girls books — I don’t know the details well, but apparently there’s a book about one Girl who uses a typewriter during the Depression to help her family?

      • Shieldmaiden says:

        I will be in touch in regards to booking you as Aria’s agent in all things typewriter. Just had her birthday so we have lots of time. She has always loved typewriters, totally outside of the whole American Girl movement, but I will look into the stories and find this one. I’m sure she’d love it. Not sure where this mild obsession came from, but she’s just a plain old fashioned writer-geek, typewriter lovin’ gal through and through. I hope I don’t have a collection in my future. I hear it’s hard to stop haha

        By the way, my notifications mysteriously work again. Did you do something? Could it be fixed? Thrilling if so. I will ponder topics. You know, aside from books and writing, which is always on topic!! Favorite posts in the past: Doorway Characters, Dark Doorways, Trees, all things Star Shard or writing process, tales of Midsummer Nights (past or present) or anything with fireflies, and Halloween stories.

        • fsdthreshold says:

          Thanks, Shieldmaiden! Another option on the typewriter would be that you could have the fun of visiting an antiques mall in your area, and I would be happy to consult from afar if you found a typewriter in person that she liked. It is really fun finding them for yourself, and that would eliminate the danger of shipping a machine. But either way! Marquee Movies was a very good sport recently — he allowed us to drag him along to a couple of antiques stores which he never would have visited on his own . . . Among the typewriters we sighted, I actually found a 1963-64 Olivetti-Underwood Studio 44, made in Barcelona, Spain — a typewriter I’ve been interested in for some time . . . and Julie kindly gave me permission to buy it! 🙂

          No, I didn’t do anything to affect the notifications. Maybe the whole system just needs exercise, like the human body. Let’s give it exercise and hope they keep on working!

          Thank you for the possible blog topics! Let’s see what I can do . . . Please stand by!

        • Mrs. Spamman says:

          Kit is the American Girl you are looking for. She uses a typewriter to write and make her own newspaper for her family. Very good series of books.

          • fsdthreshold says:

            Thanks, Mrs. Spamman! Yes, that’s the one! I’m honored that you’re still watching this blog, and I hope your summer is going well!

  13. fsdthreshold says:

    Hello, Mr. Brown, Shieldmaiden, and DayLily–Thank you all for looking in on the blog! I’m all for getting it rolling again. One concrete way you could help is to suggest topics. What would you like to see explored here?

    Mr. Brown Snowflake, it’s not all about typewriters these days. I’ve been putting a lot more time and effort into real writing. I’m back in the world of the series, finishing up revisions to Book 2. It’s really exciting to be in the home stretch! So, yes, I’ve been busy with that, and travel, and church, and family, and signing books . . . but let’s talk about possible blog topics — fire away!

  14. i am mr brown snowflake says:

    Well, as Shieldmaiden said, perhaps a reflection on your visit home and tie-in something about book signings, how sales are doing (compared to Dragonfly and The Star Shard) that kind of thing. That might be a good start.

    It is the nature of many of these posts that, once something is up, it often takes on a life of its own, zigging this way and zagging that.

    We know you are busy (we all are!) but I think I can speak for Friends of Fred that if you just give us a little something, we can run with it …

    • Shieldmaiden says:

      Been thinking of topics and the blog and what I remember loving most was how it seemed almost like a journal. Stories about life and writing and struggles and celebrations and how books were always on topic no matter the topic. And topic changes were always in order as we were in possession of “groink” the magical major topic changer. You guys were my social life during the long days when my kids were littles. My track shoes are on.

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