Have You Ever Used A Typewriter?

[nycwriter]

Agreed, Patrick ...

... those of us who were born post-1965 were likely taught as "touch typists" -- meaning on an electric typewriter.

Typing on a manual typewriter required a completely different skill; you had to be much more foreceful on the keys. I have no idea how women in the '40s and '50s typed so fast on those darn things.

I always felt that learning on an electric typewriter in the '70s was somehow "cheating". LOL.

 

[chuffle]

Still use one...

...for addressing envelopes and filling out forms. Looks so much nicer than my printing.

Took typing in high school, and used the skill heavily in college. I've never used an electric typewriter, but have found that switching from computer keyboard to the manual typewriter requires a change in thought (partly because my keyboarding skills have grown so sloppy over the years).

Here at the house, I use a Smith-Corona Sterling, the typewriter that my father bought in the 1960s.

Joe

 

[chuffle]

...and...

...my father's Underwood that he brought home when the mines closed (he managed the supply house) back in the late 60s. This machine now sits on my computer desk - quite a contrast to the PC.

Joe

 

[countryguy]

When I was in grade 9 I took typing class and learned to type on a manual typewriter. In grade 10 typing we got to use electric typewriters. My parents bought me the typewriter in the pic for a Christmas present. I did all of my highschool and university assignments on that typewriter which I still have.

Gary

 

[electroluxkirby]

My mother's boss learned to type in the military, and he could type 80-90 wpm on a manual typewriter. It was fascinating to watch him type, you could barely see the typebars move. I'm lucky if I can 5 wpm on a manual typewriter.

 

[petek]

I have a few vintage typewriters both manual and electric but this one is my favorite being the first electric portable on the market back in 1957. I imagine it was pretty pricey at the time.
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[petek]

Here's an article and ad for the 5TE



http://www.portabletypewriters.co.uk/corona_electric.htm

 

[sonnyndad]

Retro Homework

I use a Smith Corona Coronet Super 12 for all my English homework assignments.

 

[kirby505]

I still have a manual one I use

 

[hoover1]

I have...

1950's Royal Quite De'lux
1960's Smith Corona Sterling
1970's Smith Corona electric
1980's IBM electric with the ball (not sure what model)

 

[hoover1]

Smith Corona Sterling manual

,

 

[djtaylor]

I find the sound of a type-writer, being used by a fast typist, very comforting. All of my early short stories were written on a Brother Portable Electric Typewriter. And just in case this computer thing does not work out I plan to keep my typewriter.
Justin

 

[tazcatsdad]

While I like to use my computer ...

<span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva;">... whenever I'm working away from home (or when I need the output to look "just so"), I prefer to use one of my two portable electrics for routine correspondence, recipes, and whatnot.  I tried working with a manual machine, but we didn't get along very well with one another!</span>


 


<span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva;">The two machines I have are remarkably similar in design.  In fact, I wouldn't be surprised at all if they came out of the same factory!</span>


 


<span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva;">The first one, seen in the picture below, is my Underwood Electric 565.  It was obtained on eBay, and needed a little work plus a new ribbon to get back into working order.</span>

 

[tazcatsdad]

The other machine ...

<span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva;">... is my Silver-Reed 8650.  It was a recent $5 estate sale find, believe it or not!  Came with the case, a decent ribbon, the manual, and a bunch of "ko-rec-type" strips!</span>


 


<span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva;">-- Bill W.</span>

 

[hygiene903]

I Actually Have 4 of Them!

A manual L.C. Smith Corona, a very early IBM, and 2 Smith Corona electric portables, one that has Script type. Also took 2 quarters of typing in college.
Jeff

 

[kirbytradition7]

My first typewriter, which I got for Christmas in 1984 (3rd grade, age 9), was a Marx plastic toy typewriter that only typed capitals (there were no lowercase letters on it). I started learning on that machine.

A few years later, Mom had me learning on her 1940s Remington Quiet-Riter manual portable typewriter, with an old typing textbook that stood upright and whose pages were bound on the top (like an easel). That machine was either pink or lavender (likely a cross between the two).

In 7th grade (spring 1989), I took typing in school, using an IBM Selectric. My mom also had a Selectric; hers was green. I also practiced at home on the green Selectric.

I typed all my papers in high school (and most of university) on a Smith-Corona electric that was passed down to me from an older brother. I did not discover computer word processing until 1996 or so (I tend to adopt technology very late).

The last time I typed on a typewriter was in the early 2000s, when I got nostalgic one day and typed up a treatise expressing my undying love for the Boeing 747 jumbo jet.

Oops! I just remembered: One day, while living in London (England) from 2004-2007, I saw a typewriter at a shop in the Camden Town market and typed something to the effect that the Queen is an alien! I just typed that for the fun of it. I love all things alien.

I used to see adverts only a few years ago for Olivetti manual typewriters. Are these still around? Are typewriter ribbons and correction tabs still made today?

kirbytradition7

 

[nycwriter]

FRANCIS!

MY first typewriter was actually my dad's -- a '50s vintage manual Remington Quiet-Riter. That same "greige" color of Mom's Hoover Convertible 1060.

And I also learned from a '50s-era typing book that stood like an easel. It was light green in color.

 

[portable]

<span style="font-family: verdana,geneva; font-size: medium;">Francis and Matt,</span>


<span style="font-family: verdana,geneva; font-size: medium;"> </span>


<span style="font-family: verdana,geneva; font-size: medium;">I remember those darn green spiral-bound typing books. When I was in high school, we had only manual typewriters to use for typing. I remember how thrilled I was when I used an electric for the first time. SO much easier. </span>


<span style="font-family: verdana,geneva; font-size: medium;"> </span>


<span style="font-family: verdana,geneva; font-size: medium;">One of my first jobs was typing and bookkeeping at an electric company. One day I was given the job of typing a complete 5-copy contract. Every time I made a mistake, I had to use correction tape (and correction fluid on a few of the last copies). It took me an ENTIRE DAY to finish that stupid contract. There are some reasons why computers are (sometimes) better. But, I did love those old electrics. Especially the IBM Selectrics.</span>

 

[nycwriter]

Well ...

My first real typing class in high school was on the IBM Selectric III Correctible.

They were red (which I understand was a special model for schools).

My current IBM Selectric III Correctible is in beige, for office use.

 

[gottahaveahoove]

I learned to "touch type" at Seton.

It was a great thing. Those IBM(s) were great typewriters.