What is it like to write using a manual typewriter?
It’s a pain in the bum, or, more accurately, the fingers. I have a collection of typewriters that go back to the 1930s and most require a lot of pressure on the keys to make them work. Also remember that if you’re not consistent in the pressure you put on the keys, the amount of ink left on the page will vary; but too much and you might punch through the paper. So it’s tricky.They’re also messy when you have to change the ink, and really hard to fix when they go wrong.One thing I do like about manual typewriters is the sound they make. The rhythmic clack-clack-clack is quite soothing for some reason.In the pre-war period, Remington, an American typewriter manufacturer, put a lot of effort into trying to create ‘noiseless’ typewriters that they thought would appeal to people in large offices (these were models that were essentially sound-proofed and buffered with felt). They were surprised to discover most people disliked them. Office workers had become used to the sound of the typewriter ‘chorus’ and thought it made them sound busy and productive.Top tip. If you have an old typewriter that’s a bit stiff, never put WD40 on it. WD40 will evaporate over time to leave behind a sticky glycerol residue that will trap dust and clog the keys. If your local supermarket has run out of typewriter oil (I’m joking) go somewhere that sells sewing machine oil. This is a light mineral oil that will do a much better job. But this too will trap some dust, so use it sparingly.
Do most typewriters work with universal ribbons?
Given how many typewriter manufacturers have produced machines throughout the century, it’s amazing that almost all manual typewriters can use the same ribbon. It’s a simple mechanism. It only needs a hole for the spool and another for the pin that turns it. A pinnacle of KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) technology.My local Staples chain carries one made by Okidata that I stock up on pretty regularly. But many of the search results from Google for typewriter ribbon will work as well, including one that comes up with the name “universal ribbon.”A few things to keep in mind:If your typewriter has a ribbon color selector, you can get the black and red striped ribbon. Install it with the black on the top. But if you don’t need to type in red, you get twice as much life out of your ribbon by turning it over when the first side starts to wear out.If your typewriter does not have the ribbon-color selector, avoid the two-color ribbons. They will fit the machine just fine, but because the typewriter strikes the center of the ribbon, it will produce two-colored type. (To be honest, machines without this selector are fairly uncommon, and most come from the depression era. I’ve got a couple 1930s Underwoods like this.A few slim portables (like the stylish Olivetti Lettera favored by Cormac McCarthy) have extremely narrow spaces for the spools, so you can’t close the lid after dropping in a new ribbon. In this case, it’s not too hard to pull the old ribbon off the metal spools and then wind the new one on. Just wear some disposable gloves while you do it to avoid inky fingers.In addition to being simple, manual typewriter ribbons last for ages. Decades, even. In fact, they’re more likely to dry out from disuse than wear out from typing too much.Good luck and enjoy your “new” machine!
Who invented the typewriter?
wasnt it bill gates' father?
How are typewriter ribbons "read" in criminal investigations?
Many modern (for a typewriter...) carbon-film ribbons are "use once", unlike the older fabric ribbons that would be overstruck multiple times. The Selectric uses such ribbons. For those, reading the previous text is simple. But even on a multi-use ribbon it is sometimes possible. The most recent strike will have cleaner edges than any of the previous strikes.
How can I make an old fashioned nurse hat using low resources?
If you’re trying to simulate a nurse’s cap for a costume or something, you can do it pretty easily with a piece of cardstock paper. There are patterns available on Pinterest and elsewhere on the internet; many (not all) look vaguely like a short, wide T shapeand are assembled like this:You just fold the cardstock and either glue or staple it in place. You can also add a black stripe onto the cuff, if you like; these were a feature of some nurses’ caps years ago. It’s popular nowadays to put a red cross on costume nurses’ caps, but that’s more or less a cartoon stereotype. In reality, the red cross on the hat was specific to Red Cross nurses.If you want a more authentic looking cap reproduction, you can make it out of white cotton, or white cotton/polyester blend, and some strong fusible craft backing. (It’s sold as a type of interfacing in fabric stores.) Just cut the hat base into the desired shape, adding on at least a 1/4+ seam allowance all around; then cut a second one for the lining, and a piece of strong fusible craft backing (minus the seam allowance) for stiffening. With right sides together, stitch all around, leaving an opening at the back (the base of the T) to turn it inside out. Then press , stitch the back edge closed by hand, and fold into the desired shape. If you want to add a black stripe, they were usually made of black velvet ribbon, anywhere between 1/4″ (usually two, placed close together) and 3/4″.Each nursing school had its own cap design, so if the cap doesn’t look quite as you planned it once it’s put together, it really doesn’t matter, just as long as it looks symmetrical. They were usually held on either with white headed corsage pins or white bobby pins.I also once made an eastern style “cupcake” nurses’ cap out of white organdy, which is constructed very differently, but which came out looking reasonably authentic from a short distance (it was for a parade float). Depending on your purpose, there are many options.