The Ebay seller practically bathed my Smith Corona manual typewriter in oil. Granted, it was most likely the correct type of oil, but I spent maybe an hour blowing out the mechanism with a small compressor before I ever typed the first word. Aside from a ringing in my ears, I got both sides of a large piece of cardboard covered in a light oil mist. Many cotton swabs and paper towels later, I felt confident enough to put the metal panels I had cleaned back on and give it a good test. So far so good!
Sorry you had to go through that, David. The only thing I can say is that eBay can be ... challenging for someone buying a typewriter. A lot of sellers think they're mechanically inclined when they really know nothing about these machines. But it sounds like you know what you're doing so let me congratulate you on your purchase (I love Smith Coronas) and wish you many many happy projects completed through your new machine!
So helpful, thank you. Re tools, I've found a kit of dental tools very helpful for cleaning my typewriters, like getting goop out of tiny spaces and removing old ink built up on the typeface letters. Found mine on amazon for about $15AUD. 🤩
Hi @ajarofpotential. I’ve heard about people using dental tools before, and appreciate the reminder. It makes sense, and it’s hard to beat the price you mentioned. I’ll look for them here in the U.S. Meantime, wishing you and yours a very happy holiday season.
Damon, Months ago I watched "Mr & Mrs Typewriter" 's RU-vid video on their 10 favorite units, and from their assessment watched eBay warily for a Lettera 22. Today's my lucky day; the local Antique store had it (an early blue one) in its case (bad zipper) with no obvious damage or rust, under $100 "as found". I have it home now, and discovered your channel this afternoon in my research. The unit remains untested, and I am now an active beneficiary of your videos. Hope to return the machine to loving service soon, and will add to this comment as the process progresses. THANK YOU.
@redarrowsmk3: The Lettera 22 is justifiably famous for being stalwart, stylish, lightweight but with the full functionality of a portable machine. I'm chuffed to think you got a good one and wish you many happy typing sessions. Don't worry about the zipper. 95% of Lettera 22 and 32 cases have zippers that have gone bad. However, these can often be replaced by bringing the case to a seamstress or tailor. Thanks for watching and commenting.
@@TheWriteStuffPro-DamonDiMarco, Thank you for a reassuring second opinion. As promised, I do have some exciting updates. A common problem with seized Olivettis is the universal bar (that barely touches the shift-depth screw) jams itself beside the screw instead. A total lack of carriage advance was resolved in 30 seconds :) The drawband string was also laid loose, so I rewound that 4-5x and easily traced it back to the carriage end. 50 brownie points to your video. The variable line spacing knob remains seized on, and I have yet to find a 4mm wrench that will turn the metal rod between the knob and the platon. Wish me luck XD The serial number dates my unit to 1954. Being a Maine resident, I am overjoyed at the complete lack of rust. A healthy dental appointment with 30 psi of air and carb/choke cleaner got the inner workings cleaner than anything. Now each lettercase faintly squeaks, so I will mix isopropyl alcohol and a tiny bit of sewing machine oil and go over the linkages, being super careful not to let any of it come into contact with the typeface or segment. The dirty paint polished up BEAUTIFULLY. Excellent quality paint used on these machines. I am delighted with the "delicate, but strong; fancy, but bold" typeface and the ribbon, which somehow has life left in it. Whoever engineered the pin set bar in back of the machine for setting tabs is an unspoken genius. I must have sat and marveled at it until my head spun with dehydration. I am still working out the sticky line-spacing toggle and all four feet/screws being missing, but for now...I am incredibly happy. I fully agree with you in the video you shared on manual creativity and the lackluster nature of laptop computer documents. This typewriter and I are experiencing a whole second lifetime of seemingly feverish impulse to create. Thanks again, and many well wishes! I would love to see how, if at all, you address rust on old typewriter innards. Restoring my machine has left me fascinated indeed.
I can tell you from very recent experience this will work on any Olivetti Dora/underwood 315/Lettera 31 (or 33/DL). Had the good fortune to find a Spanish made Olivetti model T which is the same thing, dirt cheap and practically never used which is common, sadly, with Doras and 31s. Of course it's all gunked up with dry old grease inside, but once it got going it worked a charm. She wrote maybe seventy five pages before she started skipping letters up and down, and I thought "wait - I've seen this exact thing on youtube..." Two minutes of cleaning and she's good as new again; which, as I said, she is. :) It's kind of amazing when you actually use your typewriters they get dirty and jam up, and then you just clean them and they start working again; it's almost like they *want* to work, like they had some innate sense of mechanical necessity. That's probably my favourite thing about manual typewriters.
I love this @irmabecx4758. I think that typewriters do indeed want to work. In this regard they’re sort of like our minds. They need to be de-gunked on a regular basis, cleaned, and maintained. If we don’t do this, it’s not the machine’s fault, it’s ours. Very pleased to hear this method works on your Dora. Also pleased to hear that you’re typing away. Keep going. Keep going!
@@TheWriteStuffPro-DamonDiMarco I'm waiting for my first Lettera 32 to be delivered, so will have reason to revisit your videos. Thank you for sharing all this technical knowledge; I wasn't afraid of buying a machine sight unseen because I knew I can get it working. Real marvels of engineering, these Olivettis (although not as solid as my Facit), and they have certainly worked wonders for my creativity. :)
@@irmabecx4758 I'm so glad to hear it, @irmabecx4758. The thing about typewriters (as you point out) ... you can get them working. They're really so much simpler to operate than, say, a word processing program. And while software certainly allows for easier editing and export, to my experience, there's nothing like working analog to generate a first draft. The artisanal feel of working by pencil (or pen) and paper, or typewriter, highlights the direct connection between creator and that which is created. The lack of delete functionality means we must plough ahead, warts and all, mistakes be damned, and get things done. Funny that so many of our "mistakes" turn out to be better than what we originally conceived of. Wishing you all the best with your work. Thanks for watching and checking in.
I use hoppe's 9 gun oil it's thin and works good with my underwood no. 6-12 although it is a heavier desktop unit so may not work for your portable units
Hi @jhondoe3213. I've heard about using gun oil on typewriters and it always seems right to me. Fact is, the early typewriter manufacturers (Remington, LC Smith, etc.) were also gun manufacturers. Typewriters have similar machined tolerances so it stands to reason the lubricants would crossover. I'll give Hoppe's 9 a try, with thanks for your recommendation.
It will be so good if you could make more videos on these Olivetti Lettera 32s. Mine’s arriving this week and I’m not 100% confident on cleaning them and all of the features it has. It will be superbly helpful if you can make videos on these excellent typewriters. Thanks!
Hi Infinity Miracle. Noted! I'll get to this as quickly as I can. The good news here is that I'm slammed with writing work but I enjoy making these videos and doubly enjoy that people like you find them useful. I'll have something published for you soon. Meantime, thanks for watching and please keep in touch.
@@TheWriteStuffPro-DamonDiMarco Thank you so much for your fast reply! That will be super helpful. Your videos are definitely top class youtube videos. They are even surprisingly numerous, like i mean SUPER humorous. Thanks!!
Nice article. Actually I was looking for the type of lubricant for typewriter and I am glad to see that you didn't recommend WD40, but a sewing machine oil and also to use an ear bud for just dabbing the oil and not using a dropper. However on the page where you typed after the lubricant I saw at 6.28 that both the capital C and small c in Change. Was it a retyping error!!! Thanks.
Hi Sundararajan. An error, you ask? Most likely. That’s part of the charm of these machines for me. You get to make many mistakes, which of course is the best way to learn anything. Please accept my best wishes that-over the course of your long and fruitful creative career-you will have opportunities to make as many mistakes as possible. You are correct. WD-40 is the worst type of lubricant for typewriters. I recommend only the lightest oils possible such as sewing machine oil, spindle oil … even gun oil is preferable. Anything else tends to resinize, gumming the works up. Later, this gunk must be removed painstakingly by hand using solvents. It’s no fun for anyone. Thank you so much for watching and chatting. It’s good to meet you!
@@TheWriteStuffPro-DamonDiMarco OMG! It was indeed my pleasure to read through your(long) reply, infact a few times! About mistakes! I always say 'Mistakes are Human beings'... Thanks.
Hi Richard. 3-in-1 Oil generally has an SAE (viscosity rating) of 20. Spindle oil has an SAE of 10. I've always gone with spindle oil since you almost can't get any lighter (if memory serves, SAEs start at 5 and head up to 750). WD-40 also has an SAE rating of 20 and WD-40 gets gummy with typewriters. I can speak to spindle oil, it works like a charm on typewriters. Can't speak to 3-in-1 Oil since I've never used it. I've cleaned many a typewriter that someone choked up with WD-40. If it were me, I'd stick with spindle oil.
Very helpful. I would have guessed machine oil because I have a sewing machine and airbrush guns, and that’s what I use for them, but wanted confirmation. Just bought a 22, and the issue I’m having is the keys being very slow to return to their starting position after striking paper. I’m hoping a previous owner didn’t use WD 40 on it. Any tips on getting them to move more freely?
Hi @9999Emac. If someone used WD-40 or a similarly viscous lubricant on your machine, that could easily account for keys that are slow to return to their starting position. When the WD-40 resinizes, it basically forms a glue that needs to be dissolved before the parts will move freely again. I often apply denatured alcohol (methylated spirits) to stuck parts using cotton swabs. This is shown in a few of my typewriter rehabilitation videos. Alcohol dissolves the resin and makes it easier to drip or or wipe away. I recommend that you give any newly acquired typewriter a good thorough cleaning that includes this process. After applying the alcohol two or three times, check to see how the parts move. If they swing freely, the resin is likely out of the mechanics. However, to be sure, you might then try a penetrating lubricant like Kroil or P'Blaster. This will make your typewriter stink badly. The fumes can be dangerous so wear a mask and do this work outdoors if you can. Work each lever and key after applying the penetrant to distribute it evenly. To get rid of the odor, let your typewriter sit outside for a few hours on a good clear day in a place that's free from any blowing dust or debris. I hope this helps. Thanks for watching and commenting and best of luck with your Lettera 22.
@@TheWriteStuffPro-DamonDiMarco Do you think 91% isopropyl alcohol would do it? I'm out of denatured alcohol at the moment, but have a lot of the 91% on hand for cleaning airbrushes.
Hi Beth@@9999Emac. I honestly don't know since I've never tried it. However (and I thank you for this), your question made me look up the differences between denatured and 915 isopropyl alcohol. Turns out there aren't many. I looked at this article, among others: www.healthline.com/health/denatured-alcohol-vs-isopropyl-alcohol My bottom line: if it were me and I couldn't get my hands on denatured alcohol I would (cautiously) try the 91% isopropyl. Keeping in mind that a) I've never done that before; b) both alcohol types can have bad reactions with decals and paints so always do a test section somewhere not visible on your typewriter; and c) pay special attention to how isopropyl alcohol might interact with caked on resins such as those left by WD-40. Study it carefully. Proceed slowly and with caution. A mask won't hurt when dealing with isopropyl even though it doesn't have quite the number of additives that denatured alcohol does. And if you wouldn't mind, please report back on your progress. The community will benefit from your experience. Thanks and best.
I just used that vary same type of alcohol and it worked beautifully to fix that same problem then I used light oil to re lube it and now it works pretty good
Hello there! While your still making the video for the Olivetti Lettera 32 typewriter, i would just like to ask you if you will prefer a Corona four portable typewriter or a Olivetti Lettera 32 typewriter and why. Thanks!
Hi Infinity Miracle. That’s a good question. As it happens, I have both machines. The question is really: what are you intending to use your typewriter for? If it’s for any type of serious writing work, I recommend the Lettera 32 hands down. It offers the full capabilities of a portable or standard typewriter such as tabulation settings and is a far more robust machine. Famously, Cormac McCarthy used his for 47 years and only had to take it to a filling station a couple of times to blow out some dust with an air hose. That’s the kind of machine you want on your side, a machine that’s comfortable, stalwart, attractive, and intuitive. The Corona Four was built during the mid-1930s and, while a beautiful machine in its own right, is not suited in my opinion for the rigors of consistent use. I hope this helps and I’ll have that video out soon. Thanks for watching!
@@TheWriteStuffPro-DamonDiMarco Thank you so much! Your videos are just so inspiring. You might not have guessed yet but I’m only twelve years old… However, I’m really into these antique typewriter and antiques as well! I have 3 old antique books dating all the way back to the 1797s from William Shakespeare. Thanks though! You really make life easy for me. Oh, can;t imagining servicing my first typewriter that’s about to arrive as a twelve years old… Anyways, thanks though!
@@infinitymiracle6892 I understand, Infinity Miracle. I have many antique books, too. It's very important that people preserve them and enjoy them, so thank you for doing so. Don't worry about servicing your Olivetti. Odds are it will need minimal care. That's one of the reasons they're excellent machines. Feel free to write in any time if you have questions while I'm making the video. And good to meet you again.
Not a strange question, @hannahsayers652. It’s a good one. But no. Baby oils are mineral oils and mineral oils are sensitive to temperature shifts. These oils evaporate when it gets warm and leave behind a residue. Or, if it’s cold, they gum up mechanics. Stick with what’s tried and true. Sewing machine oil or lightweight spindle oil. You can use gun oil if need be. There’s a great product called Nyoil that I recently discovered, works very well. I hope all this helps.
Two more good questions,@@hannahsayers652. Yes, gun oil is a safe option. It has very low viscosity so it's perfect for machined moving parts with extremely low tolerances... typewriters and guns both qualify for this. To your second question: let the machine tell you what it needs. As I mentioned in the video, most typewriters in decent shape shouldn't require any oil. That said, these machines are old. Most of us don't know their provenance: who used them before and where and how. Humidity might play a factor. Dust or gunk may have built up in the comb or segment, and so on. Bottom line, if you feel that a key is sticking, try clearing the segment (the metal silos or slots the type hammers strike through) first. Then check the key linkages to make sure there's no obstruction. If that doesn't return normal function, add the tiniest possible amount of a proper lubricant to see if that helps. Always apply lubricants sparingly. I hope this helps. Happy holidays to you and yours!
Yes, all of this was very helpful. Thank you for the insight! Your expertise is greatly appreciated! Wishing you and yours a Merry Christmas too!@@TheWriteStuffPro-DamonDiMarco
Awe yes, what I call the Lamborghini or be it Ferrari of the typewriter world. I Iike Lamborghini's better, Infact, for Ferrari, I would love to sign their book personally, that would stop me from ever buying a Ferrari forever, that's how much I don't like them. But, lol with that seriously out from left field out of the way, I would like to own an Olivetti some day, I really like the 22, who doesn't lol, eversince Cohen tossed his into a bathtub, Everyone wants one. I ever own one, I'll paint it Black and put a Lambo raging Bull badge on it. Imagine Car Typewriters ... complete with fobs to lock/unlock and set the alarm? Hmmmm, maybe even have headlights on the front and brake lights on the back. 😂 BMW's would be, Our cars are driving instruments, our Typewriter's are Writing Instruments. Then lol, Lmao, you get tge key fob mixed up for your car and typewriter, Why wont this damn thing WORK!? Sorry, random silly thought, couldn't help it, hope it made someone smile.
@@TheWriteStuffPro-DamonDiMarco I figured 😂😂 I was able to find the oil that came with my sewing machine! Keys are working a lot better now, thank you for the informative video!
