1971 IBM Selectric 721. After my initial administrations, there’s still some sticky keys in the “QWERTY” row, and the “T” key is intermittent.
A Failure of Willpower: 1971 IBM Selectric 721
To Type, Shoot Straight, and Speak the Truth...
A man of the cloth and the steel he wields
To Type, Shoot Straight, and Speak the Truth... © 2015
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Yeah, those typewriter pixies always appear when we’re not looking for another ypewriter. The little *******! Still, Ted, you probably spent more on the can of compressed air that you used to clean it with than you did on the Selectric. Nice machine. Not my type (heh, heh!), but it’s got a real strong “Streets of San Francisco” vibe going. I can almost picture a young Michael Douglas tapping at the keys (slow, with two fingers) while Karl Malden watches from the office doorway with a bemused grin on his face.
Congratulations on the Selectric. I find the more I say to myself no more typewriters I manage to get at least one that week. Not much in thrift stores here. Sometimes a wedge or uninteresting electric. Yard sales are hit-and-miss.
In an early phase of my Typewriter Problem, which is barely a year ago, I acquired a Selectric II. It was purchased partly out of nostalgia, recalling the golf ball typers from the 1970’s. But also out of fascination with their intriguing mechanism. Anyhow, the thing has sat under cover since its arrival awaiting my attention because of what is likely a minor issue. You’ve encouraged me to get the cover off and clean and de-gum the thing a bit – it would be fun to see it working. Just wanted to let you know the encouragement is appreciated.
Good! Selectrics are great fun to work on, although incredibly complex, they pretty much work the same way manuals do – pure mechanics: levers, pulleys, etc. You can sit there and watch what happens and it’s not too hard to figure out what’s wrong. Good luck with yours, and don’t forget to join the Yahoo “GolfBallTypewriter” group. Those guys have the answers to every question I had. (:
Shame on you!
This is why I never say “never” — except in the phrase “you never know”!
This is true :D
I wish have the strong willpower not to ‘see’ and not succumb to impulse buys! for $5 I will chose the typewriter and skip a macdonald’s meal. :)
It’s hard to turn down such a sturdy workhorse. They were an icon of corporate efficiency. For those who have never typed one, they are such a joy to use when properly serviced.
Stopped by from a link on myoldtypewriter… Loved this! Oh wow. Working or not, this kid would have come home with me. Cloth ribbon! Awesome.