A Remington Rand Model 17. One like this:
It was my grandfathers, and it still functions, despite the abandoned mouse nest inside. Even the ribbon works, if faded. And with a little kludging, replacement ribbon is still available. It's built like a Sherman tank, of similar vintage, and almost as svelte and lightweight. And harder to figure out than I had supposed. Setting the margins and what those silver knobs and levers do will take a bit of learning curve to surmount. Prolly some instruction manuals online... One doohickey is for multiple paper thickness. Another is for reversing the ribbon direction manually. Yet another is switching between red and black sections of the ribbon.
Mine was built between 1939 and 1950. Because that is the years they built this model.
Check THIS ad out! From here. Ad copy: "Released to the public a few months before the Nazis invaded Poland, the Model 17 is produced only for the Armed Forces and a few essential industries. When it is again available to all, remember: this new Remington Rand typewriter, proven under the toughest wartime service, is the finest you can buy."
My typewriter fought the Nazis! What did YOUR keyboard do? Troll an anti-gun website comments section with a rational argument grounded in fact and logic? That's like taking candy from a baby.
What inspired me was the quote I read somewhere, "cars didn't replace the bicycle, why would computers replace the typewriter." I am ready for desktop publishing, post EMP burst that aces the electric grid for decades.
It's going on the Singer table. The sewing machine is electric, but I have the treadle to convert it, if need be. Yay.
Next project, shortwave radio. I'm trying to think of vital areas of my life that require electricity. I am down to AC, refrigerator, and clothes washer. Oh, and better off grid heat. If I can figure out a way for those four, I am set for most anything. And I can handwash clothes.
It's a Remington... that's like gun content, right?
3 comments:
I will have to take a pic of mine and post it!
Howabout one of these for laundry? Actually, you might like to look on that site for all sorts of fun things that don't use electricity.
You bet it fought the nazis! Good for you!
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