Typewriter Cleaner

[KennyC]

Like the title reads, I have an older typewriter that I want to cleanup and keep for nostalgic sake. Anyone ever clean up one with sticky keys? Didn't want to just hit it with wd or similar.

 

[pigoo3]

Like the title reads, I have an older typewriter that I want to cleanup and keep for nostalgic sake. Anyone ever clean up one with sticky keys? Didn't want to just hit it with wd or similar.

When you say "sticky keys"...are you saying the top of the keys where your fingers depress each key are sticky...or do you mean the mechanical mechanism's of each of the keys & key arms themselves are sticky?

If we're talking about the mechanical mechanisms of each key...I wouldn't use anything that is an aerosol spray...unless it had one of the long thin straws or nozzles for better accuracy & you could control how much is applied.

You could also apply lubricant more maually with something like a cotton swap or other item if you wanted to.

- Nick

 

[KennyC]

Nick thanks for reply. The long mechanical arms inside that the type letter is attached to which hits the ribbon leaving the letter imprint on paper.

 

[ferrarr]

Maybe the manufacturers manual is still available online?

 

[KennyC]

Bob thanks, I do have a pdf manual which basically reads to have an experienced machine person oil/service it. It also reads that a fluid cleaner is not recommended but if used not to let it run down the type bar slots or it will cause the bars to stick. I kinda think the person who had this may have tried to clean it with some fluid which has caused the sticking or maybe something else caused the sticking.

 

[pigoo3]

Hey Kenny. Not sure what vintage your typewriter is...but here's an old typewriter I have.





Not exactly sure of its vintage (haven't researched it). But I'm guessing 1930's or 1940's. The mechanism of each key on my typewriter is sticky/slow as well. I believe over time the lubricant used simply dries out (the solvents in the lubricant evaporate)...the lubricant also attracts dust/dirt...and all of this leads to the sticky/gumminess of the lube that remains.

Probably to do things super-correct...removing the old gunky/sticky/tacky lubricant would be the first thing to do...then lubricate with some fresh lube. I'm thinking a lubricant like this would be sufficient:



I'm sure there are better lubricants out there. Depends on how "fancy" or detailed you want to be with this project...or how much you want to spend.

Of course cleaning out the old sticky lube could do more harm than good in such tight spaces...and maybe to be on the safe side...simply try to carefully add some fresh lube to loosen things up.

HTH,

- Nick

 

[badshoehabit]

Cotton buds dipped in alcohol - something like meths, not your best malt - will get rid of dirt and grease. Then do the hinges with something like sewing machine oil.

 

[MacInWin]

I've used alcohol before to loosen and remove gunky grease. A cotton swab at the joints of the arms lightly moistened with alcohol should do nicely. Once clean, the 3 in 1 oil is fine, or as Sue suggested, if you can get it, sewing machine oil will do (I think they are the same thing, frankly.). Nothing in a spray can, again just moisten a cotton swab and dab the joints with the oily swab. Then type on ALL keys to make sure the oil is distributed and you should be good to go. More alcohol on a swab will clean the key faces, too, then type out all letters (UPPER and lower case) on a fresh sheet of paper (Blotter paper is best) to pull the ink out of the little crevices in the letters (top of the e, center of a, o, d, b, g, etc). If you have to, repeat the process until all is working smoothly.

 

[chscag]

Hey Kenny....

What's a typewriter? LOL

I have the same Royal portable that Nick displayed. Just follow the directions that Jake gave above and Nick's suggestion and you'll have it working again. By the way, ribbons for those old dogs are hard to come by and if you do find some on eBay or elsewhere, make sure they're not dried out.

 

[macgig]

haha when I was in high school, we had typewriters, typing classes... the internet was not invented quite yet. lol. man Im old.

 

[dtravis7]

haha when I was in high school, we had typewriters, typing classes... the internet was not invented quite yet. lol. man Im old.

In Jr High and High school I took Typing. My favorite Typewriter was a Royal like Nick above posted but a bit newer!

 

[KennyC]

Thanks to all for the suggestions. I gonna take the slow safe method with a little swap and denatured alcohol then small amounts of sewing machine oil which I have. This is a Smith-Corona model 88. I also added my I believe 1930's sewing machine and still use.

. .

 

[pm-r]

Like the title reads, I have an older typewriter that I want to cleanup and keep for nostalgic sake. Anyone ever clean up one with sticky keys? Didn't want to just hit it with wd or similar.

How about these:
How To Clean And Oil a Typewriter
https://www.typewriters101.com/how-to-clean-a-typewriter.html

What you should know before cleaning your typewriter.
https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/21zpri/what_you_should_know_before_cleaning_your/

And for these and others if you need more:
https://www.google.com/search?q=typ...1j69i60j0l2.1366j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8



- Patrick
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[KennyC]

Thanks Patrick, I had a hard time trying to find something like those links you gave. If my high school teacher could see me now, she told me I was going to fail her class when I took typing but got a 96 on the final exam.

 

[pigoo3]

If my high school teacher could see me now, she told me I was going to fail her class when I took typing but got a 96 on the final exam.

That's showing her!

I bet after you got the 96...if she was smart...she should have "changed her tune"...and said she was trying to motivate you to do better. Even though at the time she said that...she probably meant what she said (that you were going to fail).

Amazing sometimes what some teachers say to budding students...and probably something teachers from decades past would have said. If they said something like this today...they'd probably get fired in the overly sensitive, thin-skinned, wearing a helmet for everything world we live in now. Lol

- Nick