Used typewriter
- Thread starter _mrkdlsr
- Start date
Imperial_Grensal
New member
- Joined
- Sep 9, 2025
- Messages
- 4
When shopping used, check that all keys move freely, carriage advances, bell dings, and ribbon feeds. Hardened platens are common but not a dealbreaker... you can work around it. Biggest killers are broken drawbands and missing parts.
TypewriterGeek
Member
@_mrkdlsr I agree with the comment above. testing the typewriter is a must!
Try every single key. Do they stick? Do they all return to their resting position? Is the carriage advancing evenly with each key press? Pull the carriage all the way to the right and let go (it should zing back to the left without any dragging or weird noises).
Also, check the platen. It should have some give to it and not be as hard as a rock. If it's rock hard, you'll get poor print quality
Try every single key. Do they stick? Do they all return to their resting position? Is the carriage advancing evenly with each key press? Pull the carriage all the way to the right and let go (it should zing back to the left without any dragging or weird noises).
Also, check the platen. It should have some give to it and not be as hard as a rock. If it's rock hard, you'll get poor print quality
It's great you're getting solid advice already from the members here. I strongly agree with testing everything live! A few sticky keys are normal but if an entire bank of keys feels sluggish, pass it on! Aside from checking the keys, carriage, and platen, also check that the margin bell dings and the ribbon spools turn. I'd also say the biggest mechanical killer is a broken drawband. Curious to know what models are you leaning towards?
