PSA: My old typewriter finally jammed mid-chapter and I learned something

I was working on a short story for a contest and my 1970s Smith Corona jammed right as I hit page 8. The ribbon snapped and the keys got stuck on a 'the' and a 'but' together. Had to stop, dig out a flathead screwdriver, and spend 20 minutes untangling the whole mess. Has anyone else had an old machine fail at the worst possible time and did you fix it or trash it?

2 comments

2 Comments

shanel131mo ago

Ribbon snapped and the keys got stuck" - that's a perfect description of how things fall apart, not just typewriters but everything these days. I've noticed that failures happen right when you're in the middle of something important, like when the internet goes out right as you're paying a bill online or the car breaks down on the way to the doctor. It's like the universe picks the worst possible moment to test your patience. I had an old lawnmower do the same thing last summer, stalled out mid-row with a full tank of gas for no good reason. I fixed mine with a new spark plug and some carburetor cleaner, but it took me two afternoons and a lot of grumbling. Your Smith Corona sounds like it's got some life left in it still, so I'd say keep the screwdriver handy and give it another chance.

patricia_wells1mo ago

Well I'll be! You know what nobody's talking about with these old machines? It's probably a dried up rubber roller. That platen gets hard as a rock after 50 years and the paper won't feed right, which throws everything else off. I restored a Royal last winter and that was the real problem, not the ribbon or the keys. The rubber gets shiny and slippery too, so the carriage can't grip the paper to advance properly. You can buy new rubber feet but not many folks think to check that platen.