presents

The Typewriter Revolution:
A Typist's Companion for the 21st Century

Before you do anything: Think about whether you're willing to live with the consequences if you mess up. Try to make sure that your alterations are reversible, and don't do anything to a truly rare machine other than gentle dusting and cleaning. The best way to get familiar with restoration techniques is to experiment on an ordinary typewriter first (how about a good old Underwood No. 5?). Whenever possible, test all these techniques on a hidden surface of the typewriter before you attack the main surfaces.

• Soft, clean, white cotton rags. You'll go through a lot of these. The gentlest approach (recommended at first) is to wipe the typewriter with a wet rag, or a rag dipped in water with a few drops of dishwashing liquid.
• Brushes: you can try toothbrushes, nail brushes, brushes for cleaning firearms or dentures, and artist's paintbrushes. The bristles on brushes can be trimmed to make them stiffer.
• Q-tips are nice for cleaning hard-to-reach areas. (Synthetic-tipped alternative: gun cleaning swabs or printer cleaning swabs.) One collector has written to me: "Instead of using Q-Tips, you can also roll your own swabs using wooden applicator sticks (6" long x 1/16" diameter) and cotton batting. Bamboo skewers work just as well, and they last for days/weeks. One roll of cotton batting will yield about a million swabs. As soon as a swab is dirty, you pull it off and replace it. The most important thing is to use damp--not wet--swabs. You can achieve this by rolling a wet swab on a piece of blotting paper. By doing this, you avoid flooding the surface, and water won't seep into all the wrong places."
  
• For initial dust removal, the vacuum-cleaner hose attachment kits sold in computer and computer supply stores and catalogs work very well. They are especially helpful in cleaning mechanical parts. You can also buy a small air compressor for around $150.
  
• For  precise blasts of compressed air, there are canisters intended for cleaning electronic equipment (these are available at most office supply stores).They are not particularly cheap.
  
• You can also sic your leaf blower on your dusty old typewriter, or take it down to the gas station and take advantage of their compressed air. (Not a great idea for rare typewriters!)
• Meghan S. writes: "Hey, I found something a few months back that helped wonders for the initial dust-off when I acquired a new machine -- dryer sheets! They collect dust as you wipe, moving it all to one spot, and generally the dust will stick to the sheet -- even dust you didn't know was there. Helps with thin layers of grease that cotton rags will just move around, too. And they're thin enough that you can get into hard-to-reach spaces (just not the small pieces)."
  

• Odorless mineral spirits are the best product for removing light amounts of old grease. You can brush the mineral spirits on with a toothbrush. You can mix a little lubricant into the spirits. Use an air compressor or compressed air canister to blow out the excess.
• Use a polish such as Turtle Wax hard shell car polish in order to gently remove dirt from glossy black paint. Wipe again and again with a soft, clean cloth until it doesn't come away looking brown.
  
• Soft Scrub is a gentle liquid cleanser that is easily available. To remove heavy dirt, try applying diluted Soft Scrub with a finger or rag, and removing it with a rag, over and over and over. Careful: some finishes will be scratched even by this cleanser. But my Caligraph required vigorous scrubbing with undiluted Soft Scrub!
• Oil will improve the functioning of some parts, notably when applied to the carriage rails. Apply sparingly, with the end of a pin or paper clip. Use a light, high-grade oil, such as sewing machine oil or gun oil, such as Hoppe's Gun Oil,
  
• PB B'laster is a penetrant and lubricant that can free up dirty and jammed joints.
• Another effective penetrant and lubricant, which smells much better than PB B'laster, is Bluecreeper.
  
• Try Dentucreme: "yes, the toothpaste for dentures. It is very mildly abrasive and extremely effective on surfaces that would show scratches. I use it on mother-of-pearl and other delicate surfaces." --Lane Welch
• Steve Maloney reports that Gojo, a hand cleaner, is excellent for cleaning original lacquer black.
• Scrubbing Bubbles is good for penetrating tiny crevices on wrinkle paint. Use a toothbrush to get it down into the wrinkles. It does have a tendency to remove some paint, and can harm decals, so be careful.
  
• "For typewriters that have textured finishes, I would not recommend using furniture polish. I have found that the best way to clean these surfaces without buffing down the textured finish is to use a 'fingernail' brush and a solution of baking soda and mild dishwashing detergent. I am liberal with the baking soda and conservative with the dishwashing detergent. The dishwashing detergent is mainly there for removing oils. You might be surprised how much dirt gets accumulated in these textured finishes." -- Paul Dobias
• Scrubbing Bubbles bathroom cleaner will effectively remove dirty from the nooks and crannies in wrinkle paint. It may also work well on smooth finishes. Be advised that some paint, such as on 1950s Smith-Corona portables, is dissolved by this product, so it should be used evenly and sparingly, and wiped off immediately.
  
• "Another more aggressive product, but still water based, is “Krud Kutter”; this stuff will clean the grease off of an old engine, but not harm the paint.  It, like the Scrubbing Bubbles, should be finished with a clean water wipe down, until all traces of dirt are off.  There is another even more aggressive version called Krud Kutter Graffiti Remover.  I’ve not tried it, but it might be useful in a watered down form, but test it on something before using it on some collectable." --Tim McCoy
• "For postwar machines, use a cleaner designed for pots and pans, or even dish soap--it will cut through the grime and make any gray typewriter a little less gray/dull." --Nick Bodemer
  
• It's a bad idea to put oil in the segment (the slotted piece that holds the typebars); the oil can get dirty and gummy after a while.
• Avoid using WD-40 on a typewriter. It is not a good lubricant for fine machinery and after a little time, it can get gummy and make things worse than ever. Professionals do sometimes use it, but always clean it out immediately with mineral spirits.
  
• Gun cleaning solvents can be very useful. I have had good luck with Birchwood Casey Gun Scrubber. Other products I have heard about are M-Pro gun cleaning spray, G-96, and Break Free.
• Liquid Wrench Super Penetrant has worked well for me in removing old oil and lubricating mechanisms.
  
• Stronger products (use outdoors, and test inconspicuously on decals and paint) include naphtha (lighter fluid) and carburetor cleaner.
• "Also a good cleaner is equal parts of acetone, automatic transmission fluid, kerosene, and mineral spirits. Be careful of the acetone, however. This is a standard firearms cleaning mixture for cleaning bores, etc. For really gunked up typewriters, it works pretty good." --Paul Ross
• "When performing cleaning and lubrication, I would recommend following up after degreasers and lighter oils with a heavier oil. Also, oils used around chipped and delaminating coatings may contribute to further delamination. For instance, for blowing out dusts, removing some grease buildup, and to leave behind a think layer of lubricant, I would recommend using 'TV Tuner Cleaner,' and then follow up with a light oil." -- Paul Dobias
• "Southern Bloomer cleaning rags may be expensive (after all, they're going to get dirty quick), but they put out no lint, and they've been a big help." --Robert Neuwirth
  
• "Automatic transmission fluid, thinned 50% with kerosene, is an excellent rust preventive and general lubricant. Lots of anti-oxidant material in it, so it doesn't 'gum up' with time. As usual, in oiling, apply sparingly." --Paul Ross
• Instead of lubricating with oil, which can eventually collect dust and make the mechanism stick again, you can try dry, powdered graphite. (This is not recommended for use on anything that has aluminum, since graphite has a high galvanic difference to aluminum and will pit and corrode it.)
• "Tipton's Metal Magic rust and lead Removing Cloths do a good job rubbing grime, rust, and discoloration off typebars and other naked metal pieces. Leaves a bit of a greasy feel, so you have to rub down with a plain cloth after you're done". --Robert Neuwirth
• "Iosso Gunbrite is good at taking off serious surface rust without destroying chromed surfaces, though you have to rub like crazy." --Robert Neuwirth
  
• Platen cleaning: after an initial wiping with water and Soft Scrub, several brands of rubber/plastic restorer can remove more dirt. For more on platens, see the next section. "Rubber rejuvenators" will clean platens, but not really rejuvenate the rubber. In my experience, the stuff is also good for dissolving old grease, such as grease stuck in the slots of a segment.
• Fedron Rubber Cleaner Conditioner is a heavy-duty solvent that cleans type and platens. If you can find a dauber (like the type used for liquid shoe polish) spread a thin coating on the type and let it work for about a minute or two, then wipe off with a rag. For the platen, if the platen can be removed, put some Fedron on a rag and wipe the rubber off. It instantly removes dirt, ink, and rust marks. Fedron is harsh: be sure to keep it away from paint, decals, and all delicate parts and materials (such as string and plastic). Use in a well-ventilated area: it stinks!

• "That moldy smell" is a common problem, especially with portables--and if you're allergic to mold, it can be a real health hazard. Yes, the smell is caused primarily by mold, combined with decades of dust and cigarette smoke. Mold won't grow on metal, but it will grow on typewriter ribbons and on fabric-covered cases. Take your typewriter out of its case and blow the lint and dust out of it (a compressed air canister for cleaning computer and stereo equipment is handy here). Throw away the ribbon. Look carefully for any surfaces that may have mold on them (the typebars usually rest on fabric or felt; some typewriters also have felt elsewhere, to deaden the noise). Clean and polish the machine using the materials I list on this page. The cases can be cleaned with harsher materials, such as Scrubbing Bubbles, Concrobium mold control, Lysol, window cleaner, or ammonia. Mr. Clean's Eraser Pads have also been recommended to me for this purpose. Then let everything dry thoroughly, preferably in sunlight. Store typewriters and cases in dry environments with moderate temperatures. You may have to clean the cases again every 6 months or so.
  
  
• Paul Panella writes: "I've found that the musty smell from the old leatherette cases can be removed by first wiping down with a light disinfectant wipe. I use Clorox disinfecting wipes. Then I generously apply Old English lemon oil furniture polish inside and out. The leatherette just soaks it up and it seems to take care of the strong odor with no residue. These old cases are so dry that the lemon oil disappears almost immediately."
  
  
• Paul Musgrave writes: "Sometimes, the smell of an old typewriter is quite pleasant and should be left as is for the sake of authenticity.  Other times, an old typewriter has been left in a basement where a nasty, eye-scorching fungus has staked its claim on the dormant old machine.  This is particularly true of higher-end portables (ones with felt soundproofing) that have been left in their wood-shell cases in a damp environment.  Some examples are the Smith Corona Silent and Olympia SMs.
  
  "My first experience with a nasty, moldy typewriter was with a Smith Corona Super.  I went so far as to remove the felt, but unfortunately, I wasn't quite able to get the soundproofing to really work after that.  I switched tactics after that experience.  My next machine was with a Smith Corona Silent (Speedline).  It is a beautiful machine, but the musty smell was strong enough to fill the room.  This time, I used Concrobium Mold Control.  It is sold in spray bottles at Home Depot (among other retailers).  I took the shell off the Silent, carefully sprayed the Concrobium on the felt (it leaves a foggy glaze on most parts, so I highly recommend being precise in spraying...even pressing the nozzle directly against the felt and slowly injecting the fluid into the felt).  After letting it soak into the felt for a few minutes, I sopped up the excess in a paper towel and let the pieces air dry.  Sure enough, the Concrobium killed whatever mold and spores lived in the felt and took the edge off the smell.  I've tried the same technique with a SC Skyriter with success.  From what I understand, Concrobium leaves an anti-fungal and anti-microbial film wherever it is applied to kill whatever fungi is on it and prevent it from returning.  Since the felt in a typewriter is almost always hidden and used solely for sound deadening, I can't imagine the film would be a problem.  It's been nearly a year since I treated my Silent, and I've not had any ill effects whatsoever.
  
  "In most cases, the wooden carrying case often absorbs the musty odor.  This was true in the case of my Silent.  I was able to clean the case (inside and out) using the techniques I learned on your webpage, which helped somewhat.  To kill the rest of the smell, I took some fresh pipe tobacco (cheap stuff from the drug store will work, as long as it smells pleasant), wrapped about a silver dollar's worth up in a coffee filter, tied it into a bundle using a trash bag tie, and set it in the typewriter case.  After a few weeks, the slight remains of the old typewriter smell blends with the smell of the fresh pipe tobacco and the typewriter smells quite divine.  I normally wouldn't recommend tobacco use to anybody, but in this case it was put to a really good use!"
• Another tip from a reader: Gonzo Odor Air Magnets, sealed up with a typewriter for a few days, will improve the smell.
  

Rust

• Rust removal should be attempted by the gentlest method first. In order from gentlest to roughest, I recommend: Mother's Mag & Aluminum Polish (available at auto supply stores); superfine steel wool (try to avoid getting the steel filings into the mechanism); superfine sandpaper; rougher steel wool; a synthetic scrubbing pad; a rotary tool (such as a Dremel) with a wire brush attachment (I recommend the cup-shaped brush; wear eye protection, as bits of wire will fly off); a rotary tool with a cratex attachment (rubber impregnated with a tough material). The cratex attachments do a great job of removing rust, but they will leave a mark; use them for initial heavy rust removal, then finish with a wire brush to smooth out the finish.
• Evapo-Rust is an excellent product if you need to remove rust from the whole body of a machine, or if you want to de-rust individual parts without using the methods above. You immerse things in this product and only the rust disappears. It is nontoxic and reusable. In order to immerse a whole typewriter, you will need 5 gallons (it can be diluted a bit with water if necessary). Remove the body panels and platen. If there are any remaining paint and decals, protect them with a good coat of wax, as the Evapo-Rust can harm them. After soaking in Evapo-Rust for up to 24 hours, things can be rinsed off in water. Then dry them immediately with a hair dryer or other means. (With some parts you may not mind having a residue of Evapo-Rust on them, which will protect against future rust, so there is no need to rinse.) The Evapo-Rust may leave a dull or dark residue on surfaces, which can easily be polished clean. You may also get acceptable effects by spraying Evapo-Rust repeatedly for about an hour, instead of immersing the machine. Some products chemically identical to Evapo-Rust are also available. They and the original can be found on eBay with a search for "Evapo-Rust."
  
• "For minor rust removal, try using an electric eraser (also known as an 'architect's eraser'). Koh-I-Noor and Staedtler both make fairly inexpensive models with a variety of eraser refills. The gray, ink erasers are the most aggressive. The soft, white refills are especially good for removing light surface dirt and oxide layers (practice on a tarnished penny!)."

• Here's a really easy way to touch up small spots of black paint (which is by far the most common color on early typewriters): use a permanent black marker. This is easy to apply, lies flat on the surface, and can make a big difference. Despite the term "permanent," it is also easier to remove than paint.
• What if you want or need to use real paint? Touch-up paint for cars, which is sold in tiny bottles in auto shops, can be handy here. It dries to a glossy finish and is not thick or clumpy, as long as it's shaken enough in advance. But take a good look at your typewriter in the sunlight after this paint has dried -- you may find that it's not really the same black as the original paint.
• "The paint pen to use is Uni-Paint medium line PX-20 (or fine line if you prefer) Opaque Oil Base marker. You can order them at Staples in just about any color of the rainbow.They only take a day or two to get." -- Robert Nelson
• "For coatings touch up, ensure that surfaces are free of oils, buff exposed substrate materials with an abrasive pad, and recoat with nail polish. The 'anchor tooth' from abrading will ensure adhesion, but your requirements probably won't be higher than a simple visually detected surface profile. Nail polishes come in many shades, so you should be able to get your exact match. Also, they have a tendency to set up a little thicker than some of the automotive paints, which adds to the depth and luster of the color to better simulate the multiple layer effect of lacquers." -- Paul Dobias
• "Goo Gone" can remove unwanted paint that has been added by a previous owner, revealing the original paint and decals below. It also removes Wite-Out.
• To restore faded paint on keys and scales, try Lacquer-Stik Fill-In Paint.
  

Feet and feed rollers

• Scott Bierly offers good and affordable replacement feet on eBay. Other sellers do the same.
  
• Bob Aubert offers new replacement feet made of black Buna N synthetic rubber, which is far more durable than the original composite material. The feet are sold in sets for the following typewriters: Columbia/Barlock Models 1- 20; Hammond 1 - 12, and the non-folding Multiplex; Harris/Rex Visible 4; LC Smith 1 - 8; Oliver 1 - 11; Smith Premier 1 - 10; Remington Standard 10; Royal Flatbed 1 - 5; early Royal 10; Underwood 1 - 5; Wellington 2 & 3; Williams 1 - 6, Yost 1 - 4, and some portables.  Prices vary from $7.50 to $35.00 per set (postpaid) depending on size and whether or not the mounting hardware is included.  He does not have any tapered square of rectangular feet. There are two different sizes of stepped bumpers available.  They will work any typewriter with 1/2" or 5/8" mounting holes.  If you require a different stem diameter, these feet can be modified to fit. For more info, Bob's e-mail address is rite2aubert@juno.com or call him at (856) 461-7080.
• You can also visit your local hardware store in search of rubber parts that will work as feet. Sometimes a rubber stopper will be ideal (tip: squeeze the big end in first, not the small end). Andy McWilliams writes that this item worked perfectly to replace the feet on a Remington portable #5 (and they will probably work on similar Remington portables): 27/32 x 9/32 inch slip joint washers, Home Depot stock number 38809b, made by Danco Co., Concordville, PA 19331. Ryan Long had luck fitting his own Remington portable #5 with "Replacement Aqua-Seal Washers for 'American Standard,'" size: fits 2k-2h and 2c, made by Danco for faucet repair. They fit into place and lock with an O-Ring.
• One collector writes: "I am writing to you to add a tip regarding typewriter feet. I found this stuff to be most ingenious indeed and very reasonably priced compared to having feet manufactured professionally or even purchasing new old stock. It runs about $9.00 to $12.00 for a packet. The product  is called Sugru. It is an air-curing molding glue putty that dries overnight into a soft silicone/ rubber and it comes in a variety of colors that can be mixed into custom colors too. Black, white and gray are also available. You can shape it, mold it or cover things with it and it adheres to the surface you apply it to! It can even be ordered in a magnetized form."
  
• Slices of wine corks can make easy replacements for feet, if you don't feel you need rubber.
  
• Another possibility is refurbishing the old rubber feet. Carl Strange recommends "a product called Plasti Dip, which is usually thought of as a coating for hand tools; it gives new life (and restored bulk, to say nothing of a rubbery grip) to emaciated typewriter feet. A can costs about $8. I used it on a 1941 Underwood Champion and my dear old Underwood 11 with very satisfactory results."
• The screws that hold feet onto typewriters may also need replacing. A correspondent writes: "Underwood Standard models (This is definitely true for the #3, probably also the #5, maybe others of that vintage) use a 1/4"-20 machine screw, which is very easy to replace. The Remington Standard KMC uses a 1/4"-24 screw, which is much more difficult to find, but is apparently used for vintage Harley Davidsons. I got mine from eBay from a fellow named 57harleyrider, who I believe machines them himself."
  
• Feed rollers are often hardened or have developed "flats" from being pressed against the platen for decades. Matthieu Théorêt reports that removing the old rubber and replacing it with shrink tubing can be the solution. "For the back rollers, I used about 8 layers of tubing, shrunk and cut to attain a great look. The front rollers took only 4 layers. I used a smaller diameter tube that I loosened with my pliers, so that the shrunk result would be really tight."
• Bob Aubert suggests using rubber hose for cars to recover your feed rollers. "I've done it this way at least a hundred times and it works! Simply take your old rollers to a auto place, ask to see their hose stock, pick something that is close and it will be just fine. Shop for a brand that is smooth on the outside! Cut it roughly to size, slip it on, put the shaft into an electric drill, and trim the excess off with a razor while it's turning. It will look like it was done in the Remington factory!"
• Another solution worth trying is pencil grips.
  
• Black electrical tape may also work, and for this method you don't need to remove the feed rollers from their housing (which is sometimes difficult). Just cut and scrape off the old rubber and apply the tape, stretching fairly tightly and making it as long as it needs to be to reproduce the original diameter. Put it on in such a way that the normal direction of rotation will tend to keep flattening down the end of the tape.
• One last suggestion for feed rollers: when heated with a hair dryer they may become pliable and you may be able to reshape them. Heat may also help you unstick feed rollers from a platen.

• Vigorous scrubbing with Soft Scrub will remove the dirty and slick exterior layer of the rubber, and improve the grip.
  
• You can also try roughening the platen by scrubbing it with sandpaper, but I like the results of Soft Scrub better.
  
• Brake fluid (DOT 3) reacts chemically with rubber and breaks it down. It will soften rubber unacceptably when exposed to it for the long term. A little exposure, however, can add a little flexibility and grip to the outermost layer of a platen. You can wipe a thin layer of brake fluid on with a paper towel, leave it on for about an hour, then wipe off any residue. Allow several hours of drying after this procedure, because at first the platen exterior will be too soft and should not be handled or used.
• Use one or two sheets of backing paper for cushioning if your platen is hard.
• In Germany, platens will be recovered by Eveline Theobald Büromaschinen.
• In Italy, contact Domenico Scarzello or Alessio Vescovo.
  
• In the Netherlands, AKB Longs will recover platens.
• In Switzerland, Typ Gummi TGW will do the job.
• In the UK, contact Mr. & Mrs. Vintage Typewriters or try Longs.
  
• In the USA, J.J. Short recovers platens. Write to Peter at pjshort@jjshort.com to get a quote, providing the following information: the inside diameter of the rubber tube or the outside diameter of the wooden or metal core without the rubber; the current outside diameter of the platen; and the length of the rubber.  "For multiple platens in the same size range we will offer discounted pricing for qtys of 2-5 and 6+."
• West Coast Platen, http://www.platen.com/, had some spare platens in stock as of June 2012.
  
• Rino Breebart has illustrated on his blog how he recovered a Hermes platen using a bicycle inner tube. For a diameter and smoothness matching the original specifications, you probably want to get a professionally installed new platen, but this is an interesting possibility.
• I have used colored shrink tubing to give a platen a new surface and a new color (purple!). Like using a bicycle tube, this is not the most professional and precise solution, but it is at least fun. You need tubing that is big enough to fit easily over the platen. You can heat it over a gas stove burner, turning frequently and rolling the platen on a counter every so often to smooth out the wrinkles. After 5-10 minutes the tubing will fit tightly onto the platen.

• Many early typewriters are decorated with pinstripes -- often these are thin parallel lines of blue and yellow. Beugler offers a kit for precision pinstriping with paint. Other pinstriping supplies are available from Finesse Pinstriping. You can also find pinstriping decals at many hobby shops, or order them from The Antique Phonograph Supply Co., Route 23, Box 123, Davenport Center, NY 13751-0123, phone 607-278-6218.
• Bits of gold may be missing from the decals or lettering. One amateurish solution is to touch them up with a fine-point metallic gold marker. This is easily scratched off, but for the beginner that's probably a virtue. The metallic marker really can improve the neatness of your typewriter if it's used wisely.
• Replacement decals for many antique typewriters are offered by Paul Robert. Visit his Etsy shop here. A longer list of his decals is here.
  
• It's possible to get nickel parts replated. You may want to consult a professional (such as Rayco Metal Finishing), but a home replating kit is made by Vigor-Bestfit, 320 Thornton Road, Lithia Springs, GA 30057. Phone 770-944-2733, fax 770-944-2765. The kit is available at Zak Jewelry Tools, 55 West 47th Street, New York, NY, phone 212-768-8122.
• Replacement leather handle straps (for cases) can be cut from used leather belts. Nice replacement leather handles are also available at some music stores, as they are used on instrument cases.
• If the key legends (the letters, numbers, etc.) on your keys are stained or faded, you can replace them. It helps a lot to have special tools for removing and replacing the metal key rings. I have prepared a PDF of key legends that you can download here. Print it on a laser printer at actual size (not "shrink to fit"). The PDF is high-resolution (1200dpi), but the quality of your printout will depend on your printer, the print settings, and the paper used. You may also prefer this black-and-white (bitmap) version.
  

• For a safe, effective finish used by museums, I recommend Renaissance brand microcrystalline wax. It can be found on eBay and at various online suppliers. Apply and buff the wax with clean cotton cloth.
• A good alternative is a commercial blend of microcrystalline waxes, in paste form, such as Johnson's "Klear" or "AeroWax."
• Mother's Carnauba Cleaner Wax (available in auto supply stores) works nicely. Other car finishes, such as Turtle Wax, can also work well.
• Wax can be removed with a cloth dampened in mineral spirits (such as Varsol and Stoddard Solvent). Use in a well-ventilated area.
• Pledge is an easily available polish that I have often used as a cleaning and polishing agent. Spray it on a clean rag, wipe the part you're polishing thoroughly with the rag, repeat until the rag doesn't look brownish at all. However, I have been warned that overuse of Pledge can leave a sticky residue. It also contains silicone, which may be impossible to remove later; do not spray it on the mechanism, and do not use Pledge on a rare machine. Endust claims that it contains no silicone. Nick Bodemer reports, "For prewar typewriters, I use Old English Lemon Furniture Polish--it works very well, and does not remove decals (even on a 1930s Royal)."
  
• I've also heard that Fantastick works well as a polish and cleaner.
• Other effective polishes include Armor All and Klasse All-in-One Polish.
  
• Elaine Golladay suggests Klasse All in One Acrylic Protectant. Note that this car polish will leave a strong and shiny acrylic layer on the typewriter.
  
• Mother's Mag & Aluminum Polish (available at auto supply stores) is an excellent cleaner and polish for metal parts both large and small. On machines with a lot of aluminum (such as the Blick 6 or Hammond Folding) this stuff can work a miraculous transformation.
• Other metal polishes include Flyt (available at gun shops) and Simichrome (which has been highly recommended to me for aluminum -- ask at auto supply shops).

• Chapman Mfg. Co. has put together a nice screwdriver kit with bits designed especially for typewriter repair.
  
• You may want to invest in a set of gunsmith's screwdrivers. They are available in boxed sets with up to 58 interchangeable bits, as well as ultrathin sets. This allows you to find a perfect fit for every slotted screwhead, so damage is less likely to occur. (Note that older screws tend to have much narrower slots than modern ones.) "The best source for these screwdrivers is Brownell's, Inc., 200 South Front Street, Montezuma, Iowa 50171; tel. 515-623-5401; fax 515-623-3896. Check out their 'Magna-Tip Super-Sets.' You'll wonder how you managed without them. About $82.00, but they'll last a lifetime."
• Magnetic screwdrivers are helpful for holding on to screws.
  
• Sears sells very useful sets of Craftsman tools meant for repairing computers and other electronic equipment. The tools are hard steel, many have fine tips, and an ample variety of screwdrivers is included.
• Dental picks are helpful as a means of reaching and manipulating interior areas.
• A common problem is a broken carriage drawband (cord or strap). The basic principle is simple: attach a new drawband to the barrel (containing the mainspring) and one end of the carriage. The mainspring normally does not have to be wound up while you are doing this; it can be tightened later. But this is all easier said than done, and this repair can be frustrating. The method will vary based on the model of typewriter. You may want to use or create a long, thin wire with a hook at the end which can be pushed under the carriage and used to pull the cord through.
  
• Kite string  or strong fishing line can be a helpful replacement for broken drawbands. Rob Bowker writes, "In the absence of fine waxed string I have at one time used baler twine, but more poetically I have used 'cat-gut' - a nice organic replacement. A 1950s, warped and unplayable tennis racket was the donor."
• Flat shoelaces can replace carriage pull straps.
  
• Sometimes the mainspring itself is broken. Usually one end of it has snapped off. Open up the barrel to take a look. You can usually make a new hole in the end of the spring using a Dremel wheel, and reattach the spring to the barrel.
• Rob Blickensderfer (blickr@comcast.net) makes parts for various antique typewriters, such as Hammond ribbon spool covers, Blickensderfer paper supports and release bails, and cranks for the Smith Premier brush cleaner. Very reasonably priced.
• Jim Donahue (770-714-0556, jcd30281@yahoo.com) runs "Oliverservices," with many parts for Olivers as well as several products to service them: ribbons, touch-up paint, stainless return cable, replated parts, etc. Visit his eBay store here.
• David Randall shows us how to make new ribbon covers for a Remington noiseless portable on his blog as well as how to make new tab stops.
  

• Ribbons for most typewriters can sometimes still be found as close as your nearest office supply shop. The standard width is half an inch, and you'll find that this will work on almost all typewriters made after 1920 or so. If your typewriter can type in two colors (and most can), buy a black-and-red ribbon: it looks nice! For suggestions on ribbon sources, see my FAQ.
• Ribbon spools must be appropriate to your machine. The most common are the kind that fit Underwoods, Smith-Coronas, and Royal portables; German typewriters usually use a type called DIN 2103 which has a larger central hole. Olivetti spools need to be held down with a particular kind of nut (type DIN 466 M3); you can find new ones online.
  
• Odd-size ribbons: try ribbons made for computer printers, printing calculators, time clocks, and cash registers.
• How to re-ink a ribbon: "Once a ribbon has run out of ink, and the typewriter has wound it all up onto one spool, remove the ribbon from the typewriter. Get a bottle of STAMP-PAD INK, the same colour as the ribbon (this works best with single-colour ribbons). Keeping the ribbon wound up onto one spool, coat the outermost part of the ribbon with stamp-pad ink, and allow it to saturate through to the interior layers of ribbon, wound around the spool. You should really only have to do this rather sparingly. No more than 2-3 drops here and there. Let the ink soak into the ribbon, and then rethread the whole thing back into the typewriter. It'll run like new :) A bottle of stamp-pad ink is like $5, and one little bottle will last you for many re-inkings. Stamp-pad ink is ideal, because like typewriter ink, it doesn't readily dry out in open air, so that means the ribbon won't dry out overnight, but will stay moist...well...until it runs out of ink again!" --Shahan Cheong
• It may be worthwhile to treat a ribbon that still has ink, but has dried out, by spraying it with WD-40. Lay it out yard by yard / meter by meter and spray lightly and quickly. (Reminder: do not use WD-40 to lubricate the typewriter itself.)
  
• Ink rollers for Blickensderfers and other ink-roller machines: one solution is to get rollers made for printing calculators, which can be procured at a good office supply shop. You'll have to cut them out of their plastic housing, and the price is a little steep ($3 or $4 for one roller -- the original Blickensderfer price was 25 cents a dozen!). Your fingers will get filthy. Another solution, more durable and much less expensive, but not always easy to find, is gun cleaning felts made by a company such as VFG; get them in 7mm or 7.5mm size. They can be inked with  stamp ink from manufacturers such as ExcelMark or Trodat.
• Ink pads for machines like the Williams: don't replace an ink pad unless you really want to use the machine, as in the long run the chemicals in the ink might corrode the type. A piece of black felt cut to the right size will look very nice. If you do want to try inking, you can try using stamp ink (see just above) but I don't know what kind of material will best hold the ink without drying out.
  
• Hammonds originally came with a rubberized cloth impression strip that came between the hammer and the paper. It is usually missing or broken, but it is necessary in order to get good typing. Paul Robert recommends: "If there is a bicycle shop in your area, go there and buy one of those narrow rubber protection strips that go around the wheel to protect the inner tube from being punctured by the spokes. Cut off a piece one half inch shorter than the full length of the carriage, punch two holes on each side and you have the perfect impression strip." You can also use a length of shrink tubing (not shrunken).
  
• To make sure your types will print clearly, you'll probably need to clean out the crevices of letters like "e" and "s." Use the tip of a pin. Be gentle, so you won't harm the type.
• You can also use watchmaker's putty, available from Esslinger.com, to clean the type. A reader recommends the Premium Version, no. 7033 and advises using wearing gloves.
  
• For heavy-duty type cleaning, try Fedron (see above under "Initial Cleanup") or denatured alcohol (don't get it on paint).
  
• Old products such as Star Type Cleaner were intended to fit into the type and lift out some ink. For a modern replacement, Matthieu Théorêt reports: "the Staedtler art eraser is malleable enough and lifts the old caked ink like a charm." Elaine Hadden Golladay recommends Dap BlueStik (a reusable adhesive putty).
  
• Alignment may be a big problem in an old typewriter. The typebars may stick at the printing point, because they're too far to the right or left. The Oliver may produce especially wacky-looking work because of the nature of its typebars. The only solution is to bend the typebars back into position, using guesswork and experimentation and care. If you're lucky, you can find some specialized tools for gently bending typebars; otherwise, try needle-nosed pliers.

Happy typing!