I’ve just got this typewriter. My text was always a little faint, so I replace the ink ribbon. I’ve checked that it is feeding correctly. Now I’ve noticed that my letters aren’t actually making contact with the paper when the key is fully pressed down. Is this normal? And if not, what can I do about it? Thanks!
I was thinking something like that, but my typing is still very faint even after I hit the letters fairly hard
The Splendids have notoriously heavy keys - I have to basically pound on them to get good imprint. In addition to the touch selector under the cover, there is another way to make it significantly lighter, but I decided to move mine on.
My splendid 33 does need a beating to leave a good imprint, and being a 33 without a touch selector I am left with “getting used to it”
What is the other way?
It's easier to follow it from the touch selector, but it's probably still there on the Splendid 33. There's a spring that goes to a bar that provides tension on the key levers. It seems like you can adjust it to release that tension.
Make and model information would help us help you! And it's hard to see from this angle, but I am not sure your new ribbon is threaded correctly. Does your machine have an end-of-line lock function (to prevent typing past the margin) -- and if so, is that function engaging and disengaging correctly?
It’s a olympia splendid 99. it does have that function, but I was writing in the middle of the page so it was disengaged. What exactly do you mean with the ribbon being threaded incorrectly? I re-threaded it like I got it, and It is advancing normally
Just to clarify -- are you saying the keys were striking paper properly before you replaced the ribbon, but now are not?
I don’t think they did. Typing feels the same
Just checking -- this is from an Olympia user manual....
Yeah, just like that. Except my band is just black
I posted an inquiry on the Antique Typewriter Maintenance group page on fb, and just a few hours later, got this amazingly well illustrated and detailed link:
https://ber10thal.com/blog/repairing-a-1961-olympia-sf/
I'd suggest you scroll down to the part of this post that includes the phrase "ring and cylinder," and look at how this adjustment was made.
The whole blogpost is well worth reading. The author also recommends that you check the master trip setting -- he calls it the "escapement trigger." If you slowly bring a key up to the paper, it should trip the escapement when it's between 1/4 and 1/8 inch from the page. If it's too far out, typing will be hard.
All of this is to suggest that your Olympia may need more than one simple adjustment, and some patient tinkering might be required. But take my word for it: once you've gotten past that deep-breath moment and successfully adjusted one of these machines, you might be hooked on just how satisfying it is.
Thanks, I’ll be sure to give it a try once I get back
Okay. If you look at the key arms, you'll see that each one has a little protrusion near the base that swings up and makes contact with the front face of the key basket, stopping its motion. If your key arms are stopping before the slugs can make good contact with the paper, then your platen is too far back and needs to be moved toward you. I don't have a Splendid model in front of me, but I think you might have to pull the bodywork to make this adjustment. You can do a simple diagnostic to see if the platen is too far back: just load 3 or 4 backing sheets and see if your keys now make better contact. I found only one rather poorly presented video on youtube made by a guy who had done this adjustment. . . . and I was unable to find any links to service manuals for your machine.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCaUTrUUZME
I would suggest that you look to the Antique Typewriter Maintenance group on facebook --
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1794856020751839
A lot of really knowledgeable typewriter people track this group -- I think you have to ask to become a member and post a query, but they have helped me on several occasions.
Most typewriters allow for pretty heavy paper qualities. Maybe try winding a backing sheet two revolutions around the platen. Wind it tightly, fix it to itself with a piece of adhesive tape. (Don't stick it to the platen, please.) Then insert your paper as usual and try if that helps.
I recently wrote some advice for someone with similar symptoms:
https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1ck37c3/comment/l2mblds/
I think the margin key restriction bar is stuck. Not sure of the proper name. On royals and other models like Underwood's there is a flat bar that flips and prevents keys from being fully pressed when the right margin is hit. Sometimes these get stuck and prevent a key from being fully depressed even in the middle of a page.
Flip your typewriter over and look for a flat metal piece that goes from side to side, it should be by the typebars comb (where all typebars go through front panel), and will be hinges. It might be a little different on your model.
Check your margins
Usually the inertia carried by the typebar carries it the rest of the way forward so it makes contact with the ribbon and paper. Gentley pressing on the key to slowly move the typebar forward is not going to get it all the way there. Manual typewriters require you to provide the energy to carry the typebar forward with force.
Hit them keys harder.