 |
| My "new" Smith-Corona Corsair portable typewriter, at home on my bar |
 |
| Officially joining the Typosphere with my first typecast |
 |
| Sitting pretty on my computer stand. |
 |
| Corsair diagram oztypewriter.blogspot.com |
When I taught typing in the 1970s, changing ribbons was a routine task. The Corsair's ribbon spools are a small size that are no longer manufactured, so I had to buy a ribbon on larger spools and wind it onto the smaller. I had forgotten just how messy typewriter ribbons are. (Note to self: Buy gloves.)
I also found a spring that had come loose at one end, so I had to search my toolbox for a tiny screwdriver and make my first typewriter repair in 40 years. Some things you never forget.
And the actual typing? Amazingly, it was like riding a bicycle. I expected to have trouble making the switch from a computer keyboard back to a manual typewriter, but my fingers remembered exactly what to do. (Thanks, Verna Powers.)
If you see an old typewriter at an estate sale or thrift store, try it out, by all means. It's like time travel.
