You are not logged in. Would you like to login or register?



13-7-2017 15:52:55  #11


Re: Absolute quietest typewriter…

My 2 candidates for quietness would be the Olympia SM9 and the Royal 10.  Both are clean, adjusted, and as far as I know they have the original rubber on the platen.  It seems to me it's more to do with how sturdy the frame is, and the precision and robustness of the moving parts.  There is also padding to some extent.

I've had 2 experienced typewriter techs, one has a repair shop for over 30 years and the other one has a service and platen recovering business, mention that some of the older wood core platens had lead in them for noise reduction.  Royal used this strategy.  If an old platen has bulges in the rubber, it is more than likely the lead has gone or is going to lead oxide. I can't say what  all brands or models used lead, but it seemed to be an industry wide practice before the cores went to metal during the 1950's.

Rubber is a big factor in reducing the familiar clacking.  90 to 92 Shore A was the spec'd hardness and after having some platens recovered; they were quieter at that hardness than the more brittle original covering..

 

13-7-2017 16:41:20  #12


Re: Absolute quietest typewriter…

Very interesting… I actually have an SM 9
It was the first typewriter I bought but I didn't write much on it because I kept buying others that I ended up using more often

Royal 10, that's a desktop standard typewriter, right?

     Thread Starter
 

13-7-2017 19:41:05  #13


Re: Absolute quietest typewriter…

You need to use that SM9. I think it actually gets overlooked because it's so darn competent, it seems a little bland. But really, if I could only keep one machine, it might be the one.

 

13-7-2017 22:35:26  #14


Re: Absolute quietest typewriter…

Yes, the Royal Model 10 was a standard or desktop.

 

14-7-2017 00:22:52  #15


Re: Absolute quietest typewriter…

Haha
I know that in many regards the Olympias are probably second to none,
but at least The SM 9 that I have, it just doesn't do it for me...
I prefer the Erika
Or a QDL

But I am definitely going to get another Olympia eventually, probably one of the ultraportable's, or maybe an earlier SM model. SG will be in Running as well

     Thread Starter
 

14-7-2017 00:25:51  #16


Re: Absolute quietest typewriter…

Hey I didn't realize that's what they were called but I absolutely love the  Royal 10 models. I actually just bought an old underwood number five, I think it's about at 1915,. I wanted to try one of the bigger standard sized typewriters but sometimes I wish I would've held out for a royal 10

But I just happened to have come across a No. 5 with a really clean set of decals and overall it didn't look too bad, it's in the shop at the moment

     Thread Starter
 

14-7-2017 00:44:29  #17


Re: Absolute quietest typewriter…

My quietest typewriter is the Continental Silenta, and by a long shot. Everything is designed to get rid of the noise, and in fact you won´t hear the typeslugs hitting the platen at all.
At least in theory a noiseless typewriter should be quieter than a regular one, but there are "normal" machines which are pretty silent as well.

I agree with Olympias being silent. If properly tuned the carriage goes like the wind and most of the operation isn´t that noisy either. But Erikas... My S&N Erika S is a screaming beast because the typeslugs hit the platen at supersonic speed and the platen itself is harder than it should, too. Another screeching monster is the Smith Corona Electra 220. More than a motor it sounds like it has an V8 engine under the hood, not to mention (again) the sheer hatred the typeslugs hit the platen with.
On a less conventional note, the Regia Mixta (Spanish design!) is very noisy as well, because the machine itself acts as a resonance box when typing.

Back to more silent typewriters, the Olivetti Linea 98 isn´t that drilling, either. And do electronic typewriters qualify for this? The Olivetti ET2200 is a good example of a large wedge, and is quiet enough.


TaktaktataktaktakcluccluctaktaktaktaktakDINGtaktaktaktakCREEEEEEEEECtaktaktak...

(Olivetti Linea 98)
 
 

14-7-2017 08:58:54  #18


Re: Absolute quietest typewriter…

I should have clarified, when I said I preferred my Erika to the Olympia, it was more a function of feel than noise level. My Erika has a harder platen too, and isn't very quiet at all.

The continental silenta...I may have to go look at that machine again after all. I hadn't been back since we discussed everything, but only because it was a shop closing down and the hours were irregular.
Remind me, is the silenta a thrust action?

     Thread Starter
 

14-7-2017 11:46:11  #19


Re: Absolute quietest typewriter…


The pronoun has always been capitalized in the English language for more than 700 years.
 

14-7-2017 12:40:44  #20


Re: Absolute quietest typewriter…

Nice! If you happen to catch the current film "Churchill" with Brian Cox in the title role, you'll see the great man dictating to a secretary seated at a Rem Noiseless. I figure anything that would have kept the noise level down in the underground war offices (I forget the correct name) would have been a good thing, but whether in fact that's the machine that was used is another question.

 

Board footera

 

Powered by Boardhost. Create a Free Forum