FYI: The distortion of the keys found on the 18b from 1961 that I previously owned was much more noticeable than what can be seen in the photos included above. This was easy to see with the eye while seated in front of the typewriter. It was definitely noticeable to the touch (I found this to be the greatest disappointment).

In the case of my post, I've noted that there are likely exceptions to what I've experienced personally. However, M. Höhne's experience outlined in the above post seems to be in alignment with my own.

As to what follows, should I misname something then please forgive my lack of proper terminology The bottom line is that the amount the platen advances is determined in part by how many teeth are contained on the cogwheel located at the left-end of the platen, along with how many teeth the pawl allows to pass for any given setting associated with the full movement of the return/advancement lever. The more teeth on the cogwheel, the finer the movement. The cogwheels on the European machines that I own have what would appear to be twice as many teeth as those cogwheels on my American typewriters. Thus the ability of the European typewriters to advance the platen in 1/2 line space increments when turning the platen by hand. This doesn't mean that every setting for the line advancement will be 1/2 space, but as I noted above a multiple of 1/2 space (which could be 1 full space, 2 full spaces, etc.). What each manufacturer chose to offer in terms of the selectable line spacing is beyond my knowledge. I also don't know that European manufacturers settled on finer (1/2 line) advancement as some sort of standard. Perhaps someone with actual knowledge of this subject will eventually speak up to set things straight. Until then, all I can share is that which I've experienced for myself.

Looking through theTypewriter Database, it appears that Imperial offered a variety of cases for their typewriters. There is the soft case such as the one in your photos. Then there is what appears to be a molded case (possibly fiberglass or something similar?). The third option was a laminated wooden case such as the one my GC5 came with. I'm guessing that with some typewriters, it worked similar to the way it did with some guitars — a gig bag was often provided for free, while hard shell cases could be purchased separately for an additional fee.

The retired couple who runs this business do so mainly for fun. It developed from their long-held love of typewriters. Unless they've changed things since I was there last, they always try to keep 17 different typewriters available for people to choose from. When they sell a machine they try to restock as quickly as possible. Some machines offered might be in need of an adjustment here or there after being "tested" by customers, but generally speaking they see to it that all of the typewriters that they set out for sale are in good working order. Some machines might be missing a small part here or there if they don't have a replacement for it, but those machines tend to be priced accordingly and they definitely don't knowingly sell typewriters with major issues. They also don't offer repair services or supplies, just the 17 typewriters that they have on offer at any given time. Given that a person can walk in and compare a number of different machines in good working condition to find the one they like best, I think their prices are fair.  Part of that is likely down to fact that they conduct their business in Canby, Oregon rather than in a large city. At the end of the day they really just like connecting people with typewriters.

While most of what they sell is reflective of those typewriters that sold well back in the day, I've seen them offer a number of unique and interesting machines as well. I know at one point they sold what is considered to be one of the holy grails for many collectors — a red Royal Model P with the Vogue typeface.

thetypewriterman wrote:

I am 95% convinced that the problem is congealed grease.  This problem is unique to Imperials.

My apologies for resurrecting an old thread, but the information it contains still proved to be relevant in my case. As a fan of the show Endeavour, I had developed an interest in Imperial typewriters (they can frequently be seen during those scenes involving the police station). After doing a bit of reading on Imperial's and looking over the various Good Companion models, I set my sights on the Good Companion 5. I finally managed to acquire one last year for a good price, but knowing that it had some issues. While the drawcord could be seen dangling loose in the photos, there were some positives as the typewriter otherwise appeared to be in nice condition and I really liked the case that it came with. It would probably not come as a surprise to thetypweriterman that upon arrival I discovered the mainspring drum could barely be rotated with my fingers and only then with a good deal of effort. Busy with other things, I put the Imperial away to deal with later.

I participated in a Zoom call a few weeks ago with a number of other typewriter enthusiasts when the subject of Imperial typewriters was raised. Typewriter Talk's own skywatcher (who himself owns a Good Companion) was on that call and we discussed my GC5, yet it continued to sit in non-working condition. It was only after this Good Companion 6 video popped up in my YouTube feed yesterday that I finally decided to haul the Imperial out to the workbench in my garage. The timing of the video appearing in my feed wasn't all that surprising given how social media is so intertwined with our every action involving Google, but getting that one last mental nudge to take action proved to be a good thing in this case.

My GC5 is still in need of a bit of adjustment and cleaning, but my first impression of this typewriter is very positive. The typing acti