1 - rdxe
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WTB: Keys for Underwood/Remington Noiseless Portable
I just finished restoring an Underwood Noiseless Portable, and unfortunately, as soon as I started typing on it in earnest, the key tops (already warped) started to crack and flake. It looks like I'll probably have to replace all or most of the key tops. Does anyone have a set, or know where I could ethically source some?
- Uwe
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Re: WTB: Keys for Underwood/Remington Noiseless Portable
rdxe wrote:
Does anyone have a set, or know where I could ethically source some?
Welcome to the forum, I like your attitude! Do you know the year of your model?
The pronoun I has always been capitalized in the English language for more than 700 years.
- rdxe
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Re: WTB: Keys for Underwood/Remington Noiseless Portable
The listed serial number is 932181, which doesn't seem to appear in any of the online databases, so I can't be sure of the year. It's a little odd, they're metal-rimmed but without glass covers, hence the cracking and warping (some are still concave but some bulge outwards and crack with the pressure of typing).
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Thread Starter- SoucekFan
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Re: WTB: Keys for Underwood/Remington Noiseless Portable
Is it possible they are rubber key covers and not the actual key tops?
- rdxe
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Re: WTB: Keys for Underwood/Remington Noiseless Portable
I'm pretty sure they're the actual key tops, unless someone has replaced all of them. Photo for reference; you can see that the top row has stayed mostly concave, but the bottom row in particular has separated from the backing and bows out, which makes it crack with typing. The S key has completely flaked off and the C key is probably next.
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Thread Starter- SoucekFan
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Re: WTB: Keys for Underwood/Remington Noiseless Portable
Yes, they are the actual key tops. Before I saw the pic, I was envisioning something else from the description. I see what you mean now.
- Uwe
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Re: WTB: Keys for Underwood/Remington Noiseless Portable
The listed serial number is 932181, which doesn't seem to appear in any of the online databases,
It's a 1937 model. Could you post a photo of the entire typewriter? I'm curious as to how your machine compares to my 1934 model.
The pronoun I has always been capitalized in the English language for more than 700 years.
- rdxe
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Re: WTB: Keys for Underwood/Remington Noiseless Portable
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Thread Starter- RobertG
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Re: WTB: Keys for Underwood/Remington Noiseless Portable
Ouch - that looks bad, that. Hadn't yet imagined that that type of key could fail like that. (Sawdust or paper additive swelling?)
Getting the metal keyrings off and back on without breaking anything is probably the biggest challenge.
Should be quite feasible to make new keytops in one of several ways; - build up thick card base with a printed black label and a clear plastic disc - 3Dprinting in FDM a concave disc of the right sizes and paste printed label on top and finish with a strong lacquer (works well and is surprisingly low-cost) - 3D printing with recessed letter in more accurate acrylic or nylon and paint black and paint in the letter with ivory...
Getting the rings off and on again may however be the stumbling block...
- rdxe
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Re: WTB: Keys for Underwood/Remington Noiseless Portable
The keys pop off the typebars easily, actually, so I'm hoping to get a set of intact replacements if possible.
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