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19-4-2016 02:10:53  #1


Re-painting a typewriter in a different color? Blasphemy?

So I'm not liking the color of a recent acquisition.  

What are other collector's thoughts on re-painting it--especially to a different and not OEM color?

The paint condition isn't great anyways.  So I'm thinking of lightly sanding the surface so that it's rough and new paint will stick (i.e. not down to the metal) and then taking a spray can to it.  

This is a 50's machine (guessing, haven't looked for the serial number yet), so it's not particularly exotic. But it's not super common either. 

 

19-4-2016 04:28:12  #2


Re: Re-painting a typewriter in a different color? Blasphemy?

I saw a very sad story on eBay recently - an immensely dirty Royal 10 was offered for a low opening bid and reasonable shipping. One does not know but one feels it was intact, not corroded, and probably a very different and largely functional machine underneath the muck. I hesitated, and within a day the auction was cancelled as containing a "mistake". In about another day a second auction was posted by the same seller - for a very crudely chopped off bunch of Royal 10 keys.:-(

Since you are not planning to do that, I say have at it!


"Damn the torpedoes! Four bells, Captain Drayton".
 

19-4-2016 05:34:16  #3


Re: Re-painting a typewriter in a different color? Blasphemy?

To me, the age is important. I could just about paint a 1950s typewriter, but there's no way I could see paint going anywhere near a 19th century Blickensderfer, for instance. Never.

I've painted two typewriters, so I'm no expert. But I've regretted neither of them. I've found that you don't need to repaint the whole thing -- often a little accent here or there will bring the machine to life.

I've posted this elsewhere in the forum, but here's my Olivetti Dora.


I only used a different colour on the top cover. The rest, I kept a similar shade of cream to the original. Let's face it, manufacturers choose these things for a reason.

The other machine I repainted was a 1920s Remington Standard, although I couldn't possibly repaint that in a different colour with a clear conscience. It got a retouching of black enamel - and with a machine like that, you're looking at sourcing new decals, which opens up an ethical can of worms.

From a practical viewpoint, I'd recommend you do plenty of homework first. The last thing you want is a botched job. In particular, be careful of pooling -- cover it in 5-8 light coats instead of 2-3 heavy ones. Also there's a thread in the "World of Typewriters" section about the ethics of repainting typewriters, where you might find some more moral guidance. I've linked to it here.

At the end of the day, it's your typewriter. I'd encourage you to do what need to do to be happy with it. And if you're careful and don't botch it up, I'm sure you won't be disappointed.

 

19-4-2016 06:59:35  #4


Re: Re-painting a typewriter in a different color? Blasphemy?

Actually, I just repainted part of my  Underwood Standard 3 last night. Someone welded one of the carriage rod supports back on, and did quite a good job... Except all of the paint within a 3 inch radius of it was gone. I just took some touch up paint, and painted over the area. It doesn't look new, but it looks better than a big grey rough area!

And I dont feel bad at all...


Back from a long break.

Starting fresh with my favorite typer. A Royal Futura!
 

19-4-2016 10:23:21  #5


Re: Re-painting a typewriter in a different color? Blasphemy?

I think it fully depends on the model (which you should mention if you want a more specific opinion). And even then, I'm not a fan of garish paint jobs that are not simpatico with its design or the era it came from. Colour choice is everything; in my mind a good colour choice would look like it was an original colour, a poor choice one that clearly looks out of place on the machine. However, whatever makes the owner happy is all that matters, and if that means a fluorescent green Royal Quiet De Luxe with purple pin stripes, go for it.


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

19-4-2016 20:40:13  #6


Re: Re-painting a typewriter in a different color? Blasphemy?

I always say to myself "ok, I'm going to repaint this one because it's ugly!" and then never get around to it. Why? Because the color just grows on me. I was thinking about repainting my Olivetti Lettera 22 a darker shade of blue or take the paint off entirely and then just shine the aluminum, but that classic "Olivetti Blue" just grew on me and I thought "well... I don't have a blue typewriter... I guess I won't repaint it just yet..."

Point is, maybe just wait a bit, and you'll just like the original paint job.


A high schooler with a lot of typewriters. That's pretty much about it.
 

20-4-2016 03:17:16  #7


Re: Re-painting a typewriter in a different color? Blasphemy?

No, it's a dull almost avocado green reminiscent of 70's/80's appliances (although the typewriter is from the 50's).  I'll never get used to it...  

Sadly, one of the original colors it came in is a metallic silvery green and THAT color I would have immediately liked and would have kept as is.  

The paint is also in rough shape.  And while I wouldn't normally repaint a typewriter, the physical characteristics of the machine lend itself to being painted a color one might find on a sports car.

I know I haven't let on what it is. It isn't super rare or anything, it's just interesting (to me).  I plan to talk about it in the Recent Acquisitions thread once I get my act together about taking its picture and figuring out where its serial number is...

     Thread Starter
 

21-4-2016 16:44:43  #8


Re: Re-painting a typewriter in a different color? Blasphemy?

Nope, nothing wrong with repainting, provided the machine in question isn't particularly rare or of a special provenance.  I think the key is taking the proper time and care necessary to achieve an appropriately good look; a rushed repaint is probably going to be worse than simply leaving an existing finish.

The hard part is usually getting access to all of the panels that need repainting, which potentially could lead to some substantial disassembling.

 

29-4-2016 18:45:51  #9


Re: Re-painting a typewriter in a different color? Blasphemy?

I used to do a lot of typewriter repainting.  I especially love two or more tones.  I once had a 1972 IBM Executive that was blue, white, and black.  It was an extremely handsome typewriter and the print was out of this world.  But, something happened, and I lost it because I couldn't very will solder a couple of slugs back on their type bar arms.  I miss that machine.  I do have a project typewriter in the form of a 1962 IBM executive which I am going to paint similarly.  The print is smaller, but a bit more unusual.  I'll send a sample soon, but it is called copperplate gothic.  Its lower case letters are just smaller versions of the uppercase ones.


Underwood--Speeds the World's Bidness
 

23-3-2022 15:09:15  #10


Re: Re-painting a typewriter in a different color? Blasphemy?

For me, this re-paint seems to work.  Find it pleasing and calming to admire.

Olympia SM-Monica sans Tab and touch control functions.

It is being offered out of Holland on Etsy.
.

 

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