welcome, John!

Hi.  I just got off a newly arrived, cleaned and oiled Erika 12, sending a letter out to a friend in Vermont.  Earlier in the day I worked for several hours on a mid 60s Hermes 3000, doing pages 101-105 for a book I am trying to write.  I retired about a year ago, and have always loved typewriters, since I got my first one, an Adler J5, new, in sixth grade, maybe 1967, I think.  I used them in the classroom as a teacher for keyboard skills and composition, with grades 5/6, and have thought that the finger motion associated with typing supports brain activity and creativity.  Typewriters and bicycles are my favorite things ever, appropriate technology that makes the world a better place with no real down side.  I've had a spot of typewriter acquisition in the past month, with much of time time spent writing, and wanting to explore what might be a good alternative to my Hermes.   A couple more are in the mail, a Smith Corona Skywriter, and a QWERTY version of the Alpina.  I think that will do me for a while, and joins the herd that includes a Hermes Rocket, and early Hermes 2000, with an ornate  gold sticker that says Hollywood Typewriter Shop, a couple other 3000s, an Olympia SM4, a Lettera 32.  So far the Hermes  3000 is the serious work favorite, and I have one at home, and another up at a trailer I camp out in some.  I have been typing on some 25% cotton paper that feels and looks good, and just ordered a ream of 100% cotton off eBay.  I have appreciated the knowledge gathered here, and the polite comradeship that seems to be the norm. Thank you.

Gary I bet you'll find you never top your Hermes, especially as a workhorse. The Alpina is wonderful, though. And the SM4 will be wonderful. Those are the among the best of the best. 

Hi every one.

KatLondon wrote:

Hi John, well if you were going to choose two typewriters, those are two great choices! The Hermes 2000 is one of my absolute favourites, alongside the possibly even slightly more wonderful (because it has a segment shift, not a carriage shift) Hermes 3000. Is yours the light green one or the grey one? (Mine's a beautiful dove grey, brought back in cleaning from a nasty dark sort of sludgy khaki colour.)

Welcome to Typewriter Talk! 

 
KatLondon, yes, mine is the light green one too.

Gary wrote:

...I used them in the classroom as a teacher for keyboard skills and composition, with grades 5/6, and have thought that the finger motion associated with typing supports brain activity and creativity...

Hi Gary. I agree, and I noticed this firsthand when I made it a point to type so much everyday. They stimulate thought. And record it too!