1 of 1- typngon12a
- Novice Typer
Offline - Registered: 21-6-2016
- Posts: 31
Smith Corona Silent
I purchased a 1951 Smith Corona Silent a few days ago and it could become one of my favorite typewriters, although not quite beating the Olympias. I added a new felt cushion for the keys and straightened out one slightly bent bar. A new ribbon and it went right to work. I like the feel of typing with it and the rapid strike and release of the keys.
- Rushwarp
- Novice Typer
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- Registered: 06-10-2016
- Posts: 41
Re: Smith Corona Silent
Enjoy it!
I have not yet had a Corona in hand, but I am curious how it feels compared to Remingtons, which I almsot always like to use.
- pdxtypewriter
- Touch Typist
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- Registered: 02-6-2016
- Posts: 139
Re: Smith Corona Silent
I'm wondering how the SC is holding up for you, and whether it still ranks up near your Olympias.
- pdxtypewriter
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- Posts: 139
Re: Smith Corona Silent
I'd love to hear other impressions of a SCS c.50s machine as compared to an Olympia. I consider the Olympia the gold standard, and I wonder if a SCS takes Silver or Bronze in your view?
- Uwe
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- From: Toronto, Canada
- Registered: 12-3-2013
- Posts: 4,411
Re: Smith Corona Silent
The Smith-Corona Super-5 models were fantastic typewriters, and I would rank them, when compared to other portables that were manufactured in North America, very high - perhaps even highest. There's no question that their somewhat stodgy design is more difficult to get excited about, but in terms of performance and type action, I would argue that it's only the Remington -Riter models that rival them. In Smith-Corona's marketing hyperbole the Super-5 models were claimed to be "The World's Fastest Portables".
A comprehensive comparison of portable typewriters from that era would be a daunting task, but given your criteria, and despite how good Super-5 models are, I would always opt for an Olympia SM given the choice.
It's too bad that I still haven't finish the article that I started long ago entitled Slaughterhouse Five that compares the features of all the Super-5 models, because this would be an appropriate place to post it.
The pronoun I has always been capitalized in the English language for more than 700 years.
- pdxtypewriter
- Touch Typist
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- Registered: 02-6-2016
- Posts: 139
Re: Smith Corona Silent
Are the SC Super Silents the same machine as the Super-5?
- pdxtypewriter
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- Registered: 02-6-2016
- Posts: 139
Re: Smith Corona Silent
Ok, I think I get it now. 5 was the body style, correct?
- Uwe
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- From: Toronto, Canada
- Registered: 12-3-2013
- Posts: 4,411
Re: Smith Corona Silent
pdxtypewriter wrote:
Ok, I think I get it now. 5 was the body style, correct?
Yes, Super-5 was the name for the design generation of models that Smith-Corona sold from the late '40s to the early '60s.
The pronoun I has always been capitalized in the English language for more than 700 years.
