The Kolibri! First impressions on it?

 I also just picked this up

Fleetwing wrote:

You have opposite ends of the size spectrum there! Very interested to hear your impressions of the Hermes.

 
Totally agree!!! This looks a lot like my Hermes 9 (which is not operative right now) so any feedback is welcome.

Well, what you say about the paper support seems to be part of the cause of a common Kolibri issue: missing paper arm. If it isn't too willing to move maybe it can break off if pushed too hard.

schyllerwade wrote:

i'm really getting frustrated I can almost see the appeal of just dunking these machines in a bucket of WD-40. I've used paint thinner and mineral spirits and denatured alcohol and I can't get this Kolibri to type...

Be patient! Trust me, I've felt exactly the same as you a million times, and I bet it's just like every typewriter enthusiast in the world. I have a small army of typewriters, and maybe only a third of them performed well as they came. Another third needed time and care (and a lot of patience), and the other third... That's the "annihilated during shiping" part, the "hopeless rust bucket" section and those I can't repair on my own. The Silenta is a great example of that.

And then there's the Antares S20 I almost destroyed by dismantling it and then not being able to put it back together Correctly. But the best example is my Atlantida Style. It was sluggish, sticky keys, groaning carriage... Everything refused to move properly. What did I do? Soaking it in 3 en 1, which is the Spanish commercial name of WD-40. Result? Everything stickier than before. I had to clean EVERYTHING, and that meant  taking out the rust, grime and the WD-40 which had aglutinated it all and deposited it in every moving part, spending way more time than if I had cleaned it before choking it.

Your position is absolutely understandable and I really share it, but remember that a well looked after typewriter will be there for you forever. Give it some time and the machine will return it tenfold. Take it as a challenge, every stubborn typewriter teaches a lesson about its mechanics. 

3 en 1 = WD40? Interesting -- here in the Estados Unidos there is a product called 3 in 1 Oil -- it's been around forever and while it may be a little heavy for a lot of typewriter uses, it works well to penetrate rust (including freeing up stubborn margin stops).