1 - Retro-Z
- Platen Punisher
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- From: Central Kansas
- Registered: 25-5-2015
- Posts: 62
Advantages of a Standard, Full Sized Typewriter Over Portables???
Hello Eveyone,
I've been interested in typewriters for about a decade now, and have mostly messed around with portable models (with the exception of an Oliver No.3 I had many years back which I kept around mainly for decoration). The first one I picked up, around 2004/05, was a like-new Smith-Corona Sterling at a local antique store for $3.00. That was followed by several early Remington portables, the Oliver, and a few others. Over the years, I sold all of these machines off, and have recently started getting interested in manual typewriters again. What I've never really had is a nice, full-sized "standard" office-type machine. What are the advantages of a standard model typewriter? Many of the later portables from the 50s and 60s seem to offer nearly all of the features of their larger brethren, so I'm curious if there are any other advantages that would make it worth picking one up. I love the looks of some of the models from the late 50s, such as the Royal FP (the green and blue versions look awesome), as well as a few other standard models from other companies.
Anyway, just wondering if the different design approach of these larger typewriters (they tend to be MUCH larger than portables) offers an advantage besides the heavier weight.
When you aren't looking for it... you ALWAYS find it!!!
- TypewriterGuy
- Typewriter Talk Vet
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Re: Advantages of a Standard, Full Sized Typewriter Over Portables???
Im going to say they are much more durable (Take the 30 pound Underwood 5 or Remington Standard 10 for example). They are cast iron frames. They were meant for heavy office work, the portables were meant for light typing.
Back from a long break.
Starting fresh with my favorite typer. A Royal Futura!
- Uwe
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Re: Advantages of a Standard, Full Sized Typewriter Over Portables???
Retro-Z, as you pointed out, the features are a wash, and they're not even on my radar when comparing these two size categories.
The main advantage with a standard over a portable is its superior type action. I know a few collectors who claim that there's no difference, but from my own experience the difference is very noticable. When you type all day long, a standard when compared to a portable has an appreciably better feel, one that gives you the impression it was designed for serious work. I suspect that this is in part because of its mass which better handles all of the reciprocating movements, and the extra room it has to allow for type linkages that provide better leverage (which means less effort).
To really put an exclamation mark on this point you only need to directly compare a standard and portable version made by the same company, manufactured in the same year. Assuming both are in good mechanical condition (we are talking about used machines after all), you should notice a big differenence when you perform a type action comparison, even when highly respected portables are being used. The Olympia SM 2/3/4 is an excellent portable with a wonderful type action, but when I pit it against an Olympia SG1 that was made at the same time, it pales in comparison. Similarly, if we use the Royal FP you mentioned, it feels much better than a Futura portable.
Personally, I much prefer standards over portables, and the only reason that I don't have more of them than portables is because of the real estate they require. I use portables for short pieces, and to just have some fun, but when I know that I'm going to be typing a lot I always pull a standard off the shelf.
The pronoun I has always been capitalized in the English language for more than 700 years.
- KatLondon
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- From: London
- Registered: 11-10-2014
- Posts: 995
Re: Advantages of a Standard, Full Sized Typewriter Over Portables???
It's useful to remember that when the first smaller portables were made they were essentially a redesign of what had been (& is still called) the standard. This fantastically intricate mechanical structure had to be reimagined in a smaller space - like a person crouching where they used to lounge... Even with my limited exerience of standard typewriters (I've had only two so far) I can feel the difference. The first one I got was my SG3, which even in its rough state was like gliding along in a Rolls Royce compared to - well, even to the SM9, as Uwe says. They're both glorious but the SG3 is like being taken to a really swish restaurant.
Having said which, some of my larger portables do feel almost as amazing to work on - the SM9, the Hermes 3000 (yess!), and tbh even the Remington Quiet Riter. (I've since got a second one of those, to give my stepson for his new room at his mum's house, and I have to add that we can now see what a brilliant find the first one was. It is in superlative condition and that clearly makes a huge difference.) I would love love love to be able to find/afford/find room for an SG1 or an Ambassador...
I've got an Alpina on the way and will report back. (Speaking of which, where is Beak?)
- Retro-Z
- Platen Punisher
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- From: Central Kansas
- Registered: 25-5-2015
- Posts: 62
Re: Advantages of a Standard, Full Sized Typewriter Over Portables???
Thanks for the info! I was wondering if the larger size of the cases was partly to allow for a better mechanical advantage to the typebars and levers. Makes sense. I can also totally see the heavy and larger frames allowing the typewriter to be more solid, durable, and reliable. I've seen some very ugly/dirty/worn standard typewriters that were otherwise functional. It also seems that the different settings (such as the margin and tab settings) are often easier to access and set on the larger office machines. Good stuff!
Still, I can see how most people would be satisfied with a good little portable typewriter. You definitely have to be a bit of a fanatic to make room for several of these heavy office behemoths.
When you aren't looking for it... you ALWAYS find it!!!
- •
Thread Starter- beak
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- From: Qld Australia
- Registered: 24-3-2013
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Re: Advantages of a Standard, Full Sized Typewriter Over Portables???
KatLondon wrote:
........................................ (Speaking of which, where is Beak?)
Sorry about that, yet another ******** laptop blowout had me off the air for a while. In the ''junk and misc" room there is a shelf with four dead laptops on it. That's over six years.
On another nearby are eight spare typewriters, some of them older than me, and some from the 1930s - all are working fine, and have likely never really missed a beat in their lives. Something is very wrong here!
My thoughts on the standard / portable question somewhat echos those above, but I would add from my experience (more limited than that of some, but fair all the same) is that while the difference is certainly there, it is not as marked as may have been infered from above. Sure, my SG1s are 'better' than my SM4s & 9s, but the SMs are still damned good. I do not type 10hrs a day as my job, as did many in the past, and if I did, I may find the difference more marked, and even critical. But I don't.
Uwe's point about condition is important; a top-condition portable such as the SM4 will be better to use than a semi-knackered SG1 standard. So those moving into the world of standards are wise to go for machines in very good condition, IMO, and not try to salvage wrecks.
Last edited by beak (28-5-2015 09:33:20)
Sincerely,
beak.
- Uwe
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- From: Toronto, Canada
- Registered: 12-3-2013
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Re: Advantages of a Standard, Full Sized Typewriter Over Portables???
You definitely have to be a bit of a fanatic to make room for several of these heavy office behemoths.
I just picked up my eighth SG1 last weekend, so what does that make me? 
When you want an example of each generation of the model's history, and the variations that existed in each generation, it's pretty easy to find yourself needing to make a LOT of room for standards.
The pronoun I has always been capitalized in the English language for more than 700 years.
- KatLondon
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- From: London
- Registered: 11-10-2014
- Posts: 995
Re: Advantages of a Standard, Full Sized Typewriter Over Portables???
Ahh, there you are! YES and I know it well. I wrote elsewhere that the laptop we got my daughter to do her GCSEs with - ie, when she was 16 - is knackered - but my QDL qwhich arrived the other week, which dates from when my mother was 16, works fine.
Well, and the typewriter companies went bust, and Apple OWNS us.
I;m hal;fway through salvaging a wrecked Royal HH - I picked it up today, and the carriage moved, and even in the jiddle of thinking 'what a wreck', I instinctively went - 'Ooh, that sounds goood...' You can just TELL. Now if I can just get it typing the way the carriage sounds...
- ztyper
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- From: Somewhere in New Jersey
- Registered: 01-10-2014
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Re: Advantages of a Standard, Full Sized Typewriter Over Portables???
Agh, quit talking about the SG1! 
I'm still on the search for one, and whenever I come close, it's out of my reach in an instant. I feel like I've found everyother typewriter other than one of the most common in the world (I have a freaking Smith Premier from l897 and not the SG1!). I would love to just have the standard model of my SM-4 now that it's said that a standard usually feels better than a portable. But I can only fantasize for now...
A high schooler with a lot of typewriters. That's pretty much about it.
- beak
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- From: Qld Australia
- Registered: 24-3-2013
- Posts: 912
Re: Advantages of a Standard, Full Sized Typewriter Over Portables???
Agh, quit talking about the SG1!
Patience is the thing. I never thought I would find a decent example here in Australia, and eventually had one sent over from Germany (imagine the postage on that!). Next week three turned up locally.
Sincerely,
beak.
