Well, I left comments. Idiots. I wrote, among other things, would you do this to an old violin?

I had a look around their blog a bit more, and, lucky music teacher! She gets a necklace made out of a tuning peg from... an old violin.  I'd be gutted to get an end of term gift like that!

KatLondon wrote:

Well, I left comments. Idiots. I wrote, among other things, would you do this to an old violin?

 
Good for you!

Wonder if they allow attachments. 

Didn't spend much time on GIF file.  Thought about making tin-snips to open & close along with having squirrel's mouth move to the captions like some cheesy Monty Python animation.  Too lazy though.

If I could embed a GIF file in comments...  Might make extra time worth it!

Squirrelly the Key Chopper: 

Endless loop: "I'm an idiot!  Snip-snip-snip! --  I'm an idiot!  Snip-snip-snip!"

Something tells me that would quickly be blocked or deleted.  ; )

Brian

I've been looking for a part to repair the bell mechanism for a Hermes 2000. 

No luck yet, but did run across some real gems that may or may not be for the faint of heart.  I'm guessing 'veterans' are already aware of this, but for someone just learning about typewriters...  Came as something of a shock. 

I mean no offense, but people fall for these sorts of things?

1.) For the well heeled, a rare $900 Typewriter at etsy. 

(Assuming it's not repainted, reproduction decals, and color keys aren't "authenic reproductions" from a laser printer.)

What does "Jigger approved" mean in hipster-speak?

https://www.etsy.com/listing/238442795/rare-1936-remington-rand-5-typewriter?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=remington%20typewriter&ref=sr_gallery_6

2.) USB Typewriter--  in your cubicle, be the envy of cour co-workers, and maybe Scott Adams will feature you in a 'Dilbert' cartooon.  A bargain at $800 

Is Modern-Retro an oxymoron?

http://www.usbtypewriter.com/products/usb-typewriter-royal-deluxe-with-chrome-accents

3.)  "Revitalized" = Marketing genious!  My hat's off to this guy.  Choose three grades of typewriter depending on your income. 

https://www.etsy.com/listing/161594664/revitalized-brown-olympia-sm4-typewriter?ref=market

Like I said, I'm guessing many of you already know about these things, but am I the only one finds this completely mystifying?  Part of it's humor, but part of it's serious.  People actually buy these things?  I'm... at a loss for words.

Brian 


 

Last edited by BrianE (18-7-2015 16:30:33)

Yeah...

There are definitely people who want to just 'buy a typewriter' and will pay more for one that's been all sorted out and is more or less perfect. Those prices all seem stratospheric to me, but the Remington Rand looks a pretty fab machine, and it sounds like the SM4 has had a very thorough service and restoration. The platen is an expensive oproposition on its own & will easily add over £100 to the price. And the shipping materials are not cheap either - anyone who's bought online knows how worrying the shipping is, so he is smart to use his packing as a selling point.

Having said that, I hate Etsy; it's just hipster heaven. Think of a reasonable price and double it. But fair play, etc, and I  guess at least by renovating machines and sellling them for more, Antikey Chop really IS saving them from the choppers! The people I dislike on there are the ones who take a perfectly good typewriter, paint it pink, and then sell it for £300.

The USB thing is just what it is... in my weaker moments I've thought how nice it would be if there was a typewriter that fed into a digital file...