Typewriter Talk / Effaced serial number?

**Posted by Repartee** 18-10-2015 17:02:15

thetypewriterman wrote:
As a quick and cheap fix, a typewriter mechanic swopped the whole typebar from a similar 'parts' machine without re-soldering the typeface to match the others.

Sir, that answer is worthy of Sherlock Holmes, when he triumphantly explains to the bumbling Lestrade (played by me) that there was a possibility he overlooked! The typebar was manufactured in the Royal factory, but it did not leave the factory attached to this machine! So, my dear Lestrade, the factory is innocent of manufacturing this defect (fair Victorian lady is overcome with emotion at being cleared of the dastardly crime, and comforted by Dr. Watson).

I also had a theory that cleared Royal of shipping this: defect was caught on final inspection and was supposed to be destroyed (don't ask why they would not repair it then), and somebody had even begun removing the serial number (never mind we agreed that was bad impression + flaking paint), when somebody said "Hey! My kid would love to have that".

For what it's worth, appearance of grime, discoloration and rust spots seems to match keybars around it perfectly, but I guess that just may mean the keybar has been there since somebody did a thorough cleaning.

Uwe - I am thoroughly chastized. The only point I will defend is that I never suggested that any digits on the end were altered to make the number shorter or longer - it's clear from the photo I was talking about two digits in the middle which looked like they were effaced - though maybe not intentionally.

I shall certainly do some research on type allignment. Do you recommend any particular reference?

Last edited by Repartee (18-10-2015 17:03:10)

**Posted by Repartee** 18-10-2015 18:14:06

Dear All: please forgive me for being such a donkey. I was wrong. I did not consider the maleability of the connection at the top of the typebar. Taking into account TypewriterGuy's and Uwe's comments, I noticed that, yes, the impression of the "y" did make it appear the typeface was bent back away from the page, and grasping the bar and the head with my bare hands, some card stock, and fools go and etc., after several manipulations I got this:

Not perfect, but a huge improvement over what I started with. I typed a few dozen y's and it seems stable, and I can only hope I have not permanently weakened the connection, which will no doubt appear in time.

Once again, my apologies to all, and I will even take a spelling flame for "yoeman", which is tempting to pass off as a typo, but in reality, I could not for a second remember how to spell yeoman!

**Posted by thetypewriterman** 20-10-2015 06:13:41

The soldered joint between the typeface (type slug in US parlance) and the typebar has probably weakened. You wouldn't have been able to do what you did if it was still 'solid'. Keep an eye on your 'Y' in case it lets go completely. Don't lose it if it flies off !

**Posted by Repartee** 21-10-2015 07:02:38

Yes. That sounds only too probable. Then I guess I shall have to find a pro if I want to save the typewriter.

**Posted by TypewriterKing** 31-3-2016 23:44:36

This is a kind of typewriter repair I HATE to have to do, and I'm not too good at it either. If it is really a bad issue, I would simply replace the type bar if I had a spare parts machine. Sometimes I would replace the whole set of type bars. In fact, I took a 1958 elite type Underwood Golden Touch and turned it into a pica type. Oh, there were quite a few other parts I had to replace to do this, but I was pretty successful, and I even sold the machine. But bending and soldering type bars--I'll bend one, though I hate doing that. But I'll pull one and replace it long before I attempt soldering it. Lately, I just leave the imperfection alone. I've even thought of taking one of my worst printing typewriters and going out to type letters and things for people with it. Crooked print has a certain character and charm to it.

**Posted by Repartee** 10-4-2016 20:28:07

TypewriterKing wrote:
Lately, I just leave the imperfection alone. I've even thought of taking one of my worst printing typewriters and going out to type letters and things for people with it. Crooked print has a certain character and charm to it.

This was my first office machine and my first reaction - the slightly crooked letter gave it charm. An anthropomorphic typewriter in a Betty Boop pipe dream would type like this. What was the evil day which made me decide I was going to "fix" it by bending the type head!

You would expect me to say that the head did come flying off but moving on to others the machine went on a shelf, so I would have to locate it and pull it out to beat on it some more to test this idea. Though thinking of it now... if the head is in alignment at the moment though weakened, and I were to create a jig to hold it in position, could I not possibly reflow the solder and make it strong again?

**Posted by beak** 12-4-2025 07:07:29

If the s/n had been ground off, I would suspect that it had been used as a weapon in a violent criminal assault, and the owner did not want it traced back to him.

**Posted by Pete E.** 12-4-2025 09:28:52

Or it was a stolen typewriter and the crook did not want it traced back to the files of the Typewriter Police Department ... ???

I remember years ago when we kids got a new bicycle for a present, we would go down to our local PD and "register" our bike and get a decal with a reg. number to put on our bike. That would only work if the bike had a serial number stamped in the metal by the bicycle maker (which many makers did not) and the Police decal could easily be removed with a mild solvent.
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