Typewriter Talk / The Olympia SM7 How is The "Touch" of The Machine?

**Posted by quicktapper** 22-4-2024 13:28:48

Hello, I'm thinking of purchasing an Olympia SM7 typewriter from the year 1960. I already own a late '50s Olympia SM3, and I like the feel and "touch" of it, and I also have a mid '70s Olympia SM9, and I'm not particularly fond of the slightly "loose" feel and "touch" that the machine happens to inhibit. I would like the know what machine out of the two, the SM7 is more similar to in terms of "touch" and feel, to know if the purchase would be worthwhile.

**Posted by ESC4P3** 22-4-2024 14:07:31

I’m only one data point, but I have had my SM3 and also used to have an SM7. Although, I initially thought I liked the SM7 as well as the 3, that feeling wore off and what you stated about your SM9 is how I felt about the SM7 which eventually resulted in my selling of that one. Of course, I only have had that one 7, so maybe it wasn’t in as good of shape as it appeared? I don’t know, but I haven’t had the desire to get another 7.

As a side note, I also buy and sell typewriters and it’s worth noting it wasn’t easy to sell that SM7 even though it was in fantastic cosmetic condition and had the original brushes in their original green vinyl casing. All the SM3s I’ve had flew off the shelves and are always in excellent mechanical condition and have all felt very similar to me.

**Posted by quicktapper** 22-4-2024 14:19:20

Thanks, I was thinking that they would've felt the same mechanically, because they were both carriage-shifted machines. Alas, it turns out my guesses were wrong...

**Posted by Laurenz van Gaalen** 23-4-2024 14:39:58

As far as I know the SM7 has basically the same design as the SM3 et cetera. In theory the typing action of the SM3 and SM7 should be comparable. However, we are talking about second hand, used machines with unique histories, so the typing action of these machines may vary a lot. In my experience no typewriter is the same, even the same models from the same year may have a very different typing action.

**Posted by Laurenz van Gaalen** 23-4-2024 14:48:08

My advice would be to find an SM7 that you can try before you buy. In the end the only thing that matters is if YOU like THAT particular SM7.

**Posted by Pete E.** 23-4-2024 17:58:56

I love my two SM7's. They are perfect for me. Touch control lever and even the spring tension for the carriage shifting can be dialed-in to ones likes.

I also have a SM3, SM4, and a SM9 from 1968.

This one from 1961...
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**Posted by Pete E.** 23-4-2024 18:01:43

My blue SM7 from 1963 :
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**Posted by robmck** 23-4-2024 18:13:36

Pete, how is the feel of the SM7 relative to the SM3 and SM9? Is it closer to the SM3 or SM9 (or its own unique self)?

**Posted by Pete E.** 23-4-2024 19:16:00

Hi Rob,

My SM7's feel more like my SM3/SM4...but with a bit just looser feel to the key-top action. Which I like. I haven't measured, but I might guess the SM7 has more geometry-/ength to the type levers that the SM3/SM4 have.

My SM3/SM4 feels very tight and rigid.

The SM9 (from 1968) is a basket-shift with its own feel (the others are all carriage-shifters) and the key-tops seem to have more side-to-side play and a few more bits of plastic under the hood. I think the SM9 lost some of its "precision" in its feel compared to the others.

Plus I like the 1960's look of the SM7's more so than the 1950's look of the SM3/SM4 machines.
.

**Posted by robmck** 23-4-2024 19:30:52

Thanks, Pete!