Typewriter Talk / I can't believe people would do this

**Posted by mre12ax7** 29-1-2016 09:46:03

I have lost all respect for anyone that has even thought of being a keychopper.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/252270227901
Now if were talking dime-a-dozen Underwood's and Royals most of the time they are not worth saving.
This though puts it over the top.

**Posted by colrehogan** 29-1-2016 10:15:21

There's a Hammond (I think) that is like this on display at the typewriter repair shop. One of the guys pointed it out to me after we discussed a Hammond that a lady had brought in (it was in great shape btw) that she wanted to get woroking again. He just didn't get it either why someone would chop the keys for jewelery.

After having seen some of the keychopped machines on ebay, (and in person), I don't either. Of course, I don't think I ever had respect for them in the first place.

**Posted by Gabby Johnson** 29-1-2016 12:31:49

I did a $5 thrift store rescue of a glass key machine years ago when I first heard of the jewelry key cannibals. Just bought it to save it and threw it in the closet and forgot about it.
More recently I dragged it out, actually looked at it and did some basic cleaning and lubing and found that I have a 1939 Royal Quiet De Luxe (with round shift keys) in primo condition with its original literature.

**Posted by mre12ax7** 29-1-2016 13:35:37

This machine proves the ignorance of keychoppers to the value of typewriters.
if he/she just bothered to look up this machine they would have realized
that it is worth around $100 and is historically significant.
Now someone with a jigsaw and the necessary expertise could fix this thing right up.
As the key levers are made of wood.

**Posted by TypewriterGuy** 29-1-2016 15:41:42

I saw that yesterday too... Its getting to the point of making me sick now...

**Posted by TypewriterGuy** 16-2-2016 18:27:48

Need I say more?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NO-2-Machine-L-C-SMITH-BROS-Syracuse-N-Y-early-1900-Typewriter-PARTS-ONLY/322005677453?_trksid=p2047675.c100010.m2109&_trkparms=aid%3D555012%26algo%3DPW.MBE%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D35605%26meid%3Da1cbfd978e3040d5be0105ef63b1f748%26pid%3D100010%26rk%3D4%26rkt%3D24%26sd%3D161973467433

**Posted by beak** 17-2-2016 04:24:46

It's grotesque. Reminds me of people who yank the gold nib out of a vintage fountain pen to sell for a few dollars when the pen could be serviced for only a little more and then be worth hundreds.
Every accountant I have ever worked with has the same mentality - all about cost, and cost-effectiveness can go hang.

**Posted by colrehogan** 17-2-2016 10:10:44

Scrap the carcass?!?!?!?! Jeez!!!!!!!!!! i get that the serial numbers are hard to find on these. I'm tempted to email this person to inform them of where it might be. Assuming that the location didn't change from no. 2 to no. 8 models.

**Posted by mre12ax7** 17-2-2016 12:00:47

This might be the worst so far.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/161976528782
Remington Std.6: Old and collectible but not that valuable.
LC Smith 2: Not as old but worth about the same.
Hammond Multiplex Folding: Rare and valuable.

**Posted by TypewriterKing** 19-2-2016 18:57:19

Now I have heard lots of stories about how "keychoppers" will take an old typewriter, lop off all the keys, and sell them for jewelry or jewelry parts, without ever considering the value of the whole typewriter. Typewriter repairmen have routinely taken typewriters, removed all the original keys and set them aside as spares, and then put new keys on and resold the typewriters. I had seen and owned many carcasses sitting aside without keys and cannibalized for parts. So, yes I've "keychopped," but only from a carcass parts machine to a machine I was repairing.