Typewriter Talk / Olympia SG 1

**Posted by CoronaJoe** 12-11-2021 20:44:29

It finally happened. After many years of waiting and letting many go by (way too much $$) I finally scored my 1st SG 1 What a piece of engineering and craft. It's not quite ready for prime time, it will need some cleaning and lube and maybe a few parts but it's a great addition with no scratches, stains, or dents. All for under $70 and a 4 hour drive.

What is meant by "Super Deluxe"? I have a chance to score a manual for Super Deluxe.

If it's anything as the Olympia portables, I think I will stop the collecting here.

**Posted by overwood** 12-11-2021 23:42:28

CoronaJoe wrote:
It finally happened. After many years of waiting and letting many go by (way too much $$) I finally scored my 1st SG 1 What a piece of engineering and craft. It's not quite ready for prime time, it will need some cleaning and lube and maybe a few parts but it's a great addition with no scratches, stains, or dents. All for under $70 and a 4 hour drive.

What is meant by "Super Deluxe"? I have a chance to score a manual for Super Deluxe.

If it's anything as the Olympia portables, I think I will stop the collecting here.

I've been seeing an Olympia behemoth on a local listing, but wasn't sure what it was. Since I'm not looking for any heavyweights I didn't bother to find out. But your post got me curious, I googled SG1 images and yup, that's what it is. Asking under $50. Looks like Uwe's '63 on the database.

I'm glad I don't need or want any more standards, or any more typewriters period, because I happen to be going by the place that has it tomorrow. I suppose there's almost no chance I will drive away without it.

**Posted by Pete E.** 13-11-2021 08:12:16

I finally broke down and got a 1961 Olympia SG1.

After a week's worth of work and cleaning and polishing, it was ready for work on my desk.

I even added a different space-bar from an SG3 just for fun (still have the original piece, too).

I was convinced this was the only Standard I would want.

But then this darned Facit T2 from 1971 showed up.

I actually like using the T2 a bit more than the SG1.
.

**Posted by overwood** 13-11-2021 10:22:09

I'm feeling strong today. I think I can resist the temptation to buy something I don't need or want. The only real attraction is the idea that I might be able to sell it for a lot more than I pay for it. But I've never sold a typewriter in my life so that's pure delusion.

**Posted by Maschinengeschrieben** 18-11-2021 11:28:25

Its interesting to see that the SG1s that pop up in the states often seem to be in good cosmetic shape. The ones you find in Germany tend to look dreadful. Im guessing thats because they tended to be private purchases and were better taken care off, as opposed to the german machines that were used hours every day for decades in some office. I had to look for years before I found one in good shape close to me. On the plus side you can get them for free over here.

**Posted by Uwe** 18-11-2021 13:50:17

Maschinengeschrieben wrote:
Its interesting to see that the SG1s that pop up in the states often seem to be in good cosmetic shape.

Pretty much every SG1 that I've bought here (Canada) was in rough shape and showed signs of having served for many years as an office workhorse. However, I'm unperturbed by machines that are in poor cosmetic condition.

What might be skewing your impression is that a lot of contemporary typewriter buyers are almost obsessive about how a machine looks, and as a result only purchase pristine (more difficult to find) examples, or spend a lot of time trying to remove all signs of wear. And of course it's those machines that are most often seen posted on the internet.

The SG1 was a commercial typewriter and had a price tag to prove it. A small minority might have been purchased for home use, and some may have been used in offices that meticulously cared for its machines, but regardless of geography, I believe the vast majority of SG1s available now are those that look a little "dreadful".

**Posted by CoronaJoe** 18-11-2021 22:49:45

Free typewriters??? Germany?

Mine seems to be mostly clean. The PO said it was a barn find covered in chicken poo. Fortunately there's very little corrosion or rust if any. The paint and finish are in excellent shape I don't think he used it much as it's very dry, sluggish, and dusty in all the wrong places. My plan is the dunk tank and a light lube. Interesting thing about barn finds is the Remington 17 I have found in a barn I bought. It was upside down under piles of cloth, flooring, and a mouse nest in the typebasket. Once cleaned and new rubber on the the platen, one of the last Ames did, it types very well. Some rusting on the nickel plating is all. The carriage return lever was heavily oxidized aluminum. I found a polish call White Diamond that polished it to a beautiful chrome like gleam. It also protected it as years later it still gleams.

**Posted by Pete E.** 24-11-2021 11:41:57

C-J,

You can download free pdf-files for SG1 user manual and for service manuals on Richard polt's web site.

Scroll down in the User Manuals section and scroll down even further for the Service Manuals.

https://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/tw-manuals.html

**Posted by Pete E.** 24-11-2021 11:44:42

And for the chrome on my SG1, I used Flitz metal & plastic polish as the "wetting agent" for 2500 grit emery cloth. Both I get at my local Auto Zone car parts store. My chrome trim and CR lever were heavily pitted. Now they are smooth and the chrome is flawless and very mirror-like.

**Posted by CoronaJoe** 19-1-2022 21:32:19

During the clean up, I've discovered the former owner was not too, ah, mechanical. There' some missing hardware, loose stuff, and cammed out screw heads. The other thing I noticed was some side play in the platen. It seems to move side to side about 3/16". I suspect some thrust shims are missing. I have a repair manual with parts list coming. If only there were spares. I've called 4 or 5 different typewriter shops around the western US and none to be found.