Typewriter Talk / Ribbon for 1920's L.C Smith Corona

**Posted by gferdon** 25-1-2023 14:11:14

Hello.

I'm trying to get my great aunt's typewriter working and need a ribbon. Can you help me know what's the right kind?

Photos:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/EBN8Bq7cVp1FrXYw6
https://photos.app.goo.gl/JykRrhLzzWi4dTF5A
https://photos.app.goo.gl/n7w33JhKa7HDigFL9

Thank you.
-Geoff Ferdon

**Posted by WJC** 25-1-2023 15:41:11

I found this ribbon on Amazon from FJA Products (who make typewriter ribbons):
https://www.amazon.com/Smith-Corona-Vintage-Spools-Ribbon/dp/B00ZMJK67Q

I'm not an expert on ribbons, but they look to be the same design as the ribbons you have. I might wait for others to reply to this topic though, to double check. Hope this helps!

**Posted by gferdon** 25-1-2023 16:10:04

Thank you for your help!

My spools are 2 1/8" diameter and the spoolholders are barely larger than that, so these won't work, but they seem very close!

**Posted by skywatcher** 25-1-2023 22:29:33

Hi Gferdon

If you still have both spools as pictured for your typewriter, simply wind any ½" ribbon onto your spools. These LC Smith typewriters have a proprietry drive system for the spools and regular universal 2" spools will not work on these machines. The spool you have pictured was used on many of the Smith-Corona desk-top and office machines right through until the 1960's and possibly later. Hope this points you in the right direction,

Sky

**Posted by gferdon** 26-1-2023 08:53:19

Thank you very much, Sky.

I can't find just ribbon that isn't already on spools. Would I just buy something like in the link below and unroll it onto my spools? I guess that's fine. It just seems a little wasteful of the spools I'd purchase.

-Geoff

**Posted by OregonJim** 26-1-2023 12:21:43

The spools we get today are plastic and are just pennies of the total price of a ribbon.

If you think about it, you'd want an inked ribbon to come on a spool anyway, even if you weren't going to use it. Any other method of delivery would make a royal mess.

**Posted by skywatcher** 27-1-2023 02:57:13

Hi Geoff

When it comes to ribbons for these typewriters, why settle for boring old black when there are so many choices of color. take a look at what Ribbons Unlimited has to offer. All the best,

Sky

**Posted by Pete E.** 27-1-2023 12:46:17

Geoff,

I eventually secured metal spools for all of the machines in my collection. I think they are more robust and more precise than the "universal" plastic spools that most seller offer. Plastic ones can "wobble" on your machine, in use. I use 2-color ribbons and with plastic i did get a bleeding of one color into the next. Not so with metal spools meant for a particular machine.

Re-spooling a new ribbon from a plastic spool to metal spools on a machine only takes a couple of extra minutes.

Ribbons Unlimited sells 1/2" wide ribbon (in a variety of ribbon fabrics) that are a full 18 yards in length.

Many Amazon sellers and others on line sell spools of ribbon with only 8-10 yards. So if you are price comparing...you need to find out the length of ribbons offered to see if a deal is really a deal.

**Posted by gferdon** 30-1-2023 21:02:12

Thank you all very much! I just ordered from Ribbons Unlimited.

Much appreciated.
-Geoff