tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3195869989354907758.post8241188908910961951..comments2024-03-01T15:21:50.710-08:00Comments on Davis Typewriter Works: 2013 New Model TypewriterWill Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04371377137844175320noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3195869989354907758.post-78198638730307642242013-12-24T09:57:32.394-08:002013-12-24T09:57:32.394-08:00Has someone already tried the Royal Epoch in real ...Has someone already tried the Royal Epoch in real life? Would really like to see the similarities/differences between the Epoch and the Japan made Carina's. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3195869989354907758.post-5936472447142198352013-12-08T09:23:27.293-08:002013-12-08T09:23:27.293-08:00This typewriter is also being sold as the Royal Ep...This typewriter is also being sold as the Royal Epoch:<br />http://www.amazon.com/Royal-Epoch-Portable-Manual-Typewriter/dp/B00FK540SI<br /><br />The product description is interesting:<br /><br />"The Royal EPOCH Manual Portable Typewriter, which replaces the Royal ME25, the Royal Scrittore and the Olivetti MS25 manual typewriters, is the perfect low cost solution for the home or office that is in need of an occasion typewriter for carbonless forms or envelopes. This is a brand new machine, not refurbished or used. This typewriter brings back memories for those who used a good old-fashioned typewriter, back in the day, and is great for creating labels, typing envelopes, and filling out carbonless or regular forms - tasks that can take too much time or effort with a computer and printer. This manual typewriter is fun to share with children who have never used, or even seen, a good old-fashioned typewriter, and makes a great nostalgic conversation piece, when it's not in use! The portable typewriter ships with a clamshell carrying case, which is great for moving from location to location, or just for general storage of your new machine."Richard Phttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16232053429935587826noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3195869989354907758.post-68212846703269578192013-11-06T15:13:14.243-08:002013-11-06T15:13:14.243-08:00I own the Olivetti and the Royal, and both are ver...I own the Olivetti and the Royal, and both are very poor machines.<br />Markhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08407133004841846661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3195869989354907758.post-39348281780446580172013-11-05T14:04:51.356-08:002013-11-05T14:04:51.356-08:00Thanks Miguel! Wow - how often do we see strikes ...Thanks Miguel! Wow - how often do we see strikes at the end of the useful life of a typewriter plant throughout history! Royal, Underwood... <br /><br />I got a Traveller C from the late John Tomlinson as a gift. It had a problem that the top cover never stayed on; there had been some damage prior to my acquiring it. I love the ultra modernistic shape of the machine and wished it worked better than it did... although as you say it isn't anything like I would call "terrible."Will Davishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04371377137844175320noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3195869989354907758.post-82077536739392369532013-11-05T14:02:35.541-08:002013-11-05T14:02:35.541-08:00Ain't that the truth! Of all of these things....Ain't that the truth! Of all of these things.. ALL of them... the very best is the Model 100, from my point of view. This machine's tooling should be found, installed in a plant, and put to use. <br /><br />My guess though is that the price point of the machines they're churning out is right for the intended market, where they're still useful tools and not luxuries. That means that they're actually making a viable product and are unlikely to be willing to retool a plant and build something lower profit. But stranger things have happened. We can dream, right?Will Davishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04371377137844175320noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3195869989354907758.post-84818250835270075212013-11-05T13:59:35.243-08:002013-11-05T13:59:35.243-08:00Agreed on both counts -- and I'll only add tha...Agreed on both counts -- and I'll only add that the Carinas really are pretty serviceable typewriters. I would not be too afraid to enter, say, NaNoWriMo with one.Will Davishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04371377137844175320noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3195869989354907758.post-91927181617858934032013-11-05T13:58:46.236-08:002013-11-05T13:58:46.236-08:00I've heard that about later Royal and Olivetti...I've heard that about later Royal and Olivetti pattern machines. Years back, as soon as that particular variety became available through various direct-mail distribution here, we acquired three Rover 5000 and then I think two Generation 3000 machines. All came with type alignment proof sheets, and while they aren't the best of portables, they all typed the same and typed in line. It sure sounds like the longer production went, the worse quality got.Will Davishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04371377137844175320noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3195869989354907758.post-65180290410374404182013-11-05T13:49:54.729-08:002013-11-05T13:49:54.729-08:00Indeed, the Rover 9" is the same design as th...Indeed, the Rover 9" is the same design as the Olympia Traveller C, but it was not made in Mexico. These too came from China when they were sold here. The Olympia factory in Mexico was struggling with an ugly strike and they ended production in the late 1990s. Instead they started importing typewriters here, and the Traveller C sold well into the 2000s (you could still buy one around 2005 in major retail stores like Office Depot / Office Max, for example). <br /><br />I own one of those Chinese-made Traveller C's, and I think it is an OK machine. Mine has the issue that it's really difficult to insert the paper in the platen - you must release the pressure rollers and wrestle the page past the vibrator - but it might be just a matter of adjusting the carriage (it might also have a small piece of paper stuck between the pressure rollers, which causes the page to get stuck). But other than that, and once you get the hang of how to feed the paper into it, it is a nice typer: the typeface is big and readable, the feel is quite decent, even though it has a marked tendency to "walk" all over the desk. Not my first choice, but not a bad typer either. Miguel Chávezhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09411154570699775904noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3195869989354907758.post-77791362426794672122013-11-05T13:14:50.842-08:002013-11-05T13:14:50.842-08:00They really do refuse to die! Thanks for sharing t...They really do refuse to die! Thanks for sharing this. <br /><br />If only these Chinese factories could get it together to produce something really top-notch, with high quality control and innovative design, they might actually expand the market for new manual portables, instead of clinging to its sad remnants. ...Richard Phttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16232053429935587826noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3195869989354907758.post-12365734253986885542013-11-05T13:14:48.801-08:002013-11-05T13:14:48.801-08:00I actually have an Olympia Carina 2, and have foun...I actually have an Olympia Carina 2, and have found it to be superior to the Traveller c or Scrittore. But a far cry from the greatest of machines ever made. Scott Khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13243020164163596709noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3195869989354907758.post-57709049021416786232013-11-05T11:02:47.135-08:002013-11-05T11:02:47.135-08:00Thanks for this. If you get around to testing any ...Thanks for this. If you get around to testing any of these new typewriters, let us know. I had the chance to test-type Richard's Scrittore. Handsome machine with a good snappy feel, but the precision (or lack of it) sucks. Line spacing and letter alignment were all over the place.Ton S. https://www.blogger.com/profile/10691201724230891974noreply@blogger.com