I work on portable typewriters made between 1935 and 1972. I take them apart, clean every part, replace what can't be saved, and put them back together until they type properly again. That is the whole business.
If it doesn't type like it did in 1952,
I'm not finished with it.
— David Whitcomb, proprietor
Every machine on this site has been fully stripped, cleaned to bare metal, serviced on the bench you see here, and rebuilt. No ultrasonic dips. No shortcut solvents. No paint-over-rust. Just the proper way, every time.
Most machines take 6 to 10 weeks. A few take longer. I won't send something out that I wouldn't type on myself.
You ship it or drop it off. I photograph, inventory, and write up what it needs before touching a screw.
Keyboard off. Segment pulled. Every part bagged and tagged. Usually 180–240 discrete components.
Solvent bath, wire brush, fresh rubber, new rollers, new ribbon, action tuning. The slow part.
Back together. 250 test characters per machine minimum. Adjustments until it sings.
If you want a specific machine restored — yours or one you'd like me to source — drop me a line. I'll tell you honestly whether it's worth doing.
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