UK: How easy is it to get hold of an old manual typewriter and plenty of ink?

Question

I'd love to use an old typewriter to keep all my work records in order rather than a PC. There aren't that many so the fact a typewriter is slower wouldn't be a problem and it's only my boss and I who see the reports.

Where can I gewt one in good working order, and is ink for them still produced? Thanks!

PS- What does an electric typewriter actually do differently?

Thanks!

Answer 1

The difference between a standard typewriter and an electric is very much like the difference between a push lawnmower and a power lawn mower. Working on a PC is more like hiring a gardener to do the work for you. It's that much more efficient. Even as this is a "romantic" idea, it could be a real Pandora's box and I wouldn't do it without your boss' permission.

However, you can find lots of them on Ebay:

http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll...

This site could be helpful also and they DO sell ribbons:

http://www.typewritercollector.com/

Kabum

Answer 2

http://search.ebay.co.uk/search/search.d...

Electric typewriters make the keystrokes faster by the keys being a switch to electricaly control the strikes while a full manual uses a mechanical mechanism powered by the force of your fingers.

xx

Answer 3

you can often get manual typewriters at car boot sales. I don't know how you'd get the ink.

Answer 4

The old manual typewriters used ink ribbons...you can still get them, but very difficult.....an electric typewriter is generally quicker to use and has a lighter touch on the keyboard, some of the more modern ones used to have a word processor type screen where you could see your mistakes before they were printed on the page....that was the whole problem with Manual typewriters, you have to be so accurate, or buy gallons of tipex to cover up the mistakes.