Your typewriter makes me feel like crying, as in real tears, by the way. You see, many years ago I had an absolutely beautiful old Underwood typewriter... possibly this same model, does it have glass panels in the sides? As with yours, the gold-stenciled lettering and pinstriping was perfect. The typewriter was given to me as a birthday gift, and as part of the gift, the giver paid for me to take it to a typewriter shop... there was still one typewriter repair shop in town at the time... to have it professionally cleaned, which I did.
To "clean" the old typewriter, the shop dipped it in what they call an "acid bath," which removes all the dried oils and inks. Then they lubricate the mechanism and it is back to excellent working condition.
However, the acid bath also stripped off every vestige of the red and gold lettering and pinstriping. The typewriter was perfect aesthetically, and just needed a minor cleaning and lubrication, but the typewriter shop ruined it!
When I pointed out what had happened, the shop owner brusquely replied, "we repair them so they work, we don't care how they look."
So take that as a warning: do NOT take your typewriter to a "professional" typewriter shop for repairs. And steer well clear of anything called an "acid bath."
I've never seen another model from this era in such perfect condition as was mine, not even in museums. Treasure yours.
(Chances are that if you spray some WD40 in there to clear out the sticky mechanism (keep it away from the exterior) and replace the ribbon, you'll be good to go!
To "clean" the old typewriter, the shop dipped it in what they call an "acid bath," which removes all the dried oils and inks. Then they lubricate the mechanism and it is back to excellent working condition.
However, the acid bath also stripped off every vestige of the red and gold lettering and pinstriping. The typewriter was perfect aesthetically, and just needed a minor cleaning and lubrication, but the typewriter shop ruined it!
When I pointed out what had happened, the shop owner brusquely replied, "we repair them so they work, we don't care how they look."
So take that as a warning: do NOT take your typewriter to a "professional" typewriter shop for repairs. And steer well clear of anything called an "acid bath."
I've never seen another model from this era in such perfect condition as was mine, not even in museums. Treasure yours.
(Chances are that if you spray some WD40 in there to clear out the sticky mechanism (keep it away from the exterior) and replace the ribbon, you'll be good to go!
They're not dolls, they're action figures!