Looking at Buying a Typewriter

Charles Kinbote

So I have a little money and I'm looking into buying a typewriter. The thing is, I don't really know much about typewriters, and I was hoping you guys could help me out.

I spend a lot of my time writing, but I (like a lot of folks) have a lot of trouble with distractions, the internet primary among them, and I'm hoping that having a means of writing that isn't by hand or on something that can access the internet will help me to be more productive. I do think typewriters are just generally pretty neat, but the real reason I want one is for actual usage.

What this means is I don't necessarily need something super antique-y and gorgeous and expensive--on the other hand, I don't want to spend my money on something dinky and cheap. I like nice things. It needs to be somewhat mobile in that I am not going to keep it in one place for the rest of my life, but I'm definitely not going to be hauling it outside with any regularity.

Does anyone have any tips, experience, good places to start looking?

Thanks!

EggyToast

First things; have you considered getting a laptop and simply making sure it can't go on the internet? Jonathan Franzen superglues an ethernet cable to his laptop and then cuts it off, so it can't go on the internet (arguably you'd also have to permanently disable the wireless unless you get an older laptop.

As for typewriters specifically, finding a typewriter is the biggest trouble, so your options are more limited by what's available in your area. Due to the mechanics of typewriters it's best to find one locally and, if possible, being sold by someone who can service them and provide some parts. There's one print & fax repair shop near my house that sells old typewriters, and (for example) I would simply go to them and ask "I want to buy one of these, here's my requirements -- do these work?"

They're all quite heavy, though, in the scheme of things.

Sentry

I don't mean to be glib, but have you tried the obvious?

Charles Kinbote

I don't want a laptop--another big part of it is physically committing the words to paper

I'll look in the area, though

@Sentry I have, but I don't really know what I want, and I was hoping the thread could help me sort those things out