# Are there manual typewriters that won't jam if you type fast? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 8, 2015, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-manual-typewriters-that-wont-jam-if-you-type-fast/712154 "2015-02-08T22:52:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2015, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-manual-typewriters-that-wont-jam-if-you-type-fast/712154/1 "2015-02-08T22:52:38Z")
Thought I’d try to appease my inner hipster and impress/annoy my friends by writing a letter with a typewriter. But all the ones I’ve used (which isn’t many) get their typebars smooshed together if you go faster than a few characters a second. I’ve used electronic ones that buffer what you type and then slowly catch up the printing when you next pause and think, but are there manual designs that let you type with arbitrary speed (or at least “fast enough”) without jamming? Or is it a matter of technique, perhaps? I type some 130wpm on computer keyboards, but trying to type the same way on a manual typewriter just pisses off the machine. ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2015, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-manual-typewriters-that-wont-jam-if-you-type-fast/712154/2 "2015-02-08T22:57:48Z")
Is electric acceptable? IBM Selectirc ™ uses a rotating/tilting ball instead of type. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2015, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-manual-typewriters-that-wont-jam-if-you-type-fast/712154/3 "2015-02-08T23:04:40Z")
The world typing record on a manual typewriter was [176 wpm](http://www.owled.com/typing.html), set way back in 1959, so I think it’s more your technique than mechanical limitations. I have never known anyone who could outtype an [IBM Selectric](http://www-03.ibm.com/ibm/history/ibm100/us/en/icons/selectric/). ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2015, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-manual-typewriters-that-wont-jam-if-you-type-fast/712154/4 "2015-02-08T23:09:25Z")
> [@usedtobe](#): > > Is electric acceptable? > > IBM Selectirc ™ uses a rotating/tilting ball instead of type. I didn’t realize there were electric, non-electronic, typewriters. Not quite what I was hoping to find, but still very cool. The ball is really neat! So is its earlier cousin, the [Blickensderfer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blickensderfer_typewriter). The ingenuity of inventors then is pretty staggering. > [@kunilou](#): > > The world typing record on a manual typewriter was [176 wpm](http://www.owled.com/typing.html), set way back in 1959, so I think it’s more your technique than mechanical limitations. Wow! Do you know how did they did it? > [@](#): > > I have never known anyone who could outtype an [IBM Selectric](http://www-03.ibm.com/ibm/history/ibm100/us/en/icons/selectric/). Oh, I wouldn’t doubt it. I’m sure those are a lot faster, just not as quaint! ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2015, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-manual-typewriters-that-wont-jam-if-you-type-fast/712154/5 "2015-02-08T23:38:48Z")
> [@Reply](#): > > Or is it a matter of technique, perhaps? I type some 130wpm on computer keyboards, but trying to type the same way on a manual typewriter just pisses off the machine. Yes, it’s a matter of technique, but 130wpm long-term-average is very good for a manual typewriter: you should be looking for 80-120, and 60 would be good enough to get a job. Or do you mean peak? Because you won’t be able to hit the same peak speeds on a manual: you should try to maintain an even speed. To get maximum record-breaking speed, you need to learn your keyboard, so that you can squeeze up the keys that won’t jam, and slow down the keys that will, but that’s not what normal typing sounds like. Good typing on a manual keyboard is more even than it is on an electric. Try to get “WERE” the same speed as “RKXP” and “AQZS”, fingers coming up off the keys. Identify the letter combinations that are causing you trouble: are you running together keys from two hands like “nt”, caused by uneven timing of the two hands? Or keys like “er”, caused by using too much hand movement instead of finger playing? ---
**Author:** ![Belowjob2.0](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Belowjob2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Belowjob2.0)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2015, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-manual-typewriters-that-wont-jam-if-you-type-fast/712154/6 "2015-02-08T23:41:38Z")
[7. I want to use a manual typewriter. What would you recommend?](http://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/tw-faq.html#q7) Famous writers and their favorite typewriters: > **[The Classic Typewriter Page : All About Typewriters](https://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/)** > > All about typewriters: history, > use, collecting, restoring, and more. Ask here: [http://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/](http://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/) and here: [http://typewriter.boardhost.com/](http://typewriter.boardhost.com/) ---
**Author:** ![Belowjob2.0](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Belowjob2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Belowjob2.0)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2015, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-manual-typewriters-that-wont-jam-if-you-type-fast/712154/7 "2015-02-09T00:05:39Z")
> [@Reply](#): > > Thought I’d try to appease my inner hipster and impress/annoy my friends by writing a letter with a typewriter. But all the ones I’ve used (which isn’t many) get their typebars smooshed together if you go faster than a few characters a second. > > I’ve used electronic ones that buffer what you type and then slowly catch up the printing when you next pause and think, but are there manual designs that let you type with arbitrary speed (or at least “fast enough”) without jamming? > > Or is it a matter of technique, perhaps? I type some 130wpm on computer keyboards, but trying to type the same way on a manual typewriter just pisses off the machine. I’d say technique, plus a well tuned, lubed where required manual typewriter. IME, for manual portables, Olympia SM-3’s and SM-4’s are really well made and solid to type on. [http://sevenels.net/typewriters/olympias.htm](http://sevenels.net/typewriters/olympias.htm) [http://sevenels.net/typewriters/manuals/OlympiaSM3manual.pdf](http://sevenels.net/typewriters/manuals/OlympiaSM3manual.pdf) ---
**Author:** ![Belowjob2.0](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Belowjob2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Belowjob2.0)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2015, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-manual-typewriters-that-wont-jam-if-you-type-fast/712154/8 "2015-02-09T00:15:51Z")
Looks like this guy is blazing, with no hang ups: https://www.youtube.com/embed/oxN1C2QQUIE?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque&list=PLGAYjr90hdfdujt8IrMbFUcrSs8yDl_9P https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sTHMXqD9kg