# Where can I find a TYPEWRITER these days?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-find-a-typewriter-these-days/393012
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [February 20, 2007, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-find-a-typewriter-these-days/393012 "2007-02-20T20:16:07Z")
**Posts on this page:** 8
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@anson2995](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anson2995)
#### Post date: [February 21, 2007, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-find-a-typewriter-these-days/393012/21 "2007-02-21T02:31:44Z")
I know the OP says he doesn’t want to buy one, but for others who might be so inclined, I’ll second the suggestion to look at thrift stores. Ebay has a ton, but shipping, especially on the older ones, can run upwards of $20 bucks.
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### Author:  [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)
#### Post date: [February 21, 2007, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-find-a-typewriter-these-days/393012/22 "2007-02-21T02:36:57Z")
[QUOTE=Ignatz]
Oh, it also has a sheet of carbon paper with it. For you youngsters, that is a sheet of thin paper coated on one side with a thin layer of dark blue or black powder. When the typist wants to make a copy of the original document being typed, s/he inserts the carbon paper between the original sheet of paper and a second sheet of paper, usually a thinner sheet, such as tissue paper, with the powder side down, and inserts the three sandwiched sheets into the platen and starts typing. With each key strike, the dark powder transfers from the carbon paper to the underneath sheet _et voilâ_, you have a second copy. Wasn’t that easy?
[/QUOTE]
I still remember the ‘thrill’ of using typewriter correction fluid. :smack:
Also if only there was some way to avoid retyping the entire document to insert a paragraph. 😕
Or keep a record of keystrokes, so you could produce a slightly different version next year… :rolleyes:
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### Author:  [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)
#### Post date: [February 21, 2007, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-find-a-typewriter-these-days/393012/23 "2007-02-21T17:21:28Z")
I still have a Brother portable typewriter tucked away under the bed in our spare bedroom. It doesn’t come out often, but I did use it just last fall for filling out some government documents (not the US government, the Chinese government; I figured I’d better type for maximum readability).
It’s a decent enough model. Mostly electronic, built-in dictionary, three text widths (10, 12, or 15), can do line-by-line and autocorrect and all that jazz, and the ribbon never dries out. On the downside, it’s very plastic, very lightweight, and feels kinda like a toy. But, it gets the job done.
Brother appears to still make models like mine. Brand new, they go for under $100.
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### Author:  [@brianmelendez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brianmelendez)
#### Post date: [February 21, 2007, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-find-a-typewriter-these-days/393012/24 "2007-02-21T19:28:53Z")
[QUOTE=Kevbo]
ebay.
[/QUOTE]
Yep. For my high-school graduation, 25 years ago, my parents gave me a brand-new IBM Selectric II. I keep it at work, and still use it daily, for forms, custom-sized envelopes, and anything else that doesn’t run easily through a printer. (BTW, most secretarial work stations in my company still have a typewriter nearby, although they don’t get used very much.)
A few years ago, I bought a matching typewriter on eBay, which I keep at home. And last year, I bought one for a volunteer organization where I use an office one day a week. You can find fully reconditioned Selectrics on eBay for about $100 to $200.
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### Author:  [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)
#### Post date: [February 21, 2007, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-find-a-typewriter-these-days/393012/25 "2007-02-21T19:57:57Z")
[QUOTE=Sonia Montdore]
The Vermont Country Store [http://www.vermontcountrystore.com](http://www.vermontcountrystore.com) sells two typewriter models, one electric and the other manual.
[/QUOTE]
Ah, I was just about to mention that one. Seventh Avenue might carry such a thing as well, since they also have turntables. Just makes sense that they may have typewriters.
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### Author:  [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)
#### Post date: [February 21, 2007, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-find-a-typewriter-these-days/393012/26 "2007-02-21T20:09:42Z")
Typewriter repair stores. Really, they’re still around.
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### Author:  [@robcaro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robcaro)
#### Post date: [February 21, 2007, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-find-a-typewriter-these-days/393012/27 "2007-02-21T20:25:43Z")
Try your local pawn shops. Perhaps they have one or two or three…
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### Author:  [@Schnookered](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnookered)
#### Post date: [February 21, 2007, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-find-a-typewriter-these-days/393012/28 "2007-02-21T21:18:27Z")
I think I may have been filling out those same forms a couple of years ago (tax forms for freelancers, perhaps?). I hand wrote them. So far, no problems with having done so.
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