Number Six inspects Kipling…
The non-smudging keys look like this fully extended by keypress – type slug 1/4 inch from the paper, arrestor bar still at an angle, the spacing mechanism is *not* actuated.
The smudging keys look like this at the end of a keypress – typeslug is touching the paper, arrestor arm fully extended, spacing mechanism *is* actuated.
UPDATE! I’ve inspected the underside of the machine and found a brittle leather pad (or at least bits of it) which appear to be the mechanism for stopping the keys at the proper distance from the platen:
As to where I’m going to find a replacement for this, I dunno. I suppose I could make one from heavy craft felt or something, but there are intermittent slots in the pad to allow some keys full travel, and I’d have to figure out which keys need the slots and i’d have to position the replacement very precisely. Man what a horrible design flaw in this otherwise extremely robust machine!
This photo shows the “5” key (one of the non-smudging ones) being stopped by the pad.
Glad you have gotten your machine working. I just got one and love it. These are perhaps the most interesting typewriters I have ever seen.
Hmm. I just tried my own “noisy noiseless” and none of the typeslugs hit the platen if you depress the key slowly. I don’t know why some of yours would be doing that. At least you have a good, specific question to ask Bill Wahl.
good sleuthing. I wonder if Bill has that exact material or at least could make you a stencil for cutting.
These are cool machines. Does anyone have video of the action?
This is a really old post… but did you ever come up with a solution? I have the same typewriter with a similar issue.
https://typecast.munk.org/2011/11/24/kipling-fixed-with-video-plus-swissa-returns/