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The Telegrapher's Mill, or typewriter, is an indispensable piece of
equipment in my ham shack. As time goes by I find a typewriter to be an
indispensable item to have at home. Laser printers and electronic word
processors are impersonal and sterile. There is nothing like the experience
of using a typewriter. It covers all the sensory bases: smell, sound, feel
and appearance.
Smell: you can smell the paper, ribbon inks, aging grease and a twinge
of electric current for electric typewriters
Sound: It's a crime that people under the age of 25 are not acquainted
with the clickety-clack of a typewriter.
Feel: A proper typewriter weighs at least 15 pounds and doesn't scoot
across your desk and the action of the keys allow you to retract a
near-mistake by not completing the press of a key.
Appearance: Modern typewriters have a crisp appearance owing to the
carbon film ribbon but the cloth or silk ribbon in an older typewriter makes
an impression on the paper that cannot be duplicated any other way. The
paper takes on a life of its own. The typist reveals who they are by the
presence (or absence) of mistakes, grammatical errors and the appearance of
the finished page. Look deep into the page and you can see where emphasis
is put into words when the typist hits the keys harder making a deeper
impression into the paper.
