9 de julio de 2012

Servicing a Hermes 2000

My friend Alfred presented me with a beautiful Hermes 2000, old-style with glossy black paint and all. The serial number 43485 dates it to 1938. While giving it a thorough cleaning, I really came to admire its clever built, including features like thick felt noise dampener, or a screw to adjust typing strength - I always wanted to know how that one works. In general, the Hermes 2000 was very easy to disassemble, a logical structure with just enough and well-built screws to give it major stability, at the same time nothing superfluous. Courtesy of its inventor, Giuseppe Prezioso (rumour has it he took a lot of his ideas for the Hermes 2000 from his former job at the Oliver Typewriter (Italy) Ltd., which was the Italian branch of the English company, and which produced the Oliver portable typewriter).

So here is some impressions from the cleaning:




"power screw"












5 comentarios:

  1. Love the logo on the back plate, and the way you couldn't resist taking it apart :-)

    ResponderBorrar
  2. Thanks -- these are beautiful machine. I have one but never understood the "power screw" until now!

    ResponderBorrar
    Respuestas
    1. I was surprised to see that it really is a rather simple (at least simple-looking) mechanism. It doesn't seem to have too much effect on this machine, but maybe it got weakened over time with the spring wearing out?

      Borrar
  3. Beautiful, beautiful typewriter. Really puts their later models to shame, in my opinion. Not that they are not great looking in their own right, but how does one compete with the class photographed here?

    ResponderBorrar
    Respuestas
    1. I agree, of course its a matter of personal choice - as always -, but also for me the original is the best. We are in the early 1930s, the engineer and designer is Italian - a good combination. Black and silver also is a true classic.

      Borrar