1961 Royal HE #HE-13-7249572
Status: My Collection
Hunter: James Grooms (jgrooms)
Created: 06-01-2024 at 04:45PM
Last Edit: 01-06-2026 at 05:43AM
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Description:
Stuck, but far from dead. Something, maybe cereal, was spilled into the type basket and down the keyboard. A futile attempt to soak it up with paper towels was made. Coming out the bottom on initial inspection was what looked like brown condensed milk and paper bits. I thought maybe it had a mouse in it. It had sat in an unoccupied residence for over a decade until the kids finally decided to wrap up the estate. The last service tag was checked for 1968. I'd say after the spill, it was parked for another day that never came.
It was a tough clean out with the normal typebar sticky and add the trips at the roller were all stuck. Last but not least figuring out where the tab mechanism was stuck. Everywhere else, outside under the type basket, was super clean and the bodywork is sweet. Other than a funky 0 / ) slug that wants to smear for some reason, she is 100% pending a carbon ribbon test.
Elite "496" typeface. I believe this is Oxford. And to make things confusing, this is an 11 cpi. See link.
A desperate, and ultimately failed, attempt to keep up with IBM. A Royal HE vs the Underwood Scriptor type off? $470 ($5400) msrp or you could lease one!
But this has the best bell ("twin chime") you'll ever hear, using a smaller bell inside the larger with two strikers. Did anyone else do something like this?
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My second HE (awaiting service) came with this interesting brochure for scholastic accounts ca 1960. Added images.
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Tips for big mid century electrics in general-
1. Probably not the best machine to start your typewriter repair journey on. One needs a sound base in how a typewriter works. Next up, some experience with how to evaluate and service typewriters. These things are heavy and complicated, and not the best to learn on.
2. Try to avoid turning it on for long. They are often stuck. See if the motor runs or hums, then stop. Don't let the previous owner make a video with it on and jamming it around.
3. If it hums, take the body work off and try and roll it over at the drive pulley after you know which way it should rotate. Apply some mineral spirits, sparingly, to the shafts to loosen things up. Stay away from the clutch pack. Be careful with all the belts.
4. Once you have rolled it over and all the jammed trip points are unstuck, plug it in.
5. Now you are ready to evaluate the functions.
Typeface Specimen:
Links:
Photos:
Hunter: James Grooms (jgrooms)
James Grooms's Typewriter Galleries [ My Collection ] [ My Sightings ]
Status: Typewriter Hunter
Points: 20018
Typewriters are the perfect blend of using one's technical skills, history and functional purpose. My goal is type tested machines. My interests are not isolated to anyone area. For example, I am a big fan of Smith Corona electrics, mid century electrics and all things Royal.
RESEARCH NOTE: When researching the Royal HE on a computer with lots of screen real estate, you may find that launching the Royal Serial Number page and the Royal HE By Model/Year/Serial page in new browser windows can give you interesting perspectives on changes throughout the model series.
