Olympia Traveller de Luxe S Inside

With the top cover removed, you can see the type bars, also known as hammers. There are also mechanical linkages from the keys to the bars. These linkages and pivots often require cleaning with some mechanical cleaning fluid. A nicely cleaned and oiled machine will allow you to type very fast. Usually manufacturers recommend using oil sparingly, however, my machine used to drip in the stuff because I liked to type fast on it.

From the top, you can also see that the key spacing is even and uniform. The space bar is very long which is very useful, as many people usually operate it with their thumbs.

Type Bars

The type bars had a short stroke and required very little pressure. You could touch type on one of these very easily, and it was highly recommended. Touch-typing involves determining the location of the keys by feel and not sight. An even typing speed also reduced the chances of "gaps" occurring between the letters. When typing on a mechanical typewriter, do not "hammer" the keys. Instead, a gentle strike with the tips of the fingers is required. You should also pull your finger away from the key after the finish stroke.

Ideally, the force should be even and just enough to make an impression without indenting the paper. If your fonts appear blurred, then you are applying too much force, as the indentation goes much deeper into the paper.

Traveller de Luxe S Logo

Here is the logo badge of the typewriter. It is a strange way to write it but shows that it was European.

Typewriter - Back View

I also have an orange version, which I found it at a second hand shop. However, as soon as I began typing on it, I realised it had an AZERTY keyboard.

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