[GreenKeys] Model 15 Print Quality

[Richard Knoppow]

     This is so elementary I hate to suggest it, have you cleaned 
the type faces? Standard procedure on a typewriter and especially 
after using a muddy ribbon. Best solvent is Ronsonol lighter 
fluid. Dissolves the ink and junk stuck on the type faces, won't 
attack paint or plastic. Scrub with a toothbrush. Use wooden 
toothpicks to clean out the hollows in the type faces. Should 
sharpen up the print a lot.
    There are three materials used for ribbons: cotton, nylon, 
silk. Cotton holds the most ink and prints the darkest, silk 
holds less ink and is the sharpest (and most expensive) nylon is 
nearly as sharp as silk, long lived, holds a moderate amount of 
ink and is generally considered the best overall type to use, at 
least for typewriters. I suspect Teletype machines are hard on 
ribbons.

On 10/23/2020 2:14 PM, ad7i wrote:
> Greetings GreenKeyers --
>
> Below is a photo of some print from my model 15 TTY.  I had 
> been using a ribbon that I had re-inked myself using methods 
> I'm too embarrassed to admit.  Let's just say the ribbon was 
> juicy and the print looked a little blob-ish.
>
> I've now moved to a new-old-stock ribbon that may be a little 
> light on ink compared to how it was when it left the factory. 
> As can be seen in the photos with the NOS ribbon, the top of 
> the B has some issues, and other characters with closed 
> elements (A, D, O, P, R) have lesser issues as well.  Would 
> switching to a brand new ribbon with proper ink levels likely 
> cure the printing issues?   Or would improving the print 
> quality require some adjustment of the type-heads themselves 
> (something I'm very reluctant to undertake as I expect I might 
> turn it into a mess).
>
> Paul, ad7i
>
> m15 print.jpg
>
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-- 
Richard Knoppow
1oldlens1 at ix.netcom.com
WB6KBL