What typewriter "font" size do you most prefer to write with? To read in a letter?

[Kamuela]

What typewriter "font" (type size) do you most prefer:

1. . . when you write letters?

2. . . . and prefer to read?

"Pica" (12 cpi), "Elite" (10 cpi), or something else?

 

**For example: now. . "vintage" manual or manual/electric assist typewriters made by Olympia, Smith Corona, Royal, etc, come with various "type slugs" that range  most commonly from "Pica" at 10 characters per inch (CPI) or the smaller "Elite" type slugs at 12 CPI.

Later electronic "typewriters" like the IBM Selectrics with switchable "type balls" and others with switchable "DaisyWheel" types also had variable "fonts".

 

**So, if writing or reading a typewritten . . .not laser printed from a computer. . .  what font do you prefer to "type with" and what font would you prefer to read from others that might have sent you a "type written" letter using a "typewriter".

 

Thanks for your helpful and positive input.

k

(1929 Royal P - types great)

This has type slugs that imprint a "font" slightly smaller than "Elite" at 12 cpi.

[txomsy]

Long time I haven't had access to a typewriter. But when I did, I used the only typeface it came with. At the time typefaces were not interchangeable, but fixed.

 

[Karmachanic]

@Kamuela  I'd be intersted to know how you change typeface on your 1929 Royal.  Please share.

[jesus iribarren]

Interesting, I am not esentially interested in any syze or type of fonts or letters but I feel a penchant or love for metal typewriters from the thirties and forties with some letters worne out, originals a la Raymond Chandler or Dashiell Hamet.

[carlos.q]

Many moons ago I was the proud owner of an IBM Selectric II. My preferred “type ball” was “Elite”, would sometimes use “Pica” and absolutely hated the one that tried to simulate cursive (I forget the name).

[antares1966]

6 hours ago, carlos.q said:

Many moons ago I was the proud owner of an IBM Selectric II. My preferred “type ball” was “Elite”, would sometimes use “Pica” and absolutely hated the one that tried to simulate cursive (I forget the name).

Selectric II is what my high school had for typing class, back when that was a thing...before that I took a typing class in middle school and they had big ol' tanks of standard size manuals.  I could really zing along on that Selectric though.  Preferred the higher CPI of Elite.

[Kamuela]

1 hour ago, antares1966 said:

Selectric II is what my high school had for typing class, back when that was a thing...before that I took a typing class in middle school and they had big ol' tanks of standard size manuals.  I could really zing along on that Selectric though.  Preferred the higher CPI of Elite.

Why do you prefer Elite?

 

[antares1966]

2 hours ago, Kamuela said:

Why do you prefer Elite?

 

I  think it's just a little narrower, more upright style, there's honestly not a ton of difference between the two, it's more type size than an actual difference in font I think.

[51ISH]

On 3/16/2023 at 4:28 PM, txomsy said:

Long time I haven't had access to a typewriter. But when I did, I used the only typeface it came with. At the time typefaces were not interchangeable, but fixed.

 

 

+1

[corniche]

I still use a Royal Scriptor with a Bookface Academic print wheel; I usually set it on Pitch 12.

 

I also have print wheels for Letter Gothic, Old English and Prestige.

 

The latter is what it came with; Old English is great for the Christmas Season.

 

I love my typewriter... I wouldn't want to be without it.

 

- Sean

[corniche]

On 3/17/2023 at 6:44 AM, carlos.q said:

 and absolutely hated the one that tried to simulate cursive (I forget the name).

 

Those are usually referred to as "Script."

 

- Sean

[inkstainedruth]

My old manual typewriter from high school and college didn't have a selection of fonts.  My guess that the font on it was "Courier" 12 point.  (My laptop no longer has that as an option, having only "Courier New" and "American Typewriter" as anything remotely close).  

These days, my preferred font is "Palatino", but that's not an option here ("Georgia" is probably the closest substitute, but it's just as easy to use the default -- even though I'm not overly enamored of non-serif fonts in general).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[51ISH]

27 minutes ago, inkstainedruth said:

My old manual typewriter from high school and college didn't have a selection of fonts.  My guess that the font on it was "Courier" 12 point.  (My laptop no longer has that as an option, having only "Courier New" and "American Typewriter" as anything remotely close).  

These days, my preferred font is "Palatino", but that's not an option here ("Georgia" is probably the closest substitute, but it's just as easy to use the default -- even though I'm not overly enamored of non-serif fonts in general).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

Oh goody it's another 'learning day'!!   I had to google 'serif' and 'non serif'.

I'll leave it there as this is a typewriter thread and all my fonts refer to my laptop... 🏃‍♂️

 

 

[OCArt]

1 hour ago, inkstainedruth said:

These days, my preferred font is "Palatino"

Ah Ruth, you have good taste in type!  I wrote (a won) many a grant proposal in my time and always used Palatino but set it at 13 points. My rationale was that the 13pt. type was hardly recognizable as being larger than the standard 12pt. but would be easier to read by the (likely aging) review board.

[corniche]

20 hours ago, OCArt said:

Ah Ruth, you have good taste in type!  I wrote (a won) many a grant proposal in my time and always used Palatino but set it at 13 points. My rationale was that the 13pt. type was hardly recognizable as being larger than the standard 12pt. but would be easier to read by the (likely aging) review board.

 

Hi OC, that's a good idea with the 13pt. size.

 

I typically used 11 or 12pt. I didn't use Palatino, though; I used Book Antiquia or another one I can't remember the name for, I think it started with a G, but I preferred the look of the Book Antiquia, but I always used serif fonts. Even with my Dymo label maker, I switch it off the default Arial font and use Roman.

 

- Sean