You canвЂ™t be an author without a typewriter, just like you canвЂ™t be a knight without a sword or a runner without shoes.The Royal company in America was one of the pioneering typewriter manufacturers, having introduced their first model as early as 1906. The typewriter made her very happy and seeing this, in turn, made me happy. The reason that convinced me to give it to her was that she is an aspiring author, writing poems and having some published in literature magazines. It made writing on it and reading what you wrote a real pleasure.ДЄlthough it broke my heart a little, I gave it away to a dear friend of mine who couldnвЂ™t afford one. It had a bigger font than the sm3 I use, very crisp and clear. There were absolutely no signs of wear on the platten, the letters on the typebars were absolutely clean and shiny. It was a little stiff at first, sitting unused for decades, but with some exercising of the keys and just a little isopropylic alcohol it came back to its senses. The brush, the pelikan ribbon box and the manual. Under that cover laid a BRAND NEW unused Facit 1620. Opening it I first saw a vinyl cover with the name FACIT imprinted on it. With a rag I quickly gave the suitcase a wipe to clear the spider webs and the thick dust. I almost fell a few times holding the heavy thing with one hand and with the other the handlebars. I took the suitcase home on my bike without opening it. Seeing the key tied with string to the handle I realised immediately what it was a typewriter. Last year I found searching through the junk in the attic at work a small vinyl suitcase. While some prefer to what is called the вЂњbutteryвЂќ feel of the Hermes, I much prefer the precise touch of the Facit and its more understated color and lines. While the Hermes shares more in style with the Facit, it almost goes overboard in this department. It works, yes, but the Facit has a grace about it, a level of refinement more akin to a Hermes 3000. The SM9 is precise, but rigid and feels mechanically dull, lifeless. The Facit 1620 is similar, but also much different in all the details. The closest comparison would be the vaunted Olympia SM9, the gold standard of workmanlike typewriters. ItвЂ™s a piece of machinery, but thatвЂ™s like saying the Apple iPhone is just a mobile device. This is the kind of typewriter that will tickle the fancy of your muse. Part of it is the cool carriage glide, part is how the key tops feel and the sound they make when striking the platen. Plus, thereвЂ™s that X-factor of feel that makes you want to use this machine.

Line after line goes by easily with the Facit. If youвЂ™re doing lots of writing youвЂ™ll know the importance of an easy carriage return. When youвЂ™re typing the carriage seems to float across the line, itвЂ™s that smooth and unique among typewriters. The Facit is an easy going typewriter with a basket shift mechanism and keys that donвЂ™t need much effort to make a good impression.

The overall impression is of a company that pays attention to details. And in the design world where packaging enhances product, the Facit comes with a handsome matching suitcase with an interior felt cross-bar that proudly proclaims in gold lettering Made in Sweden. The above picture doesnвЂ™tВ do justice to the chocolate keys and cream body. ItвЂ™s a style thatвЂ™s timeless and you could easily imagineВ this typewriter in an Ikea showroom. And if itвЂ™s form youвЂ™re after the minimalist Swedish lines represent the egalitarian style evocative in this rich culture. Every facetВ of the Facit is fantastic, from the ultra-glide action of the cylinder and bearing carriage system to its all-metal body, this machine oozes functionality.

Facit typewriter metal spools