Today I gave the Olympia SF a try to type out a letter to my parents. As you can see from the picture, we own a blue one, very much the same blue of the 1950s. Appearance-wise, this is a very pretty machine, flat and compact. The keys are set at a good width. The margins were very easy to determine how to use, and I was able to set up everything myself, i.e., the typewriter is so easy to set up and use that even a dummy could do it!
As for the typing experience, a bit of a different story! I am typically a very fast typist. This machine forced me to slow down a bit; however, that could potentially be that they need oiling? If it is only a matter of oiling, then they were very comfortable on the finger-tips and spaced extremely well. You have to have great typing posture to use, and I do not recommend using on a desk that is too high for your arms.
The spacing of the letters was perfect, and margin setting was easy. I love the appearance of this machine so much that I am going to see if I can play with oiling to see if I can make the keys type faster.
Still waiting to play around with oiling the machine, but as per request, below is a typing sample, including a typeface specimen and a paragraph from Walden.
Very nice, thank you! Particularly fond of the passage you chose to type!
Of course! Above you will find the typing sample posted, as per request.
Love this color! Is it at all possible to show an example of the typing along with the picture of the typewriter?