196x Underwood 21 #055471
Status: My Collection
Hunter: Ted Snyder (tricosene)
Created: 02-04-2026 at 03:36PM
Last Edit: 04-02-2026 at 12:27PM
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Description:
Made in Italy, according to a label on the typewriter. The case, however, states that both case and machine were made in Barcelona, Spain.
Features:
Pica; segment shift; a less common typeface which I cannot find the name for, typeslugs labeled as 2.
This Underwood 21 came to me via shopgoodwill.
It has a sinewy feel when typing, felt most clearly when the tension is turned up to the highest settings. It takes some effort to type on, but the effort feels like it is paid off, not like some typewriters where you feel like you have to almost pound the keys to get it to work. It’s hard to describe this feeling beyond sinewy–sometimes I think that there are bones and joints inside, and each time I push down on a key, I am activating this morbid articulation.
The prior owner decided to scratch her name into the paint in three different locations, write her name in pencil on the back, and write her name inside the case.
Repairs / Replacements
It required repeated cleanings to get the typebars moving freely.
When reassembling it, one of the screws that holds the baseplate in place sheared off. Not much pressure was applied to it, so this seemed strange. I haven’t been able to find an exact match, but I found that standard M3 0.50x screws fit.
The tab wasn’t working. I cleaned as much of the system as I could, to no avail. Then I noticed that the tab trip lever (steel-colored) was not contacting the tab release pawl (black colored). (I don’t have a service manual and am just guessing at these names.) You can see them in the photo I’ve uploaded, both circled in red. The screw on the lever was very loose. Upon tightening it, the lever raised up and was able to trip the pawl, and this let the tab system start working again.
The paper bail rattles. As far as I can tell, it’s not an issue with a spring. There just appears to be too much play in one of the joints under the carriage. I placed a piece of adhesive cork onto it and this stopped the rattle.
The ribbon spools that came with it were plastic and did not work right. Their rotation loosened one screw and tightened the other. I replaced them with metal spools from Ribbons Unlimited and the problem was solved.
After wiping down the body, I cleaned the paint with Zymol HD-Cleanse to remove oxidation, then waxed it with Zymol Creme.
Typeface Specimen:
Photos:
Hunter: Ted Snyder (tricosene)
Ted Snyder's Typewriter Galleries [ My Collection ] [ My Sightings ]
Status: Typewriter Hunter
Points: 51
Back in high school, my dad would bring home one of the office typewriters, a Brother daisy wheel with a built-in word processor, for me to use. That might be my first typewriter. I don't know what happened to it. I bought a Cannon Starwriter afterwards to take to college. Fast forward to 2025, and I started wondering if there could be benefits of using a typewriter in my writing routines.
Little did I know that typewriters have the ability to reproduce. A Remington Quiet Riter led to a Royal KMG and Underwood De Luxe Leader pair, and the process continued. Now I have a dozen.
RESEARCH NOTE: When researching the Underwood 21 on a computer with lots of screen real estate, you may find that launching the Underwood Serial Number page and the Underwood 21 By Model/Year/Serial page in new browser windows can give you interesting perspectives on changes throughout the model series.
