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How to Repair Typewriter Ribbon

Antique and collectible typewriters used a woven cloth ribbon to hold the typewriter ink supply for these machines. The type ribbons originally came on metal spools in pre-inked formats. Today, it is necessary to re-ink your old typewriter ribbons or make necessary repairs when the pre-inked replacement ribbons cannot be found on the marketplace. Re-inking and ribbon repairs are messy jobs but are easy for most people to do.

Things You'll Need

Old typewriter ribbon with spools
Newspapers
Blotting paper
Disposable plastic bowl
Bottled stamp pad ink
Small crafting paintbrush
Iron
Needle and cotton thread
Q-Tips
Bleach
Paper towels
WD-40

Instructions

- 1
  Spread a layer of newspapers under your work area.
- 2
  Roll your typewriter ribbon from the supplied full spool to the supplied empty spool. Watch for any crumpled places or rips. Iron crumpled places on low heat after wrapping the ribbon in blotting paper. Hand-stitch rips with cotton thread and tiny stitches.
- 3
  Open your bottle of stamp pad ink. Pour a small amount into a disposable plastic bowl. Paint the ink in a light layer onto both sides of the typewriter ribbon with a Q-Tip or craft paintbrush. Blot the painted ribbon with blotting paper as you go along to avoid clotting.
- 4
  Paint two-color ribbons one color at a time. Paint the darkest color first, blotting in a firm manner to keep ink from running onto the wrong side of the ribbon. Paint the lighter color second in a way that does not touch the darker color of ink.
- 5
  Clean the messy ink spots on the spools or in your work area with a paper towel that has been dipped into bleach.
- 6
  Add one drop of WD-40 to your typewriter ribbon every three inches, after inking, if your stamp pad ink turns out to be a new fast-drying formula.

Antiques