Hermes 3000 / Typewriters

What typeface is this?

L.T. Hanlon8 Comments

I gave in and bought this Hermes 3000. Everything that’s been said about these typewriters is true. The feel of this machine exudes fine Swiss engineering; there’s a near-orgasmic Machine Age sensation to its operation. Bonus factoid: Hermes was associated with Paillard, the same folks famed for Bolex movie cameras.

Photo shows a Hermes 3000 typewriter. The machine is a later model from probably the mid-1960s. It's minty green in color and unlike previous smooth-curve models, has a somewhat more angular design.

Photo of the following typewritten text. Tuesday, May 7, 2019. Chicago, Illinois. Hermes 3000. Not curvy. What face is this? I'm thinking my machine is perhaps equipped with Techno Pica Special. The clue is that S and TP appear on the type slugs. Regardless of what it is, I like this typeface. Warning. This typecast has not been edited.

Close-up view of typewriter type slugs that show insignias of the letters S and TP.

8 thoughts on “What typeface is this?”

  1. I just call that techno, but I’m not great with typefaces. Great machine. I have he same, with the platen knobs cracked off (a common problem with Hermes). You are lucky yours are still there.

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    • The right knob on my machine is A-OK but the left is cracked and held together with cellophane tape — it just sits there; it doesn’t do anything. Some time ago I saw an eBay listing for replacement knobs but didn’t own the Hermes then or else I would have bought them. The knobs might have been 3-D printed.

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      • Buyer beware on those 3-D printed knobs. Make sure the seller has a tested product. I’ve had bad luck and resigned myself to having no knobs.

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      • Thanks for the warning. I wonder if there are knobs from other products, even non-typewriters, that could be retrofitted?

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      • I’m still trying to get used to how the Hermess 3000 sets margins. I think it’s going to take several months to get that into muscle memory.

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