Easy Renault 614 Portable 〈2024〉

Because it is an "Easy" brand, collectors often ignore it in favor of Olivettis or Hermes. This is good for you. You can grab a bargain. Let us be brutally honest. If you want a daily writer for novels, do not buy this. Buy a Smith-Corona Silent or a Hermes Baby.

The Easy Renault 614 uses universal 2-inch spools. However, many 614s have reversed the ribbon vibrator (the part that lifts the ribbon). If your ribbon does not move up and down, check the tiny vibrator forks for bends. easy renault 614 portable

Today, its legacy is that of a survivor. Because it was cheap, many were thrown away. The ones that remain are a testament to Brother’s robust, if uninspired, engineering. Because it is an "Easy" brand, collectors often

Apply denatured alcohol to the segment where the typebars connect. Move each typebar up and down manually until they move freely. Let us be brutally honest

Instead, the Easy Renault 614 was almost certainly manufactured by the corporation of Japan. During the 1960s and 1970s, Brother produced millions of portable typewriters that were sold under dozens of different names: Webster, Wizard, Gorenje, Silver Reed, and yes—Renault.

The "614" model is part of a series of ultra-portable, ultra-simplified machines designed for students and travelers. It is a "portable" in the truest sense: it usually lives inside a hard plastic carrying case that is only slightly larger than the machine itself. Unboxing an Easy Renault 614 (if you are lucky enough to find one) is an exercise in 1970s industrial design. The machine is almost comically small. Compared to a standard portable like a Hermes 3000, the Renault 614 looks like a toy. But it is not plastic.

The "easy" moniker fails when you look at the touch. The keys require a decisive, deep press. This is not a machine for a soft touch or fast typing. If you try to type at 80 words per minute, you will find the keys locking up frequently. However, if you type slowly and deliberately—as one might when writing a letter or a journal entry—it works beautifully. The "Portable" Feature: Carrying Case and Travel The most common way to find an Easy Renault 614 today is still inside its original hard case. The case is usually a beige or black plastic clamshell with a metal latch.