dl614

That’s a neat find with the 1950s Royal! The quick fading you’re seeing might be because those vintage ribbons are often made with inks that aren’t designed for long shelf life once exposed to air. Covering the typewriter helps, but humidity and temperature swings can still dry them out. Water won’t really help since the ink isn’t water-based and could make things worse. One trick I’ve heard is to lightly mist the ribbon with a very fine spray of isopropyl alcohol mixed with a tiny bit of glycerin - this can sometimes reactivate the ink without damaging the ribbon fibers. But it’s a bit of a gamble and definitely test on a scrap first. Alternatively, some folks swear by modern ribbons made for vintage machines - they hold ink better and don’t dry out as fast, though the ink might look a bit different on paper. If you want to keep that authentic vintage vibe, maybe keep a couple of fresh vintage ribbons on hand