A tip for making 'new' printer ribbons for about 50p each... Keep your eyes open at Car Boot Sales etc and, if you can't see your particular cartridge, buy one or two (or more depending on your bank balance!) that have the same width ribbon as yours.
Open your worn-out cartridge and carefully remove the ribbon - making sure you don't lose the springs on the tension wheels. Draw out a fairly long length from the 'new' cartridge and insert it into the old cartridge in the 'operational' position.
Replace the top on the old cartridge, then simply wind in the new ribbon. A vice or bench clamp is useful to hold the donor cartridge whilst winding. When the donor cartridge is empty, split open to complete the winding.
1st February 1994