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So, I found one of these "clicky-key" keyboards. Are they really so valuable?

Ole Juul said:
What is???

It would be easy to take off the model M key caps and dunk them in dye.
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Somebody linked here:
http://www.cybernetman.com/default.cfm?DocId=602

Also, you give me an idea. I have some Terminal model Ms somewhere that I don't use and don't bother converting because I already have normal Model M keyboards. I can take a full keyset from one of those terminal boards, dye the keys dark brown, and label them with C64 markings. :D

Perhaps a project for next summer.
 
Raven said:
There are some - a few of my boards have green Alt key text, etc., but if he means the whole key, most of those are industrial labels and not part of the actual keyboard - lots of Model Ms are labeled such a way.
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I mean molded green/blue/yellow/red keys alongside black letter keys.
 
Although this was never really a "for sale" thread, I did end up buying the keyboard (at a price that I'm eternally grateful to AB Positive for).

The buying experience was top-notch with excellent communication, shipping flexibility, and packing materials/care.

Not to mention an excellent condition, awesome keyboard that I'm using and loving :D
 
They are indeed EXCELLENT. I have a few, all except two having been free (the M13 with trackpoint from AB Positive, and an M5-2 with trackball from ebay...more than I wanted to pay but I lucked out anyway).

The particularly interesting ones are 122-key 3179 terminal keyboards that have been somewhat converted for PC use.
 
Even though this is an old thread, I have to add for my love for the original IBM clicky. I'm typing on one now. :D

I got about 20 of them for $5/ea at a used computer show that used to come through our town. All of them worked and still work. The first thing I typically do on a system is put aside the original keyboard and put one of these in operation.

I also have one of the ones with a pointy stick in the center. It came with one of the servers.
 
Chuck(G) said:
In my experience, the Model M is like anchovies--people either love them or hate them. There's no middle ground.
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Yea, people have the same opinions on Trinitron monitors where the lines in the screen either are not noticable or drive people crazy (love or hate them). The Model M issue is probably the clicky noise people learn to love or hate.

What do you guys think of the Unicomp keyboards (they purchased the Model M line from whoever got them from IBM, Lexmark maybe)? They look like a model M but without the noise.
 
Unknown_K said:
Yea, people have the same opinions on Trinitron monitors where the lines in the screen either are not noticable or drive people crazy (love or hate them). The Model M issue is probably the clicky noise people learn to love or hate.

What do you guys think of the Unicomp keyboards (they purchased the Model M line from whoever got them from IBM, Lexmark maybe)? They look like a model M but without the noise.
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Without the noise? HA.

They now own the patent and build the exact same keyboards that IBM and later Lexmark built, just in different housings. There are concerns about reduced quality but regardless, they still last. People do mention considerable differences in feel, but that it feels like undoubtedly the same mechanism.

Don't have one so I can't speak for how I like it, though.

Edit: Unicomp does make a variety of products, some of which are actually rebrands of others and some others which are quiet rubber dome keyboards, but the buckling spring boards are built in-house according to the original IBM patent. Fairly certain their plant is one of the old IBM ones as well.

Edit again: oh, this is THAT thread.

AB Positive was a PLEASURE to deal with and has my recommendation ANY day. I highly recommend this individual for reliability, honesty and fairness.
 
I did fire off an inquiry to Unicomp about their key caps. They're not double-shot molded like the originals; just laser engraved. So the key legends will eventually wear off.

Apparently, no one makes double-shot keycaps any longer. Shame, that.
 
AB Positive said:
The early descriptions of keyboard hoarders sounds eerily similar to the Neo-Geo collector mentality. I thankfully hit a support group program for that and shook the disease, but not before I ended up paying $450 for a single video game. :D
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Serious, or facetious? Because I have seen some of the total crazies who are after Neo-Geo stuff. It's insane. That "particular" forum can be quite destructive, from what I can see... Speaking of which, I am a Neo buff, but only MVS, and only titles less than $30. :)
 
Chuck(G) said:
I did fire off an inquiry to Unicomp about their key caps. They're not double-shot molded like the originals; just laser engraved. So the key legends will eventually wear off.

Apparently, no one makes double-shot keycaps any longer. Shame, that.
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Model M keycaps were never double-shot.

As for other IBM products...can't speak for those.
 
kishy said:
Model M keycaps were never double-shot.

As for other IBM products...can't speak for those.
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Hmmm, maybe I'm just too old. I could have been thinking about Selectric keycaps. :( Having said that, I haven't yet seen a Model M with worn-off lettering, where I've seen lots of newer keyboards that way.
 
Chuck(G) said:
Having said that, I haven't yet seen a Model M with worn-off lettering, where I've seen lots of newer keyboards that way.
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I haven't either. And some of the keyboards I have were used in hotels for years before ending up in my hands.
 
Chuck(G) said:
Hmmm, maybe I'm just too old. I could have been thinking about Selectric keycaps. :( Having said that, I haven't yet seen a Model M with worn-off lettering, where I've seen lots of newer keyboards that way.
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Yeah, the M's lettering is quite resilient (but not the black M13 like seen in this thread - scratch hard enough with your nails and it'll come off). I think it was determined the printing technique is "dye sublimation", whatever that means.

Somewhere on geekhack.org, probably in the wiki, there is a detailed rundown of anything you could imagine pertaining to IBM keyboards (and just about every other worthwhile keyboard ever made).
 
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