(Additional processing power provided by the Intel i486 DX)
Wow, what a relic!! Truly amazing that it is still going strong
this post was submitted on 12 Nov 2023
223 points (97.9% liked)
Mechanical Keyboards
8869 readers
48 users here now
Are you addicted to the clicking sounds of your beautiful and impressive mechanical keyboard?
If so, this community is for you!
Here you can discuss everything about mechanical keyboards (and only mechanical keyboards).
Banner by Jay Zhang on Unsplash
founded 4 years ago
But it's nothing special, those things were built like absolute tanks. You could kill someone with an early model M and then go right back to typing.
IBM Model M's melting point is too low to protect against people that abuse the pen holder as an ashtray tho, and mine got shipped to me without protective packaging lol. It works, but a bolt mod and a destructive deep clean was necessary. Yes, Model M's can get permanent dents and turn yellow if you put enough lit cigarettes on it. Restoration videos don't show Model M's as abused as this one.
Mind posting a picture of it as well? I'm kinda curious as to how it looks and what you've done to save it.
But seriously, who the fuck would not only smoke around their computer but put out the cigarette on their keyboard?
Sure.
Image 1: Packaging
Image 2: More Packaging
Image 3: Before Front
Most visible damage in this picture is above the F7 and Druck, Rollen, Pause keys. Druck, Rollen, Pause keys themselves are damaged. Previous owner probably cleaned this IBM Model M from the outside before they sent it to me. You'll see the horrors soon enough.
Image 4: Before Label
Image 5: After Back (similar to missing Before Back)
I removed the label from the back.
Image 6: Before Assembly Front
Note the ash :(
Image 7: Before Assembly Back
Image 8: Before Internals
How this melted is beyond me. Maybe due to repeated exposure to hot ash?
Image 9: After Cinematic Shot
Image 10: After Druck, Rollen, Pause Keys
Destructive cleaning on the side of the keys, though I could also look for replacement keycaps.
Image 11: After Yellow Spot
More destructive cleaning.
I didn't make any after pictures of the assembly and internals, but I gave everything a deep clean and bolt modded my IBM Model M.
Thanks. I'm hosestly amazed that the case isn't cracked at all from being shipped like that.
It does have a few battle scars but everything still works great and the keys are still very clicky
How do you deal with the multiple keystroke issues? If I remember correctly, it's only able to have a few simultaneous keystrokes before it doesn't recognize it.
You mean the lack of n-key rollover? To be honest, that's never been an issue for me and I do a fair bit of gaming.
Oh good. I remembered having that issue in the 90s when using these keyboards.
No Super key would drive me nuts
Some people map the caps lock key to super.
thats what im doing and its great
No need. CTRL-ESC.
too complicated for my smooth brain
I've also just mapped it to Ctrl+Alt or something as well. But ultimately for a daily driver I just got a Unicomp with the super key and use my old one with my retro rig now.
Nice. How does it compare with the IBM, aside from the super key?
Unless you are super nitpicky practically identical other than the branding. Former Lexmark and IBM people bought the actual stuff used to make them over the years and formed Unicomp after it was shut down so they are not cheap knockoffs.
I did read that the molds used in some models were starting to wear out, but they have new ones that seem to be getting good reviews.
I have a IBM Model M from 1984 as my daily driver.
CTRL-ESC works, I actually prefer it.
So yours is almost 40 years old, nice. It's amazing how far technology has moved in that time and here we are still using these ancient keyboards... they have seen some things we wouldn't believe.
I'd have thought it would have yellowed more than that, did you have to treat it to make it look so good?
Surprisingly not, I don't think I've ever seen a yellowed Model M (or earlier Model F for that matter).
Cyrix gang rise up!
Told you people would love it :D I'm glad she lives!
We have the same exact brief...ehm...keyboard.
Love to see the pen holder in use :P
I wish more modern keyboards had them as it's actually quite handy. I use it more for decoration purposes most of the time but it can be a real live saver if you keep misplacing smaller tools
Yeah, I also love the pen holder of my IBM Model M. I don't know about others, but I always keep a pen at my desk. So I may as well use the pen holder built into my keyboard.
the OG keyboard, how is it?
Amazing, really tactile and loud :D
Man I wish I had a curled up wire for keyboard and mouse... My wires are way too long and always get in the way.