224

My IBM Model M from 1993 (lemmy.world)

submitted 7 months ago by FireWire400@lemmy.world to c/mechanicalkeyboards@lemmy.ml

31 comments fedilink hide all child comments

(Additional processing power provided by the Intel i486 DX)

all 32 comments

sorted by: hot top controversial new old

[+] Shameless@lemmy.world 10 points 7 months ago

[deleted]

[-] nottheengineer@feddit.de 9 points 7 months 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.

[-] lukas@lemmy.haigner.me 2 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

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.

[-] FireWire400@lemmy.world 1 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

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?

[-] lukas@lemmy.haigner.me 3 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

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.

[-] FireWire400@lemmy.world 1 points 7 months ago

Thanks. I'm hosestly amazed that the case isn't cracked at all from being shipped like that.

[-] FireWire400@lemmy.world 6 points 7 months ago

It does have a few battle scars but everything still works great and the keys are still very clicky

[-] jaschen@lemm.ee 3 points 7 months ago

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.

[-] FireWire400@lemmy.world 5 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

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.

[-] jaschen@lemm.ee 3 points 7 months ago

Oh good. I remembered having that issue in the 90s when using these keyboards.

[-] hamburglar26@wilbo.tech 1 points 7 months ago

I ran into it using a PS2-USB adapter with mine. I can't remember which game but I want to say some kind of FPS where I was hitting a lot, and even then it wasn't terrible but enough to notice. For day to day typing I never had an issue.

[-] funkajunk@lemm.ee 4 points 7 months ago

No Super key would drive me nuts

[-] maxprime@lemmy.ml 5 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

Some people map the caps lock key to super.

[-] hamburglar26@wilbo.tech 1 points 7 months ago

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.

[-] maxprime@lemmy.ml 1 points 7 months ago

Nice. How does it compare with the IBM, aside from the super key?

[-] hamburglar26@wilbo.tech 1 points 7 months ago

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.

[-] Oha@lemmy.ohaa.xyz 1 points 7 months ago

thats what im doing and its great

[-] Subverb@lemmy.world 1 points 7 months ago

No need. CTRL-ESC.

[-] Oha@lemmy.ohaa.xyz 2 points 7 months ago

too complicated for my smooth brain

[-] Subverb@lemmy.world 1 points 7 months ago

I have a IBM Model M from 1984 as my daily driver.

CTRL-ESC works, I actually prefer it.

[-] FireWire400@lemmy.world 1 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

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.

[-] thorcik@lemmy.world 3 points 7 months ago

Cyrix gang rise up!

[-] gnuplusmatt@startrek.website 3 points 7 months ago

I'd have thought it would have yellowed more than that, did you have to treat it to make it look so good?

[-] FireWire400@lemmy.world 2 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

Surprisingly not, I don't think I've ever seen a yellowed Model M (or earlier Model F for that matter).

[-] lorez@lemm.ee 2 points 7 months ago

We have the same exact brief...ehm...keyboard.

[-] Moghul@lemmy.world 2 points 7 months ago

Told you people would love it :D I'm glad she lives!

[-] 257m@sh.itjust.works 1 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

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.

[-] stolid_agnostic@lemmy.ml 1 points 7 months ago

the OG keyboard, how is it?

[-] FireWire400@lemmy.world 2 points 7 months ago

Amazing, really tactile and loud :D

[-] lukas@lemmy.haigner.me 1 points 7 months ago

Love to see the pen holder in use :P

[-] FireWire400@lemmy.world 1 points 7 months ago

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

[-] lukas@lemmy.haigner.me 1 points 7 months ago

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.

this post was submitted on 12 Nov 2023

224 points (97.9% liked)

Mechanical Keyboards

8120 readers

7 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